james bond

[edit]Quantum of Solace (2008)

As production of Casino Royale reached its conclusion, producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli announced that pre-production work had already begun on the 22nd Bond film. After several months of speculation as to the release date, Wilson and Broccoli announced on 20 July 2006 that the follow-up film,Quantum of Solace,^[104] would be released on 2 May 2008 and that Craig had been signed to play Bond, with an option for a third film.^[105] Quantum of Solace was eventually released on 31 October 2008 in the UK and 14 November 2008 in North America, changed from its original release date of 7 November 2008 after Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince was pushed back to summer 2009. Upon its opening in the UK, it grossed £4.9 million, breaking the record for the largest Friday opening (31 October 2008) in the UK.^[106] The film then broke the UK opening weekend record, taking £15.5 million in its first weekend, surpassing the previous record of £14.9 million held by Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.^[107][108] The film grossed $27 million on its opening day in 3,451 cinemas in Canada and the United States. It was the #1 film for the weekend, with $67.5 million and $19,568 average per cinema.^[109] It was the highest-grossing opening weekend Bond film in the US and Canada,^[110] and tied with The Incredibles for the biggest November opening outside of the Harry Potter series.^[111]

Columbia Pictures co-financed and distributed Craig's first two films because they bought MGM in 2005. However, MGM chose to cease the distribution deal with Columbia following the success of Casino Royale (for which Columbia provided 75% of the budget). In the agreement, Columbia chose to finance one more Bond film, Quantum of Solace.^[112] However, in April 2011, a deal was finalized allowing Columbia/Sony to continue to be involved with the James Bond film series, picking up where they left off with Bond 23 and Bond 24.^[113] Despite the renewed 007 partnership, 20th Century Fox will continue to handle home video rights to the film series on behalf of MGM as Fox's output distribution deal was also renewed in April 2011.

[edit]Skyfall (2012)

Skyfall, then known by the working title Bond 23, was suspended throughout 2010 because of MGM's financial troubles; however, following MGM's exit from bankruptcy on 21 December 2010, Bond 23 resumed pre-production and in January 2011 was officially given a release date of 9 November 2012 by MGM and the Broccoli family, with production scheduled to start in late 2011. Since then, MGM and Sony Pictures announced that the UK and Ireland release date would be brought forward to 26 October 2012, two weeks prior to the USA release date, which will remain November 9.^[114] The film will be part of yearlong celebrations of the 50th anniversary of Dr. No and the Bond franchise. Following speculation that the film would be titled "Skyfall" after a series of domain names were discovered to have been registered on behalf of Sony Pictures,^[115] the title was officially confirmed at a press conference on 3 November, 2011, fifty years to the day since Sean Connery was annouced to be the first James Bond. The film will be directed by Sam Mendes.

Peter Morgan was originally commissioned to write a script, but left the project when MGM filed for bankruptcy and production of the film stalled. The final script was written by Bond screenwriting regulars Neal Purvis and Robert Wade, as well as John Logan.^{[116][117][118]} Roger Deakins will be the film's cinematographer, having previously worked with Mendes onJarhead and Revolutionary Road.^[119]

Judi Dench was confirmed as reprising her role as M and revealed that she was needed by the production team as early as November 2011.^[120] In January 2011, Deadline.com reported that Eon Productions offered Javier Bardem a starring role.^[121] In an October 2011 interview with Christiane Amanpour for ABC's Nightline, Bardem confirmed his role in the film.^[122]British actors Ralph Fiennes^[123] and Albert Finney^[124] were connected to roles, and confirmed to be a part of the cast at the November press event. The producers met with Naomie Harris; while it was initially reported that she would be cast as Miss Moneypenny, Harris revealed that she will play a field agent named Eve.^[125]. Ben Whishaw has been cast as Q ^[126]

Sam Mendes and Barbara Broccoli travelled to South Africa for location scouting in April, 2011.^[127] With the film moving into pre-production in August, reports emerged that shooting would take place in India,^[128] with scenes to be shot in the Sarojini Nagar district of New Delhi^[129] and on railway lines between Goa and Ahmedabad,^[130] but complications emerged when the Indian authorities requested changes be made to planned scenes,^[131] and plans to shoot in India were abandoned.^[132] Further reports emerged stating that filming of the film's opening scenes would take place in Istanbul's Sultanahmet Square^[133] and Duntrune Castle in Argyll, Scotland for the finale.^[134] Mendes confirmed that China would be featured in the film, with shooting scheduled to take place in Shanghai.^[135]