Sam Mendes Page 4

While the rumour mill on who will be the next James Bond keeps on turning, fans will be happy to hear that all might not be lost with Daniel Craig. According to reports, the actor could be persuaded to return as 007, after being offered $150 million to star in two more movies.

Daniel Craig has reportedly been offered $150 million to stay on as Bond

Radar reports that studio Sony has made the actor the lucrative offer because they want a seamless transition to a younger long-term successor. “The studio is desperate to secure the actor’s services while they phase in a younger long-term successor,” a source told the website.

Continue reading: Is $150 Million Enough To Get Daniel Craig To Return For Two More 'Bond' Movies?

After the recent movie adaptation of The BFG by Steven Spielberg, which was released in cinemas to huge acclaim but a slightly underwhelming commercial reaction, another big name director in the shape of Sam Mendes is being tipped as the director for another live-action Roald Dahl story, ‘James and the Giant Peach’.

According to a report in Deadline, the Oscar-winning director of American Beauty and who helmed the last two James Bond movies Skyfall and Spectre is in talks to take charge at the project being developed by Disney. The script for the prospective movie has been written by author Nick Hornby.

Sam Mendes is reportedly in talks with Disney to direct live-action 'James and the Giant Peach'

Continue reading: Sam Mendes Reportedly In Talks With Disney To Direct 'James And The Giant Peach'

Daniel Craig’s love for a new pair of gloves allegedly nearly cost Bond producers millions during the editing of Skyfall, as they presented a major continuity error. Film critic Charlie Lyne has shared a story he heard from a man who worked on Skyfall, who recalled one of the film’s most important fight scenes nearly being ruined, all because of a pair of gloves.

Did Daniel Craig’s special gloves nearly ruin Skyfall?

According to Lyne's story, which was shared through two videos on Twitter, Daniel Craig and director, Sam Mendes, were both completely miserable during the production of Skyfall, as they “were buried under the weight of the studio and the expectations” of how much the film should make.

Continue reading: The Story Of How Daniel Craig's Favourite Gloves Nearly Ruined 'Skyfall'

Emilia Clarke is currently thrilling fans in the sixth season of ‘Game of Thrones’, but the 29-year-old actress also has her sights set on another franchise. Speaking to the Daily Star, Clarke revealed she’d like to be the first female James Bond.

Emilia Clarke would like to be ‘Jane Bond’.

“I have a lot of unrealised dreams,” Clarke told the newspaper. “I would love to play Jane Bond. My ultimate leading man would be Leonardo Dicaprio. No doubt about it.” There’s no doubt that Clarke has the adventurous streak needed to play 007, as anyone who saw Sunday’s ‘GOT’ could attest to.

Continue reading: Emilia Clarke Says She'd Like To Play Bond With Leonardo DiCaprio As Her 'Bond Boy'

A bookmakers has suspended betting on who will be the next James Bond, after an influx of bets on ‘ The Night Manager’ star Tom Hiddleston between Friday and Saturday made him the 2-1 favourite. A particularly large bet was also then placed on Hiddleston, which saw his odds plummet to 1-2.

Is Tom Hiddleston the next James Bond?

Nicola McGeady, a spokesperson for Coral, who suspended betting on Hiddleston said: "There is no smoke without fire, and following the big gamble on Tom Hiddleston in the last 24 hours, we've had no choice but to pull the plug on the market.”

Continue reading: Bookies Suspend Betting On Next Bond As Tom Hiddleston Becomes Frontrunner

Sam Smith has revealed that all it took to land the chance to sing the new Bond theme was, "the cockiest email in the world". Sitting down with director Sam Mendes and producer Barbara Broccoli in the latest Spectre vlog, Smith explained how he came to land the Bond gig and what the honour means to him.

Sam Smith has opened up about how he landed the Spectre theme.

“I remember sending an email to my agents in America – probably the cockiest email in the world,” the singer revealed. “ I just said 'is there any way I could do the Bond theme?’ The next thing I knew, I was asked to go to Pinewood Studios to meet with Barbara and Sam.”

Continue reading: "The Cockiest Email In The World" Landed Sam Smith The Chance To Sing 'Spectre' Theme

The 24th James Bond movie, Spectre, is massively over-budget and currently stands to cost Sony and MGM "in the mid $300Ms", according to leaked internal memos. MGM president Jonathan Glickman sent emails in early November explaining how the studio is looking to cut costs.

