39-year-old actor Daniel Craig has dyed his hair brown for filming on the 22nd spy film, the Quantum of Solace.
The cast of Quantum of Solace: L-R - Gemma Arterton, Mathieu Amalric, Olga Kurylenko, Daniel Craig, Dame Judi Dench and director Marc Foster
The cast of Quantum of Solace: L-R - Gemma Arterton, Mathieu Amalric, Olga Kurylenko, Daniel Craig, Dame Judi Dench and director Marc Foster
At the photocall announcing the title of the new Bond movie, Quantum of Solace, Craig's face looked tanned and smoother than usual as he posed alongside his latest leading ladies. Bond and his babes, Olga Kurylenko and Gemma Arterton posed at the Quantum of Solace photocall at Pinewood Studios.
As the film's stars faced the press at Pinewood Studios in Buckinghamshire, the producers explained that the title comes from a short story by Bond creator Ian Fleming included in his compendium For Your Eyes Only. Quantum of Solace means "a small amount of peace." The name of the new James Bond film – Quantum of Solace – left many 007 fans bemused when it was revealed yesterday.
Very little of the plot for the 22nd Bond adventure, was revealed at Pinewood Studios – where filming began in November. But it was confirmed that the story carries directly on from the last film Casino Royale, where Bond fell for Eva Green's character Vesper Lynd, who was killed. In a complex, twisting plot, he initially thinks she has betrayed him – but then learns she took her own life to save his. So in Quantum of Solace, 007 sets out on a revenge mission that takes him to Austria, Italy and South America.
In the original short story, Bond is simply being told a tale about a beautiful woman's love life and is not involved in the action in any way. The script of the new film may be based very loosely on the short story. But producer Michael G Wilson hinted that it will be more about lost love and revenge and less about spies.
Speaking of the original story, he said: "It's uncharacteristic of most of Fleming's work. It's a character study that doesn't involve plots or anything with spies. "We thought it was an intriguing title that references what's happening to Bond and what's happening to him in this film."
Of the unusual title, Craig said: "This title is meant to confuse a little. It's meant to make you sort of wonder. We want people to start thinking as they come and see the film. It debates relationships and how they hurt and how people can be hurt. I think it relates to how Fleming was feeling at the time.
"I think it relates to the fact that if you don't have that Quantum of Solace in a relationship, youshould give up. If you are not respecting each other, it's over, and at the end of the last movie Bond doesn't have that because his girlfriend has been killed."
The villain, Dominic Greene, is played by Frenchman Mathieu Amalric – who starred in theOscar-nominated The Diving Bell and the Butterfly.
He said he drew inspiration from several European political leaders. "I was trying to see the smile of Tony Blair, maybe Nicolas Sarkozy – it's the worst villain we ever had," he added.
Ukrainian model and actress Olga Kurylenko has been cast as the new Bond girl, the "dangerously alluring" Camille, while Dame Judi Dench is reprising the role of Bond's boss M.
Quantum of Solace will also star 21-year-old British newcomer Gemma Arterton fresh out of drama school, as an MI6 agent known as Fields. She said: "I felt like a giggly girl, and I felt so young and inexperienced – but I kissed James Bond!"
Kurylenko is yet to film any scenes with Craig because she has been busy preparing for her feisty role.
She said: "I'm doing weapons training and body flight training for aerial scenes and stunt work for fighting. This girl is going to kick a***."
Craig explained that the story would follow on from the plot of Casino Royale. "We start this movie almost immediately where the last one stopped off. I would be lying if I said there wasn't revenge in his heart but there's more than that. That's not what the movie is, its not a revenge movie, it's about him figuring a few things out." Of his character he added: "I do like him."
Dame Judi Dench, in her sixth appearance as spy chief M, said the role was a joy to play: "I get more to do in this one, which is terrific," she said. "I learned to do a few more gadgets and look like I'm running MI6, I hope." She hinted her character's relationship with Bond would be "pretty prickly" in the forthcoming movie.
Filming began this month at Pinewood Studios. The plot takes in the usual range of exotic locations, some of which have been recreated on Pinewood's famous Bond stage, including the medieval splendour of Siena, Italy.
Arterton said her St Trinian's co-star and former Bond girl Caterina Murino had warned her of the consequences of getting to kiss Bond. "You have to open your mail with a knife because, she said, you get hate mail with razors in it."
