MUMBAI: George Clooney has reportedly got actor Daniel Craig on board for his film The Monuments Men. Incidentally, Clooney is also the writer for the film.
The film is based on author Robert M Edsel‘s novel‘The Monuments Men: Allied Heroes‘,‘Nazi Thieves‘and‘The Greatest Treasure Hunt In History‘ and is to be filmed in the backdrop of World War II.
The film tells the story of a group of art experts chosen by the US government to retrieve works stolen by the Nazis, before Hitler destroys them.
The rest of the star cast includes John Goodman, Bill Murray, Cate Blanchett and Jean Dujardin and Hugh Bonneville, reports deadline.com.
Tag: Daniel Craig
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George Clooney ropes in Daniel Craig for The Monuments Men
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Thirty minutes of ads precede Skyfall screening
MUMBAI: James Bond fans in the UK, who are going to see the latest venture Skyfall at theatres are being forced to sit through as long as 30 minutes of advertisements before the screening of the film.
The 23rd Bond film, which released in the UK on 26 October, is being used as a medium to promote a number of brands with a number of commercials and previews being shown long before the opening credits, it has been reported.
Five of the advertisements feature the secret agent, including ones for Heineken, Omega watches and a Bond aftershave.
And even before the opening theme, the spy, played by Daniel Craig, appears in an action sequence with the camera lingering on his Omega watch.
This has prompted many fans to complain on Twitter.
“Product placement aplenty and Adele hasn‘t even sung yet,” said one.
Another wrote, “Wow, sickening number of Bond product placement ads. Am sick of 007 and Skyfall hasn‘t even started yet!”
Many grew even unhappier once the film began. They were irked by seeing Bond enjoying Heineken instead of his trademark Martini and by the frequent use of Sony products. Heineken had a product placement deal for Craig‘s previous two Bond films Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace but this is the first time he is seen drinking the beer.
Though it has not been confirmed how much the Skyfall deal is worth, but before agreeing to it the producers had reportedly already raised 29 million pounds from product placement deals almost a third of the film‘s budget. -
Skyfall tipped to be the most successful of all Bond films
MUMBAI: The latest 007 film Skyfall is set to be the most successful James Bond film in the 50-year history of the franchise.
Having met with universal praise following its preview, it is predicted to rake in more than $1 billion at the box office.
Experts are of the opinion that the stunts in the film are some of the best ever seen in a Bond film. One critic even wrote that the dramatic opening sequence should merit an Oscar in itself, it is understood.
The early signs of success will be welcomed by Skyfall‘s producers after work on the film was suspended in 2010 when Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, its studio, fell into severe financial difficulties.
The film, Daniel Craig‘s third appearance as 007, received four and five-star reviews recently in the Daily Telegraph, Times, and Daily Mail as well as in the Empire magazine. -
James Bond car auctioned for $389,000
MUMBAI: The 2008 Aston Martin car used by Daniel Craig in the Bond film Quantum of Solace has been sold in an auction of Bond movie memorabilia for 241,300 pounds (around $389,000), it is understood.
The cost of the 2008 Aston Martin 6 litre V12 DBS 2 door coupe, which went to an anonymous buyer, was 1.5 times higher. The trading took place in the presence of 600 VIP guests. Many items of the auction were presented by the stars of the film.
Actress Judi Dench, who plays M, presented one of the most piquant lots, a pair of blue trunks worn by Daniel Craig in Casino Royal. “All I can tell you, they are unwashed,” the actress said in a lighter vein.
The trunks were sold for 44,500 pounds and will be given to a charity fund Women For Women.
The second most expensive item in the auction was an Omega watch made of titanium and used by Craig in the soon to-be releaseed film Skyfall. The watch was expected to be sold for some 8,000 pounds but was sold for 157,300 pounds.
Former Bond, Roger Moore presented a musical score of the soundtrack for the same film signed by the British singer Adele, performer of the title track. The lot was sold for 13,800 pounds.
The total cost of the 1 pieces that were auctioned was 752,100 pounds. All proceeds will go to various charitable organisations.
The auction was held to mark the 50th anniversary of the first James Bond movie. -
Daniel Craig, Tarantino to be handed BAFTA awards on 7 November
MUMBAI: The British Academy of Film and Television Arts Los Angeles has announced the winners of this year‘s Britannia Awards, to be handed out in a ceremony on November 7.
The winners of this year‘s prizes include Daniel Craig (the latest James Bond) and director Quentin Tarantino, whose Western Django Unchained is soon to hit theaters.
The creators of South Park, Trey Parker and Matt Stone, will receive the prestigious Charlie Chaplin Britannia award for Excellence in Comedy.
In the world of video games, Will Wright, the brain behind SimCity and The Sims, will be honoured.
BBC and BBC America will both broadcast the ceremony. -
Daniel Craig signs two more Bond films
MUMBAI: Daniel Craig is set to become the longest serving James Bond on screen as he reportedly signed two more movies in the James Bond franchise.
The nest Bond offering, Skyfall is Craig‘s third film as the protagonist spy James Bond since he replaced Pierce Brosnan in 2006 as 007 in Casino Royale. His second film in the role was The Quantum of Solace released in 2008. Skyfall hits theatres on 9 November.
It has also been reported that Sony has re-upped its deal to co-finance the film with MGM.
The film received a huge promotional push during the London Olympics, with Craig participating in a taped sketch with Queen Elizabeth during the opening ceremony. -
Daniel Craig to reprise Bond at Olympics opening
MUMBAI: On the request of the Queen asking Daniel Craig and Danny Boyle to shoot a short film on the launch of the 2012 London Olympics, the 44-year old actor will open the games as James Bond.
The pair even earned themselves an invite to Buckingham Palace to shoot scenes in which the British spy hero is given his latest mission to open the games.
According to The Sun newspaper, the monarch may even make a cameo appearance before the action moves on to the Olympic stadium in Stratford which Craig parachutes into after jumping out of a helicopter.
It is said that the Buckingham Palace wanted the most iconic British film character inside the building most associated with London and with the monarch. It will be a magical scene for all watching at home and inside the stadium on 27 July.
A spokesman for the palace – which is gearing up for the Queen‘s Diamond Jubilee in June to mark her 60th year on the throne has reportedly said, “Buckingham Palace is involved in a number of filming projects during this special Jubilee year and we would not go into details of any particular project until nearer the time of transmission.”
Meanwhile, the James Bond franchise reaches its own milestone this year, having been on the big screen for 50 years. -
James Bond’s Skyfall on 2 November
MUMBAI: Sony Pictures India will release the latest James Bond film Skyfall on 2 November.
Skyfall, the 23rd film in the James Bond series, will be Daniel Craig‘s third film as Ian Fleming‘s James Bond. Also in the cast are Javier Barden, Ralph Fiennes, Berenice Marlohe, Naomie Harris, Ben Whishaw with Albert Finney and Judi Dench .
Made under the banner of Albert R Brocoli‘s EON Productions, Metro-Goldwyn -Mayer and Sony Pictures Entertainment, the movie will initially release in UK and Ireland on 26 October.
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Sony puts off release of David Fincher film on censorship issues
MUMBAI: Agitated with the Censor Board asking for several cuts in his film, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo director David Fincher has ruled out the release of the film in India.
Fincher categorically told the producers Sony Pictures that if the film had to release, it should only be without cuts. Sony Pictures approached the director again but he denied permission forthright.
Said a spokesperson from the production house, “Sony Pictures will not be releasing The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo in India. The Censor Board has adjudged the film unsuitable for public viewing in its unaltered form and, while we are committed to maintaining and protecting the vision of the director, we will, as always, respect the guidelines set by the Board.”
Lovemaking scenes between computer hacker Lisbeth Salander (Rooney Mara) and the journalist Mikael Blomkvist (Daniel Craig) have become the bone of contention. Besides, there are two lovemaking scenes between Lisbeth Salander (Rooney Mara) and Mikael Blomkvist (Daniel Craig), a lesbian scene featuring Lisbeth and a woman she meets at a bar and a scene where Lisbeth is raped and tortured. In the revenge scene, she tortures him and a video of her being assaulted plays in the background.
The Censor Board had asked to blur out the scenes that have frontal nudity, but the Sony spokesperson said that scenes were specifically asked to be cut and not blurred.
Here it may be added that The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo faced similar trouble in Malaysia and the Gulf countries while Japan rejected the first version but okayed the second version with pixilated scenes.
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Ben Whishaw to play gadget maestro Q in Skyfall
MUMBAI: Now that the casting of the James Bond film Skyfall is nearing finalization, Ben Whishaw has been cast to play gadget maestro Q in the film. Whishaw‘s role would be that of the MI6 boffin who traditionally dishes out the gadgetry to 007 for his missions.
The actor joins the cast led by Daniel Craig, Judi Dench, Javier Bardem, Ralph Fiennes and Albert Finney among others, is reported to have been assigned the role for the Sam Mendes directed actioner.
It is very heartening to note that Whishaw will be the first Q in the franchise‘s history to be younger than 007. While he is 31, Craig is 43.
Q is a James Bond staple for older 007 fans as he hasn‘t appeared in a Bond adventure since 2002‘s Die Another Day when John Cleese essayed the role.
For the previous 36 years, the gadget whizz and inventor had been played by Desmond Llewelyn.
Skyfall is scheduled to release in the UK and Ireland in October 2012 and later in November the same year in November.