Spectre is tracking to cost $50 million more than Skyfall

Glickman said the studio must cut back to $250 million given that Spectre is already tracking to cost $50 million more than Skyfall. He suggests numerous cost-cutting changes, including relocating a Villa scene in Rome in London, using fewer carriages on a train scene and forgetting the dramatic finalen"in the rain". Glickman also suggests showing "the more modern aspects" of Mexico to maximize "the Mexican incentive" (the makers of the film are getting paid to shoot in South America".

Continue reading: Bond 24: Spectre "Massively Over-Budget" As Sony Try To Make Cuts

The 24th James Bond movie, to be directed by Sam Mendes and starring Daniel Craig, is titled Spectre. The announcement was made in a live broadcast from the 007 Stage at Pinewood Studios on Thursday morning, where Christoph Waltz, Monica Bellucci and Lea Seydoux were also unveiled as new cast members.

Daniel Craig will return as James Bond for Spectre

Christoph Waltz will play chief villain Frank Oberhauser, son of the late Hans Oberhauser, a ski instructor who acted as a father figure to Bond. However, the Mail reported that Waltz's character will later be revealed to be classic Bond villain Ernst Blofeld. The title SPECTRE appears to back this up, given it relates to the organisation led by evil genius and supervillain Ernst Stavro Blofeld that first formally appeared in the novel Thunderball (1961) and in the movie Dr. No (1962).

Continue reading: Bond 24 Titled 'Spectre', Signalling Return Of Ernst Blofeld

Director Sam Mendes will be directing the next James Bond movie. The film is due to be released in 2015. The Skyfall director will work with Daniel Craig, who will be reprising his role as the secret agent. The writer of the previous film, John Logan, will also return to write the next script.

Sam Mendes at the Charlie And The Chocolate Factory Press Night, Theatre Royal, Drury Lane. 

The dates for release have already been confirmed. UK cinema goers will be able to see the film two weeks earlier than their American counterparts. The UK release date is set for 23rd October 2015 and the US for 6th November.

Continue reading: Sam Mendes Will Direct Daniel Craig In 24th James Bond Film

The opening night of Charlie And The Chocolate Factory: The Musical turned out to be a star studded occasion. The after party pictures show the turnout of celebrities in support of director Sam Mendes, who directed this latest production. Stars included Uma Thurman (Kill Bill), Doctor Who side-kick Jenna Louise Coleman and presenter Graham Norton. Other actors present were Maxine Peake (The Village), Andrew Scott (Sherlock), Summer Strallen (Land Girls) and Danny Mac (Hollyoaks). 

Uma Thurman arriving at the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory: The Musical after party

Also attending was Glee actor Matthew Morrison who truly got into the spirit of the occasion by joyous celebrating his own golden ticket.  Morrison was not the only American actor present as Sarah Jessica Parker (Sex and the City) made an appearance along with her husband, actor Matthew Broderick (Ferris Bueller's Day Off), and their son James Wilkie Broderick. Both Uma Thurman and singer Sinitta brought along their offspring.  

Continue reading: 'Charlie And The Chocolate Factory: The Musical' Premieres Followed By A Star-Studded After-Party [Pictures]

Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe claims he is aware of his slight stature and said, as reported in The Sun, that he was "never going to be cast to play a Bruce Willis character in Die Hard".

Since completing the Harry Potter films Radcliffe has gone on to appear, most notably, in The Woman in Black and Sky's A Young Doctor's Notebook. He frequently does theatre work; his latest role in Michael Grandage's The Cripple of Inishmann has received favourable reviews. 

At only 5'5 the actor says he is "not nearly strapping enough to play Bond" but would be a "much better villain". Should Radcliffe be considered for a Bond villain he would be following in the footsteps of such actors as Antony Dawson (Dr.No); Peter Lorre (as Le Chiffre in the original Casino Royale) and Gert Frobe (Goldfinger). 

Continue reading: Harry Potter VS. James Bond? Daniel Radcliffe Wants To Be Bond Villain

Oscar winning actress Kate Winslet is pregnant with her first child to husband Ned Rocknroll. The 37-year-old will become a mother for the third time - she is also a parent to 12-year-old Mia with her first ex-husband Jim Threapleton and 9-year-old Joe with her second, Sam Mendes.

Winslet tied the knot with the fantastically named Ned Rocknroll in December after a year and a half of dating. He is the nephew of billionaire Virgin mogul Richard Branson. The actress had never ruled out having more children and told InStyle back in 2006 that she was "hoping to have more kids...I don't know whether one or two. Oh, God, I would love to have more."