Arterton, who plays a young MI6 agent, admitted the kiss had already been filmed. "I was in a bit of a dream, a daze. I felt like a giggly girl that day because he's such a man. I can't really divulge too much, but it was good."
When asked if Craig would be reprising his sexy swimming trunks scene, which captivated female viewers of Casino Royale, producer Broccoli said: "I wish! I am still trying..." Co-producer Michael G Wilson interjected: "Barbara's insisting."
The Quantum of Solace will be released in cinemas in November.
As the film's stars faced the press at Pinewood Studios in Buckinghamshire, the producers explained that the title comes from a short story by Bond creator Ian Fleming included in his compendium For Your Eyes Only. Quantum of Solace means "a small amount of peace." The name of the new James Bond film – Quantum of Solace – left many 007 fans bemused when it was revealed yesterday.
Very little of the plot for the 22nd Bond adventure, was revealed at Pinewood Studios – where filming began in November. But it was confirmed that the story carries directly on from the last film Casino Royale, where Bond fell for Eva Green's character Vesper Lynd, who was killed. In a complex, twisting plot, he initially thinks she has betrayed him – but then learns she took her own life to save his. So in Quantum of Solace, 007 sets out on a revenge mission that takes him to Austria, Italy and South America.
In the original short story, Bond is simply being told a tale about a beautiful woman's love life and is not involved in the action in any way. The script of the new film may be based very loosely on the short story. But producer Michael G Wilson hinted that it will be more about lost love and revenge and less about spies.
Speaking of the original story, he said: "It's uncharacteristic of most of Fleming's work. It's a character study that doesn't involve plots or anything with spies. "We thought it was an intriguing title that references what's happening to Bond and what's happening to him in this film."
Of the unusual title, Craig said: "This title is meant to confuse a little. It's meant to make you sort of wonder. We want people to start thinking as they come and see the film. It debates relationships and how they hurt and how people can be hurt. I think it relates to how Fleming was feeling at the time.
"I think it relates to the fact that if you don't have that Quantum of Solace in a relationship, youshould give up. If you are not respecting each other, it's over, and at the end of the last movie Bond doesn't have that because his girlfriend has been killed."
The villain, Dominic Greene, is played by Frenchman Mathieu Amalric – who starred in theOscar-nominated The Diving Bell and the Butterfly.
He said he drew inspiration from several European political leaders. "I was trying to see the smile of Tony Blair, maybe Nicolas Sarkozy – it's the worst villain we ever had," he added.
Ukrainian model and actress Olga Kurylenko has been cast as the new Bond girl, the "dangerously alluring" Camille, while Dame Judi Dench is reprising the role of Bond's boss M.
Quantum of Solace will also star 21-year-old British newcomer Gemma Arterton fresh out of drama school, as an MI6 agent known as Fields. She said: "I felt like a giggly girl, and I felt so young and inexperienced – but I kissed James Bond!"
Kurylenko is yet to film any scenes with Craig because she has been busy preparing for her feisty role.
She said: "I'm doing weapons training and body flight training for aerial scenes and stunt work for fighting. This girl is going to kick a***."
Craig explained that the story would follow on from the plot of Casino Royale. "We start this movie almost immediately where the last one stopped off. I would be lying if I said there wasn't revenge in his heart but there's more than that. That's not what the movie is, its not a revenge movie, it's about him figuring a few things out." Of his character he added: "I do like him."
Dame Judi Dench, in her sixth appearance as spy chief M, said the role was a joy to play: "I get more to do in this one, which is terrific," she said. "I learned to do a few more gadgets and look like I'm running MI6, I hope." She hinted her character's relationship with Bond would be "pretty prickly" in the forthcoming movie.
Filming began this month at Pinewood Studios. The plot takes in the usual range of exotic locations, some of which have been recreated on Pinewood's famous Bond stage, including the medieval splendour of Siena, Italy.
Arterton said her St Trinian's co-star and former Bond girl Caterina Murino had warned her of the consequences of getting to kiss Bond. "You have to open your mail with a knife because, she said, you get hate mail with razors in it."
Arterton, who plays a young MI6 agent, admitted the kiss had already been filmed. "I was in a bit of a dream, a daze. I felt like a giggly girl that day because he's such a man. I can't really divulge too much, but it was good."
When asked if Craig would be reprising his sexy swimming trunks scene, which captivated female viewers of Casino Royale, producer Broccoli said: "I wish! I am still trying..." Co-producer Michael G Wilson interjected: "Barbara's insisting."
The Quantum of Solace will be released in cinemas in November.