Merry Christmas!

S.P.E.C.T.R.E.

Well, I guess I know where you'll be on October 23^rd (UK) or November 6^th next year (USA)...

SPECTRE is the title of Bond 24 as announced today by returning Director Sam Mendes. Much as with Skyfall, it's all speculation; we know very little, so let's look at what there is...

S.P.E.C.T.R.E. Is, as any fule know the Special Executive for Extortion, Counter-Terrorism, Revenge and Extortion, those lovable funsters featured in the early Bonds. Dr.No was a member, as were Rosa Klebb and Emilio Largo, all reporting to the leader, one Ernst Stavro Blofeld. The cast announced includes double Oscar winner Christoph Waltz, as Franz Oberhauser. Intriguingly, in the original books a character called Hannes Oberhauser taught the young James Bond to ski at Kitzbühel, before being killed in the short story 'Octopussy'. The speculation here is that Oberhauser disappears, then returns, re-inventing himself as the villainous Blofeld, although Mendes and Waltz both seemed to find amusement in the suggestion, the former even suggesting it might all be a double bluff. Certainly, skiing seems to feature as preparation for location shooting has been reported at Obertilliach. Wait, isn't that in the Lienz district? - as in the Cossacks who were betrayed by the British in 1945?. Perhaps this may have something to do with treachery... (Yes,

that's a Goldeneye reference, though it may be co-incidence.

Above; Christoph Waltz

Below: Daniel Craig, Barbara Broccoli and Sam Mendes

Speaking of locations, shooting is scheduled for London, Rome, Morocco,Mexico City, Sölden, and Lake Altaussee. Production is based at the home of Bond, Pinewood. Jesper Christensen reprises his role as Quantum baddie Mr.White, ex-wrestler Dave Bautista is henchman Mr.Hinx, Ralph Fiennes returns as M, as do Naomi Harris, Ben Wishaw and Rory Kinnear (Moneypenny, Q and Bill Tanner). Also at MI6; Andrew Scott (Moriarty from TV's Sherlock) as Denbigh – who may be a renegade or traitor of some kind. Lea Seydoux (Inglorious Basterds) is Madeleine Swann – a femme fatale, while at fifty Monica Bellucci becomes the oldest Bond girl. She plays Lucia Sciarra. No surprise; Daniel Craig is 007.

Above; Lea Seydoux

Below: Monica Bellucci

So what of the plot?; we know M is fighting for the future of MI6 – hardly surprising after the cockups and disasters that befell his predecessor in Skyfall. A cryptic message sends Bond off on a mission to investigate the mysterious S.P.E.C.T.R.E. and uncover a secret that threatens everything he has fought to protect... we can expect some nifty car chasery too, judging from the new Aston Martin DB10 made specially for the film (Only ten of these cars will be made according to Aston Martin) and I suspect to justify his existence, Q might open the toybox once more... finally, IMDB lists Gary Powell as the Stunt Co-ordinator – if you don't know who this man is, you aren't a Bond fan; son of the legend Nosher, Gary has worked on the series since Goldeneye. Hoyte van Hoytema is Director of Photography. If you've seen Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy or Interstellar you know his style.

The new Bond car...

...The Aston Martin DB10

 We'll know more as the teasers come in and the leaks start, well, leaking. It could go either way – over the 23 films we've seen so far, most were/are marvellous, with a few turkeys. (Tell me you actually like AVTAK or the execrable Licence to Kill) The odds are with Mendes and co. here – Skyfall was an overnight classic and remains the biggest British box-office draw of all time. My money is on S.P.E.C.T.R.E. being another smasher...

Visit 007.COM for updates, or the excellent thebondbulletin.blogspot.com

UPDATE! - As widely reported, Sony pictures have been the target of a cyber-attack... was it Silva?, well, as a result, the first script for Spectre has leaked and here's a link to one of the best sources; (SPOILER ALERT: THIS LINKS TO A SITE WITH SPOILERS.) (That should whet yer whistle...)
http://defamer.gawker.com/new-bond-script-leaks-execs-scrambling-to-fix-awful-en-1670479885/+maxread

UPDATED UPDATE; YES, THE UPDATE HAS BEEN UPDATED; Want to see Daniel Craig in his dressing gown?, in his flat? - can he compete with Sir.Roger in his monogrammed affair from LALD? - the answers, my friends, are here:
 http://bond-news.over-blog.com/