Incidentally, Winslet's recently wrapped up filming the Jason Reitman-directed drama Labor Day in which she plays a depressed single mother who offers a wounded escaped convict a ride. As police search the town, the mother and her young son gradually learn his true story as their options become increasingly limited. The movie also stars Tobey Maguire and Josh Brolin and hits theaters on January 31, 2014.

Continue reading: Kate Winslet, 37, Pregnant With A Miniature Rocknroller

Penelope Cruz has been cast as the next Bond girl and is set to appear in the next installment, which will most likely be directed again by Sam Mendes, after 2012's Skyfall success.

With planned filming next summer (2014), Cruz will become the oldest ever Bond girl at 40, a year older than Goldfinger's Honor Blackman who was 39 when she played Pussy Galore in one of the most memorable Bond girl performances alongside Sean Connery

The Spanish actress, currently pregnant with her second child with fellow actor Javier Bardem, will star in the 100million budget 24th James Bond movie. 

Continue reading: Penelope Cruz Cast As Oldest Bond Girl At 40?

Bynes Behind Bars? The troubling saga that is Amanda Bynes versus the NYPD took a disturbing turn this week after the actress was arrested at her New York apartment for drug related offenses. After getting bailed, the former kids TV star threatened to sue the police, but doesn't she just need a little help?

Bootylicious! "Fan slaps Beyonce" read the headlines earlier this week, following the R&B superstar's show in Copenhagen, Denmark. The story was a little less disturbing than first assumed, though some cheeky fan still copped a feel of Bey's famous derriere!

Continue reading: A Week In News: Amanda Bynes Arrested, Beyonce's Slapped, Bieber In Trouble Again

Sam Mendes has made a U-turn on his decision to bow out of the James Bond franchise after helming the $1.1 billion Skyfall movie, considered one of the best 007 films in the series. Mendes had initially distanced himself from the idea of directing the follow-up to Skyfall, owing to his work on the West End launch of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and his directing of King Lear. Producers Michael Wilson and Barbara Broccoli appeared resigned to Mendes' departure and began the hunt for his successor, with Sherlock director Guy Ritchie installed as the early favorite to re-team with Daniel Craig.

Some speculation has suggested Craig would follow Mendes out of the door, with Idris Elba coming in as a replacement, though it now appears the high profile duo are back for a new movie. According to Deadline.com, Mendes and the producers got back in touch recently and agreed that the director could work through his theatre commitments before starting production on the new Bond film next year. 

It will be great news for fans of Daniel Craig as Bond. Since his first outing in Casino Royale, the British star has played a more vulnerable version of the ruthless agent, even appearing physically incapable of the job in some segments of Skyfall. The change of direction for the character has led to the often tongue-in-cheek overly sexualised franchise developing into an intelligent spy story with action, humor and crisp cinematography.

Continue reading: Sam Mendes Returning To Direct New 'James Bond' Movie In 2014

James Bond fans, stand to attention; a new movie has been all but confirmed, and will be ready in the next three years, MGM Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Gary Barber explained.

“We are very excited about the franchise, we look forward to announcing a director soon,” Barber said. “We are currently developing the screenplay and working with our partners. We look forward to developing the script soon and signing a director. We are hoping within the next three years it will be released,” he added. Of course, Skyfall director Sam Mendes won’t be behind the camera for this one, having recently dropped out of the franchise. Barber said Mendes “did an amazing job on ‘Skyfall’. We are very thankful for the work that he did.” One person who will be returning is the blonde Bond, Daniel Craig, having signed up for two more 007 outings. This will be his fourth effort as the enigmatic spy, but he’ll do well to achieve a fifth with increasing calls for Idris Elba to take over mantle. Skyfall was an unprecedented success, bringing in $1.108 billion - $304.4m from domestic theaters and $804 million from overseas.

Daniel Craig looking incredibly 'Bondy'

Continue reading: Bond 24: Follow Up To Skyfall Expected Within Three Years

Kathryn Bigelow's Zero Dark Thirty and Sam Mendes's Skyfall tied the Oscar for Sound Editing on Sunday evening (February 24, 2013) - the first dead heat at the famous awards show since 1968, when Katherine Hepburn and Barbara Streisand famously tied for Best Actress for their performances in The Lion In Winter and Funny Girl respectively.

Presenter Mark Wahlberg, who announced the award with Ted, seemed stunned by the result, telling the audience there was "no bullsh*t," and that the vote was indeed a tie. Zero Dark Thirty was the first winner to be read out, before the sound editors behind the James Bond movie Skyfall were also rewarded.

