Quantum of Solace is the 22nd spy film in EON Productions’ James Bond film series, due for release on 7 November 2008. It is the sequel to the 2006 film Casino Royale, which rebooted the series.
It is directed by Marc Forster, and features Daniel Craig’s second performance as the fictional MI6 agent James Bond. Paul Haggis, Neal Purvis and Robert Wade returned as writers. In the film, Bond battles Dominic Greene (Mathieu Amalric), a member of a cover organisation called Green Planet, seeking revenge for the death of Vesper Lynd. Greene intends to stage a coup d’état in a Latin American country. Bond is assisted by Camille (Olga Kurylenko), who also wants revenge against Greene. The title was chosen from an unrelated short story in Ian Fleming’s For Your Eyes Only (1960).
Producer Michael G. Wilson created the film’s story whilst Casino Royale was shooting. The film was originally scheduled for a 2 May 2008 release, but it was pushed back to allow more time when Roger Michell dropped out as director. Second unit filming began in August 2007 at Siena and Madrid, before principal photography began in January 2008 at Pinewood Studios. Production designer Dennis Gassner took over from Peter Lamont, who retired after working on eighteen Bond films.
He designed the five major Pinewood sets, which stand in for Siena, Bolivia and the MI6 headquarters. Gassner’s designs are close to the modernism of Ken Adam, the first Bond production designer. Location filming will take place at Panama, Chile, Peru, Italy and Austria, before moving back to Pinewood in June. There will be more gadgets than in Casino Royale, though they will still aim to be realistic.
Premise: Michael G. Wilson has confirmed that the film will pick up “literally an hour after” Casino Royale’s conclusion, when a wounded Mr. White is shot and captured by Bond at Lake Como. Bond is then involved in a car chase in Siena, Italy. The official synopsis shows that White reveals to Bond and M that his organisation has agents in Her Majesty’s Government and the Central Intelligence Agency.
Forensic evidence of an MI6 traitor leads Bond to Haiti, where he meets Camille, who then helps him find Dominic Greene, a ruthless businessman and a member of the organisation known as Green Planet. Greene intends to use his government contacts to help overthrow the current regime in a Latin American country, and place the exiled General Medrano as the head of state.
Medrano will in exchange give the organisation a barren piece of land, which actually will give them total control of “one of the world’s most important natural resources”. Bond travels to Austria and South America to unravel Greene’s plan, staying one step ahead of the CIA, terrorists and M whilst trying to keep his desire for retribution over Vesper Lynd’s death in check.
Cast:
Although imagery of her character may feature, Eva Green will not film any new footage as Vesper Lynd for the film. Barbara Broccoli said at the very least, “[Vesper is] certainly on Bond’s mind.” Michael G. Wilson confirmed Miss Moneypenny and “Q” are not in the film, as with Casino Royale. He said that when writing the other films they had to find a moment for both characters, which wasn’t necessarily organic.
Effects: Ford has a three-film deal that began with 2002’s Die Another Day. The Aston Martin DBS V12 will return in the film, and Ford GTs will also be used. Judi Dench also mentioned, “M learns to do a few more gadgets.” These include a glass wall in her office which can be made opaque if she requires privacy. The redesigned HQ has a touchscreen computer which keeps track of all their agents. Michael G. Wilson said of the gadgets that “we’ve just used realistic things within the world”. Wilson commented that the film might return to the traditionally styled gun barrel opening shot.
Music: David Arnold, who composed the scores for the previous four Bond films, will return for Quantum of Solace. When asked about the possibility of Amy Winehouse singing the theme song, Michael G. Wilson replied, “She could do a wonderful job. We’ll have to wait and see if she can do it.”
Links:
The Love Guru is a 2008 Mike Myers comedy film, due for release on June 20, 2008. Filming took place in Toronto Ontario, Canada.
Pitka (Mike Myers) is an American raised by gurus who returns to Canada in order to break into the self-help business. His first challenge: To settle the romantic troubles and subsequent professional skid of star Toronto Maple Leafs hockey player Darren Roanoke (Romany Malco) whose wife Prudence (Meagan Good) left him for rival skater Jacques Grande (Justin Timberlake). Filming for one of the hockey games took place at the Detroit Red Wing vs. Toronto Maple Leaf Exhibition game during intermission.
