MGM and Sony Pictures set to film the next 007 film ‘Bond 23’ and casting is underway

Note: Karen Sortito, a movie-marketing executive best known for groundbreaking product tie-ins to James Bond films in the 1990s, has died on Monday December 13, 2010. She was 49. Karen will be dearly missed and her legacy will live on. Condolences to her family and loved ones.

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James Bond 007 insiders are saying that production should start on the next installment of the film series towards the middle of next year for release in November 2012. The current working title is “Bond 23” – named for the 23rd film is the series. Academy Award winning director Sam Mendes will helm the film. The British newspapers indicate Bond 23 is now casting.

Barbara Broccoli, Executive VP of Production and Development for 007 production company Danjaq, has been scouting actor Russell Beale to co-star in “Bond 23,” and she and Sam Mendes have seen him perform twice in his current West End play “Deathtrap”.

According to UK newspaper The Independent, earlier this year Russell Beale told “Bond 23” director Sam Mendes that he is very interested in playing a bad guy in the next Bond film.

The UK Daily Mail also has reported that Sam Mendes and Barbara Broccoli have already had “many meetings over casting” for the next Bond film.

In another casting scoop, the female lead from the last Bond film is said to be returning for “Bond 23”. “Quantum of Solace,” is the only Bond film in which James Bond does not sleep with the female lead during the course of the film, which closes neither with her in his arms nor with her dead. Olga Kurylenko played the female lead Camille, and will in all likelihood return for the 23rd Bond film.

Composer David Arnold has also confirmed that “Bond 23” is now “back on,” and that he will once again be the film’s soundtrack composer. Arnold received a Grammy Award nomination for Best Song Written for Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media for the song “You Know My Name” in “Casino Royale”.

Kate Winslet has revealed that her and Sam Mendes’ son Joe, seven, and Kate’s daughter Mia, ten, will move to the UK with her for the duration of filming. Winslet and Mendes split amicably in early 2010. Winslet stated, “Sam is doing the next Bond film, and we’ll all be in England. It’s such a massive commitment for him and it’s not fair for him to commute backwards and forwards to New York from London. It would be impossible. The children will be there with me.”

On December 2nd, 2010, a U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Manhattan approved a Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc. plan that calls for creditors to forgive roughly $4 billion in debt in exchange for equity in the restructured MGM. The studio plans to raise about $500 million for new films and projects, and will retain all its assets. Spyglass has taken over studio filmmaking, with Gary Barber and Roger Birnbaum the new co-CEO’s.

On April 13, 2011 MGM closed a worldwide distribution deal with Sony Pictures, who will also co-finance “Bond 23”.

DO NOT RE-PUBLISH THE FOLLOWING WITHOUT EXPRESSED WRITTEN PERMISSION.

The following casting information is subject to change.

Principal Actor Casting

See the post titled Headshot and Resume Information regarding how to submit for acting roles.

Please submit photos and resumes by mail only.
No phone calls or personal drop-offs.

Los Angeles:

Debra Zane
Tannis Vallely
5225 Wilshire Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90036

New York:

Ellen Lewis
161 Sixth Avenue
11th Floor
New York, NY 10013

London:

Debbie McWilliams Casting
Debbie McWilliams CAsting
48 Vestry Road
Camberwell, Greater London SE5 8NX
GB

Extras Casting

London:

TBA
Production Companies:

Do NOT send photos and resumes to the production companies, as they will most likely end up being thrown away. They do not cast the films, rather they hire casting directors who sort through the thousands of submissions.

Sony Pictures
10202 W. Washington Boulevard
Suite 3900
Culver City, CA 90232

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios
MGM Tower
10250 Constellation Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90067

Eon Productions
138 Piccadilly
London, W1V 9FH
UK

Danjaq, LLC
2400 Broadway Street
Suite 310
Santa Monica, CA 90404

Neal Street Productions
26-28 Neal Street
London WC2H 9QQ
UK

Filming Locations:

Pinewood Studios
Pinewood Road, Iver Heath
Buckinghamshire
England SL0 0NH
UK

Additional locations TBA.

Producers:

Michael G. Wilson
Barbara Broccoli

Director:

Sam Mendes

Writers:

Neal Purvis
Robert Wade
Peter Morgan

Starring:

Daniel Craig
Judi Dench
Russell Beale
Olga Kurylenko

Story:

There has been no word on what progress is being made on the script by Peter Morgan. The story is rumored to feature Afghanistan in some way. Shooting will take place at the Pinewood Studios in London as has been in the case for majority of the iconic spy series.