It's only the third time in Oscars history that a vote has been tied, with the other occasion occurring in 1932 when Frederick March and Wallace Berry shared the prize for Best Actor for their roles in Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde and The Champ. It's a hugely unlikely result, given the amount of votes cast for each category - most of which contain five nominees.

Continue reading: Oscars 2013: Skyfall And Zero Dark Thirty Is First Tied Vote Since 1968

Halle Berry introduced a celebration of fifty years of James Bond on-screen at the Oscars 2013 on Sunday night (February 24, 2013). The former Bond girl - wearing a stunning Versace dress - spoke briefly about the best-loved franchise before a promo of 007's finest moments played before the star-studded audience at the Dolby Theatre.

Dame Shirley Bassey promptly arrived on-stage to sing her classic Bond hit Goldfinger, herself dressed from head-to-toe in sparkly gold. The stage legend gave a typically effortlessly performance and was quite rightly given a huge round of applause by the celebrity audience, with actress Reese Witherspoon in particular appearing blown away from the rendition. 

It's been a huge year for the Bond franchise, despite its future looking bleak just a couple of years ago. The casting of Daniel Craig strengthened the brand and his first movie Casino Royale pumped new life into the story of 007. However, it was last year's Skyfall - directed by Oscar winner Sam Mendes - that won Bond a whole new generation of fans. It quickly became the biggest Bond movie of all time while storming to the top of the all-time top UK grossing movies list. Craig signed on for additional films, while Sam Mendes is thought to be in discussions to helm the next movie too.

Continue reading: Oscars 2013: Dame Shirley Bassey Stuns Academy Awards With 'Goldfinger'

Imagine for a minute an alternate Academy Awards. An Oscars ceremony that decided against rewarding biopics, inaccurate thrillers and lightweight sort-of-indie flicks mainly directed by David O'Russell. This Sunday (February 24, 2013), a rather predictable bunch of nominees will take their seats at the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles.

Daniel Day-Lewis will take home Best Actor, Spielberg will probably add to his collection of Best Director gongs, hell, maybe grumps himself Tommy Lee Jones will snatch a prize. It begs the question: is this really a collection of the very best performances and movies of the year? We present to you our alternate Academy Awards - who missed out on a nomination, though wouldn't have looked out of place with the golden statuette in their hand?

The Skyfall Cast At The Premiere In 2012

Continue reading: Alternate Oscars: Paul Thomas Anderson Wins! Leonardo Di Caprio Wins! Daniel Craig Wins!

The signs are all pointing to it - surely Skyfall is going to become the first James Bond film to be nominated for the best picture award at the Oscars? Yesterday it was reported that the Daniel Craig-starring, Sam Mendes-directed 007 flick has been nominated among ten films for a Producers Guild of America award. That usually means that a film’s in with a good shout of being nominated at the Academy Awards, given that the winner of the PGA has gone on to win the ultimate prize in 16 of the last 23 years.

Now further hope has been given to the Bond team with the news, reported by The Hollywood Reporter, that the Academy is to have a special tribute section to the Bond franchise as it celebrates 50 years. "We are very happy to include a special sequence on our show saluting the Bond films on their 50th birthday," said producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron. "Starting with Dr. No back in 1962, the 007 movies have become the longest-running motion picture franchise in history and a beloved global phenomenon."

Despite its enduring commercial success – Skyfall recently topped the $1 billion mark globally at the box office – the Bond franchise has never been taken seriously by the Academy. The 23 films have managed to muster just two wins and seven nominations between them, all coming in relatively minor categories; there’s been no nomination in any category since 1982. You have to believe that this year is going to be different.

Continue reading: Oscars Set To Mark 50th Anniversary Of James Bond; Skyfall Nomination Beckons?

Skyfall’s Producers Guild of America award nomination for the top prize at the ceremony could be a great indicator for the James Bond film’s chances at the Oscars, with the 007 flick already breaking new ground by being the first in the series to have been put up for a PGA.

BBC News reports that the Sam Mendes-directed Daniel Craig-starring Bond film – which has just topped $1 billion globally at the box office – is up against nine other films, including heavy hitters Les Miserables and Lincoln, for the much coveted award. At the Oscars themselves, the Best Picture category could end up being contested between anywhere between five and ten candidates, so you’ve got to believe that many will come from these ten – especially when you consider that the winner of the PGA has gone on to win the best picture statuette in 16 of the last 23 years.