Pitka (Mike Myers) is an American who was left at the gates of an ashram in India as a child and raised by gurus. He moves back to the U.S. to seek fame and fortune in the world of self-help and spirituality. His unorthodox methods are put to the test when he must settle a rift between Toronto Maple Leafs star hockey player Darren Roanoke (Romany Malco) and his estranged wife.
After the split, Roanoke’s wife starts dating L.A. Kings star Jacques Grande (Justin Timberlake) out of revenge, sending her husband into a major professional skid – to the horror of the teams’ owner Jane Bullard (Jessica Alba) and Coach Cherkov (Verne Troyer). Pitka must return the couple to marital nirvana and get Roanoke back on his game so the team can break the 40-year-old “Bullard Curse” and win the Stanley Cup.
Cast:
Links:
Shine a Light is an upcoming 2008 documentary film directed by Martin Scorsese that spans the career of rock and roll band The Rolling Stones.
The film also includes footage from the recently concluded A Bigger Bang Tour of 2006. The film takes its title from the song of the same name, featured on The Stones’ 1972 album Exile on Main St.
Scorsese filmed the Rolling Stones for two nights at New York City’s Beacon Theater on October 29 and November 1, 2006. Footage from the shows will be intercut with backstage footage, historical clips and contemporary interviews with the band. The shows were noted for their star-studded crowds, including former President Bill Clinton. The newly released trailer for the film also shows Jack White, Christina Aguilera, and Buddy Guy onstage, performing with the band.
The film was initially scheduled for release on September 21, 2007, but Paramount Classics postponed its release until April 2008. The world premiere will be at the Berlin International Film Festival 2008. A soundtrack album of the film will be released in March 2008 from UMG.
Setlists:
The original setlists for each night’s performance.
October 29, 2006:
November 1, 2006:
Links:
Leatherheads is a romantic comedy set in the world of 1920s professional football starring George Clooney, John Krasinski, and Renée Zellweger. The film will be released on April 4, 2008. It is rated PG-13 for brief strong language by the MPAA.
Leatherheads began filming on February 12, 2007. Filming locations mainly included locations in and around upstate South Carolina and western North Carolina. Filming wrapped in mid-May 2007. After initially being set for release in December 2007, the studio moved the release date to April 4, 2008. The main part was filmed at Ware Shoals High School.
IIn 1925, Dodge Connolly is a charming, brash football hero who is determined to guide his team from bar brawls to packed stadiums. But after the players lose their sponsor and the entire league faces certain collapse, Dodge convinces a college football star to join his ragtag ranks. The captain hopes his latest move will help the struggling sport finally capture the country’s attention. Welcome to the team Carter Rutherford, America’s favorite son.
A golden-boy war hero who single-handedly forced multiple German soldiers to surrender in WWI, Carter has dashing good looks and unparalleled speed on the field. This new champ is almost too good to be true, and Lexie Littleton aims to prove that’s the case. A cub journalist playing in the big leagues, Lexie is a spitfire newswoman who suspects there are holes in Carter’s war story.
But while she digs, the two teammates start to become serious off-field rivals for her fickle affections. As the new game of pro-football becomes less like the freewheeling sport he knew and loved, Dodge must both fight to keep his guys together and to get the girl of his dreams. Finding that love and football have a surprisingly similar playbook, however, he has one maneuver he will save just for the fourth quarter.
Cast:
Links:
Kung Fu Panda is an animated film about a panda who learns martial arts and then uses this new ability to fight his enemies. Kung Fu Panda is being directed by John Stevenson and Mark Osborne and produced by Melissa Cobb.
The idea for the film was conceived by Michael Lachance, a DreamWorks Animation executive. The film is due for release on June 6, 2008. It will be distributed by Paramount Pictures.
The film stars the voices of, among others, Jack Black, Jackie Chan, Dustin Hoffman, Angelina Jolie and Lucy Liu.
Plot: Po (Jack Black) is a panda who is a kung fu fanatic, but whose defining characteristic appears to be that he is the laziest animal in ancient China. Evil warrior Tai Lung has escaped from prison, and all hopes have been pinned on a prophecy naming Po as the “Chosen One” to save the day. He has a group of martial arts masters to help him.
Notably, a number of the martial arts masters are animals who feature in the Chinese Zodiac – Tigress, Monkey and Snake. Others are stances commonly used in the art of kung fu – the Crane and the Mantis.
Cast:
Links: