MI6 reports from Zurich where Daniel Craig, Caterina Murino, Carlos Leal and Martin Campbell attended the Swiss premiere of Casino Royale...

Casino Royale Swiss Premiere
17th November 2006

Following the Royal World Premiere in Leicester Square, London (Tuesday 14th November), the Casino Royale tour headed to Zurich for the Switzerland premiere on Thursday 16th November.

Above: Daniel Craig signs autographs for the hundreds of fans that lined the red carpet.

Daniel Craig and girlfriend Satsuki Mitchell were the guests of honour at the Swiss premiere held at the Abaton cinema in Zurich. Guests arrived at 7:00pm and greeted the hundreds of fans who lined the city's longest ever red carpet, signing autographs and posing for photographs.

It was Craig's first time in Zurich, and the sixth 007 took time out to greet fans and give interviews to the local media.

Above: Daniel Craig with girlfriend Satsuki Mitchell, director Martin Campbell and wife Solveig.

Director Martin Campbell was accompanied by his Swiss wife Solveig, and she told the crowds that it was good to be back in her home country, and that the newly-weds (who married in last month) would be back in Switzerland for New Year.

Above: Caterina Murino (left) and Carlos Leal (right).

Bond girl Caterina Murino wowed the crowd with a figure-hugging black dress and told reporters that she now loves horse riding, following her scene in Casino Royale where she rides a beautiful white horse along the beach in the Bahamas.

Swiss actor Carlos Leal, who plays the poker tournament director at the Casino Royale, told press on the red carpet that his lucky charm necklace, which he has worn for five years, finally paid off when he landed his role in a Bond film.

Above: "GoldenEye" singer Tina Turner was also in attendance.

Singer Tina Turner, who performed the theme song to the 1995 film "GoldenEye" was also in attendance. When asked what she thought of the new song "You Know My Name", Turner, who now lives in Zurich, cheekily replied that her own theme was still her favourite.

Craig On The Critics
When asked what he thought about the initial criticism to his casting as 007 compared to the rave reviews the film is now getting, Craig said "I am now exceptionally pleased that the response we're getting is good and it's about the movie, and saying that we made a great film - which is all we ever set out to do."

"I'm slightly optimistically pessimistic, as all actors should be, as we haven't had the first weekend's [box office figures] yet. We've got to see how many people go and see it. Only then will it be counted as a success or failure. But I'm very happy." So what does the future hold? "I'm happy with what we've achieved. We set out to make a special movie and I think that's what we've managed to do. Now I feel very much that I'd like to continue this and make another film because we've got somewhere to go."

Above: Daniel Craig answered the local media's questions about his performance as Bond.

"The contract signing... well you have to sign for three films. I'm very happy about the idea of making the next film, but beyond that I don't know. I can't see two years in to the future. I'd like to think we'll start making the next film by the end of 2007, and we'll get that out of the way. Beyond that? Who knows what's going to happen."

Around The World With Casino Royale
Meanwhile, French actress Eva Green (Vesper Lynd) attended in Dutch premiere at the Tuschinski Theatre, in Amsterdam on Thursday 16th November. Martin Campbell and Bond girl Caterina Murino (Solange) attended the Belgian premiere at the Kinepolis in Brussels a day earlier, on Wednesday 15th November. The French premiere will be held at Le Grand Rex cinema in Paris on Friday 17th November 2006 at 8:00pm. It is expected that the event will be a sell-out with capacity seating for 2,800 fans. The film goes on nationwide release in France five days later on 22nd November 2006.

Next up... Director Martin Campbell will attend the New Zealand premiere at SkyCity Cinemas in Newmarket, Auckland on Thursday 30th November 2006. Daniel Craig and Caterina Murino will be the stars of the show at the Australian premiere in Sydney on Monday 4th December 2006. Martin Campbell and producer Barbara Broccoli will also attend. The film opens nationwide in Australia and New Zealand from Thursday 7th December 2006.

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