The full list is below, but among the notable absentees from a list, that included many of the names being touted around the film industry for Academy recognition, were Peter Jackson’s new J R R Tolkien adaptation epic The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, the Joaquin Phoenix-starring The Master and Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight Rises.

Continue reading: Skyfall Producers Guild Of America Awards Nomination Heralds Possible Oscars Fortune

Skyfall, Sam Mendes' critically acclaimed James Bond movie, has taken more than $1 billion at the worldwide box office. The latest film is now the most successful film in British box-office history, though it remains at No.2 on a list of movie gaffes spotted by eagle eyed cinemagoers. They had to go and spoil it.

According to the online list at moviemistakes.com, Skyfall contains 35 gaffes, second only to Men In Black III with 63. Among the most glaring errors include during the opening 'train scene' when Bond's footwear changes from black lace up shoes to black slip on ankle boots. During the thrilling Istanbul chase scene, Eve knocks out of the windshield of her car, though for the rest of the chase, half the glass is back in the frame. In the chase through the tube station, both Bond and his enemy Silva (Javier Bardem) slide down between the escalators, though the London Underground has hard vertical signs to stop people falling. In one of the movie's concluding scenes, Bond reaches the chapel and plunges into the icy water, though he appears to be perfectly dry just seconds later.

The 23rd official Bond film became the first movie ever to take £100 million at the British box office this past weekend, ($1 billion worldwide). Daniel Craig's third Bond movie is STILL on general release more than two months after its release, such is the continuing demand.

Almost everyone loved Skyfall. Critics and audiences alike were enthralled by the plot and characters, and the collaboration between Sam Mendes and Daniel Craig has been lauded. In many ways, therefore, it's no surprise that it has become the most successful Bond film of all time. Though this may be blasphemous to say, but Craig's Bond is just as dazzling as Sean Connery's. Proving its worth with enormous fiscal success, Skyfall has taken over £100m in British cinemas- the first film ever to do so, and has taken over $1b world wide. 

The highest grossing film in the UK before Skyfall was Avatar, which had taken £94m in a year. But as the Guardian reports, it took just 40 days for Bond to surpass that number. As for the billion dollar mark, which sounds all the more impressive- it is in fact far more easily attained it seems. This year saw both The Avengers and The Dark Knight Rises smash through $1b of sales. 

Sales numbers can be misleading, however, and levelling out numbers with inflation would certainly see many of the older Bond movies seem more successful. Numbers of tickets sold have in fact flagged largely from the hey-dey of the postwar era which saw an enormous boom in cinema, as it had become the medium by which to entertain troops and to keep up moral during the depression. No films have ever out sold Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarves (1938), The Sound of Music (1965), or Gone With the Wind (1940), which sold 38 million, 30 million and 35 million tickets respectively. At the time, those numbers included almost two thirds of the population. 

Think of yourself as the next Daniel Craig? Inspired by James Bond's crime-fighting efforts in Sam Mendes' Skyfall? Well then it's probably time to ditch the day job and apply for the role of "target elimination specialist," recently advertised on the Direct.gov.uk website.

Ok, so it appears to have been the work of pranksters, rather than, say, the Secret Intelligence Service, but it probably fooled thousands. The advert stated that the country's top spy bosses were seeking someone prepared to "remove people whose continued existence poses a risk to the effective conduct of public order." Suppose that's better than pressing buttons, huh? According to The Register, the advert - which has seen been removed - told prospective applications they needed to be "resourceful in finding ways to accomplish their missions and, in some cases, to leave foreign countries by non-conventional means." The successful applicant would be paid a salary of £50,000 to £60,000 though would have the benefits of special watches, a company submarine and a Walther PPK - Bond's famous firearm. There was no mention of a pension plan or a lunchtime break, which is slightly disappointing. 

Unfortunately for any would-be James Bonds, the listing was confirmed as being purely fictitious, with a spokeswoman for SIS/MI6 saying it was a fake. 

Continue reading: James Bond Wanted: Skyfall Style Job Appears On Official Government Website

It will be of little surprise to many that Skyfall topped the US box office this week but the staggering box office returns will still raise a few eyebrows. The latest movie in the legendary spy movie franchise – directed by Sam Mendes – took a whopping $87.8 million in the United States of America and Canada. It’s the biggest ever opening weekend for a Bond movie, which has now taken a staggering $518.6 million since October 26.

