Skyfall Confirmed As Title Of New Bond Movie; Budget Around $230M; Sam Mendes Says Hes Open To Follow-up

Shooting on the latest James Bond movie starts Monday, Daniel Craig revealed at this mornings press conference for Skyfall, the 23rd 007 movie. Producer Michael G Wilson scotched UK tabloid rumours that the budget for the latest Bond film has been slashed by $100 million. Were in the same budget range as the last film. We havent had to change anything in the script. In fact, we keep adding things everything is going to be just as it was, he said. Director Sam Mendes also denied he was making a downbeat Bond with fewer action sequences. He would be directing action sequences himself. There will be plenty of surprises, Mendes promised. The action needs to be balanced with the drama. Mendes said he was open to directing another Bond installment, if I still feel that its as much fun in 6 months time then the answer is yes. Mendes, Broccoli and others were giving little away at this mornings presser: In Skyfall, Bonds loyalty to M is tested as her past comes back to haunt her; MI6 comes under attack, and Bond must track down and destroy the threat. While confirming Deadline’s scoop that Javier Bardem would play the villain, Mendes was coy as to whether Bardem would be playing Blofeld, as screenwriter John Logan has hinted. What is known is that Skyfall will be mostly shot mostly around Whitehall, London (the government district), Scotland, Istanbul and China. Eon Productions used this mornings event to unveil latest Bond girl Brnice Marlohe, playing a character called Severine. Other cast members confirmed include Albert Finney, Ralph Fiennes, Ben Whishaw and Naomie Harris, playing a secret agent named Eve. Sony will release Skyfall in North America on November 9 2012, following its UK/Ireland premiere on October 26. The Academy Award-winning director said he wanted to do Bond because hed been a fan since going to see Live and Let Die in the cinema. Plus I thought that Daniel playing Bond opened up all sorts of fantastic opportunities for the character, he said. Broccoli would not comment on speculation that Brit pop star Adele will sing the theme song: Weve been considering various people for the theme tune, she said. Mendes added that Skyfall was not a continuation of the previous 2 Bond outings, which had a running storyline. Broccoli also revealed that Daniel Craig would be playing Bond for at least one more time. Personally I cant help but feel Skyfall is a lame title for a James Bond movie; even Everything Or Nothing, a James Bond videogame title would be better.