Skyfall is the third movie to star Daniel Craig, following Quantum of Solace four years ago. QoS was widely regarded to be something of a disappointment for many Bond fans, yet Skyfall has been a serious return to form for the franchise. Rory Bruer, the president of worldwide distribution for Sony Pictures told Reuters “We've always been very bullish about the film, but I don't think anyone expected the kind of stunning numbers that we've seen… How many pictures in just over two weeks have earned more than half a billion already?”

To put the achievements of Skyfall into context, the movie that topped the US charts last week was Wreck It Ralph, which slipped into second place this week with $33.1 million. According to Reuters, Denzel Washington’s thriller Flight came in with just $15.1 million. Obviously, the lion’s share of this week’s ticket sales were always going to Daniel Craig and the newest Bond venture but regardless, this is may well be a disappointing turnout for the makers of Flight who will have been hoping that the Oscars buzz surrounding the film – and the hugely positive critical response to Washington’s performance – will have been enough to entice a few more moviegoers away from Skyfall. 

Continue reading: Skyfall Continues To Impress: Best Ever Bond Opening In US & Canada

James Bond star Daniel Craig has been warned that his hair loss is starting to become a major concern for network executives, who have warned the actor that he needs to curb his hair loss in order to keep his job as Her Majesty's finest agent.

Reports have emerged online that the actor is been told to get a hair transplant in order to maintain Bond's sex appeal and believability as his hair continues to recede back. It appears that Skyfall's massive success and appraisals may mean nothing to the films producers, as they are more concerned in having a Bond with a full head of hair as apposed to a Bond that is already been touted as the best there's been.

In other Bond news, it has emerged that Skyfall director Sam Mendes wanted the original 007, Sean Connery, to make a cameo appearance in the hit film, that is still performing strongly at the box office. Although he regularly likes to reiterate the fact that he is retired and has no plans to return in front of the camera anytime soon, Mendes was apparently desperate to sign up to veteran actor (who has long rocked the hairless look) when the film was in production, but the Scot would not budge.

Sam Mendes has been doing the U.S. promotional rounds for his James Bond movie Skyfall, ahead of its stateside release this week and gave one golden nugget of information away to the The Huffington Post. The Oscar winner has received unanimous praise for Skyfall though at one point he considered having not one, but two Bonds to star in the movie.

The filmmaker revealed that there was an idea to have Sean Connery - the first Bond - to appear in a cameo role!  "There was a definite discussion about that - way, way early on. But I think that's problematic. Because, to me, it becomes too ... it would take you out of the movie," Mendes explained. We think he's right: Mendes and Daniel Craig have been applauded for moving Bond into a modern setting whilst still protecting the original idea - bringing Connery back would have been nostalgic and frankly unnecessary. "Connery is Bond and he's not going to come back as another character. It's like, he's been there. So, it was a very brief flirtation with that thought, but it was never going to happen, because I thought it would distract," added Mendes.

Connery has pretty much retired from acting now anyway, safe in the knowledge that he's generally considered the finest ever Bond. He's also distanced himself from the franchise, recently being the only Bond not to participate in the "Everything or Nothing: The Untold Story of 007 documentary. Skyfall opens in theaters nationwide on November 9th.

Continue reading: Sam Mendes Considered Sean Connery For James Bond Skyfall Role

OK, so the majority of the US public have just one race on their minds today and that’s the US Presidential race. But once that’s been decided in a few hours, all thoughts will surely be turning to the all-important albums chart race… surely? Can any of this week’s releases threaten Taylor Swift’s position at the top or will she get a second term at number one?

Aerosmith have returned, after an 11-year hiatus from writing any new material. Time appears to have stood still on Aerosmith-land in those eleven years and Music From Another Dimension is pretty much as you would expect an Aerosmith album to sound. Of course, Steven Tyler’s presence on American Idol has brought the attention of Aerosmith back to a new generation of fans, so much of this material may well even sound fresh to them.

Read our review of Music From Another Dimension

Continue reading: Out Now: US Album Releases (Nov 6) Aerosmith, Ne-Yo, Skyfall OST, Third Day

The 23rd incarnation of James Bond: Skyfall has been voted the best Bond ever, but its commercial success is not subject to bias or opinion - it is officially the most successful British film (in one week).

Surpassing Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2, with first week sales of £37.2m, Skyfall is proving an unprecedented success, The Sun reports. MGM chief Gary Barber said: "The continued record-breaking success of this film is a true testament to all involved and the global power of this 50-year-old franchise," while the film's producers - Michael G Wilson and Barbara Broccoli -released a statement after the impressive figure was delivered. It said: "We are very grateful to the Bond fans and all UK cinema audiences for making Skyfall the biggest opening week ever during our 50th anniversary year." The £23m set by the final Daniel Radcliffe wizard movie still holds the gong for weekend sales, though, as Bond only managed £20.1m for that particular record. 

Entertainmentwise also ran a poll, and in light of these figures, revealed that fans voted this the best Bond ever. 34.89% consider Skyfall to be the best outing for 007. 32.66% thought that it was Daniel Craig's best outing as 007. 15.21% thought it was 'good' and 7.1% thought it was average. 5.07% said it was 'poor', and an identical 5.07% thought it was the worst Bond ever.

Continue reading: James Bond Skyfall: A British Box Office Record Breaker And Voted Best Bond

Following on from the success it achieved over its opening weekend last week, the latest James Bond film, Skyfall, has broken yet another record by becoming the highest grossing film over its opening week in the UK.

The new Bond film, Daniel Craig’s third as 007, has so far taken in £32.7 million since it opened last week, overtaking the previous holder of the record Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2. Around £30 million of the takings came in the opening weekend, but the gradual increase of taking – over a Halloween weekend that saw few attend the cinemas – has cemented it’s place in the history books already.

In regards to the achievement, Gary Barber, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer at MGM said: "The continued record-breaking success of this film is a true testament to all involved and the global power of this 50 year old franchise." 

Continue reading: Skyfall Shoots Down Harry Potter To Become Top Grossing UK Movie

The Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano appears to have given the latest James Bond movie Skyfall its seal of approval. Despite 007's womanising and murderous lifestyle, the newspaper dedicated no less than five articles to Sam Mendes' box office smash.

According to The Independent, the newspaper even featured an interview with Daniel Craig in which it said the film contained everything you could possibly want from a Bond film, including, "adrenalin-pumped action to exotic locations, beautiful Bond girls, and the inevitable vodka Martini - shaken, not stirred." Another article compared the merits of previous James Bond actors, while another discussed the various soundtracks. L'Osservatore Romano was founded in 1861 as the mouthpiece of the Vatican. Up until five years ago, it would typically publish theological pieces and information about the Pope's various engagements. However, in recent years the broadsheet has established a more populist slant, covering films and television. 

Skyfall has received unanimously positive reviews from critics, with most declaring Daniel Craig amongst the best ever Bonds. He will star in two further movies before handing the reins over to another actor. 

Continue reading: The Pope Loved James Bond Skyfall, Apparently

Daniel Craig has always been pretty upfront about playing James Bond. He's savvy enough to realise his time playing 007 will be remembered fondly by both fans and critics and has made no secret of his intention to get out in the near future.

Craig, now 44, is contracted for two more films after Skyfall - which premieres in London tonight (October 23, 2012) - and the smart money would be on the British star walking away after that. "I am contracted for two more and that seems like a fair few. But I am not going to outstay my welcome. Someone else will have to have the chance to have a crack at this," he told the Metro. After joking that he agreed to the new movies for the money, Craig backtracked, "'No, not even slightly. I love playing it. It's an honour to play it. I really get a big kick out of doing it. I had an opportunity when they gave me Casino Royale to wipe the slate clean because they said we're beginning again." Craig's tenure as Bond has certainly had a fresh feel about it - Casino Royale was the shot in the arm that the franchise badly needed; Quantum of Solace was intriguing, and all the signs point towards Skyfall being one of the best Bonds in years. With Sam Mendes as director (who Craig apparently coaxed into the role while drunk at a party), Skyfall has genuine claims for the major movie prizes this year.

The British star represents a superb piece of casting by the Bond team but will it be another outsider who replaces him? Though Sam Worthington is the hot favourite to take over as 007 in a couple of movies time, don't rule out the likes of Alex O Loughlin and Tom Hardy.

Sam Mendes, the director of the new James Bond film Skyfall, starring Daniel Craig as 007, has hinted that he is more than happy to take the reigns for Bond number 24.

Speaking to Time Out, Mendez said, "I've enjoyed it enough to do it again. I think the choice is in the audience's hands. If people love the movie and they want to see another one from the same people who brought you Skyfall, then that would mean a lot to me. I would feel like, 'Well, actually there are people who really want to see it'." Given the positive response to the film so far, were sure a lot of people would like to see him return. For such a British institution, it may come as a surprise that Mendes, 47, is the first British director to take the reigns of a Bond film since 1999's The World Is Not Enough. Mendes plied his trade as a theatre director, before breaking into film with American Beauty, winner of five Oscars in 2000.

But don't go thinking Mendes will latch onto the Bond franchise and bleed it dry for all it's worth, whilst simultaneously jeopardising his artistic integrity, no; he'll only do it if it's worth it. "I feel like I've put everything I want to do with a Bond movie into this Bond movie. I would have to feel the same again to do another one. So, it would take a lot of thought to try and make it as special to me as this. I'm knackered, but I've loved it."

The reviews are in for Sam Mendes' James Bond movie 'Skyfall' and they're good. Very good. 007's latest outing has been described as the "least Bond" of all the Bonds and it appears critics have reacted warmly to the Oscar winning director's fresh take on the long running franchise.

Set primarily in London, Skyfall follows a Bond described by Mendes as suffering from "[a] combination of lassitude, boredom, depression [and] difficulty with what he's chosen to do for a living." A Bond down-on-his-luck is an interesting concept and we already know he's swapped his Martinis for bottled Heinekens (thanks to a lucrative product placement deal). Writing in The Independent, Geoffrey McNab said, "Craig again impresses as Bond. He switches without fuss from Roger Moore-style self-deprecating comedy (adjusting his cuff links in action sequences) to the darker, more intense scenes which focus on Bond's childhood traumas." Den of Geek.com refused to give out spoilers in their review "because there's so much that deserves to be kept under wraps." Critic Katie Muir of The Times simply called Skyfall a "resurrection," predicting that it will "go down as one of 007's best."

With such positive reviews, it begs the question whether or not the Academy will reward Mendes and his team for Skyfall. Early rumblings around Hollywood suggest the movie could make the nominations for Best Picture, and with Craig on top form, Mendes at the helm and Oscar winning cinematographer Roger Deakins on set, it's not difficult to see why.

'Skyfall', the new James Bond movie directed by Sam Mendes, hits cinemas on November 9 and already attention is turning to whether or not the picture could snag a surprise Oscar nomination.

'Oscar bait' is a term often used to describe a movie awash with all the key themes that the Academy so readily rewards. For example, they're suckers for epic dramas (Titanic, Gladiator), romance (Shakespeare in Love, The English Patient) and movies packed full of previous Oscar winners (Traffic, The Kings Speech). Oscar bait movies usually hit cinemas at the same time each year- in November or December, wafting themselves under the noses of the Academy just weeks before nominations are announced.

This year, Sony seems to have thrown 'Skyfall' into the fray as Oscar bait, so does the film have a realistic chance of a nomination? Well, as HitFix.com rightly points out, the movie has attached an Oscar winning director in Mendes, an Oscar winning and three time nominated actor in Javier Bardem and an Oscar winning actress and six-time nominee in Judi Dench. Its screenwriter is a three-time nominee while cinematographer Roger Deakins is a nine-time nominee who is almost certain to scoop the prize come February if industry insiders are to be believed. Deakins - best known for his work on just about every Coen Brothers movie - is revered in the movie business and often considered the finest cinematographer of all time. On top of all this, Skyfall's production designer, art director and second unit director have all been handed nominations in the past: i.e - the movie has all the bases covered.

Continue reading: Why ‘Skyfall’ Could Land James Bond An Oscar Nomination

Adele’s ‘Bond’ theme will see the London songstress follow in the footsteps of singing greats Shirley Bassey and Nancy Sinatra, both of whom are responsible for recording some of the most recognizable 007 tunes in the secret agent’s 50 years in film.

The multiple Grammy award winner had long been rumoured to be handed the prestigious role for Sam Mendes’ forthcoming ‘Skyfall’ – again starring Daniel Craig – and Total Film.com confirmed the speculation this week. Adele’s single, named after the new movie, will be the first release from the star since ‘Turning Tables’ from her much-feted ‘21’ album. Given her phenomenally successful couple of years, Adele will certainly be a popular choice for the job and she boasts the kind of heavyweight soulful voice synonymous with the theme tune. One thing’s for sure: it’s almost certain to be an improvement on the poorly received tune ‘Another Way to Die’ by Jack White and Alicia Keys from 2008’s ‘Quantum of Solace’.

‘Skyfall’ – set to open in the UK on October 26 – stars Daniel Craig, alongside Judi Dench, Javier Bardem, Ralph Fiennes, Naomie Harris and Ben Whishaw.