Script writers come and go, the rumour mill churns on possible directors, and producers hint at Pinewood Studios base for the 22nd James Bond film in 2008. MI6 wraps up all the latest news...

Bond 22 Pre-Production Diary (2)
23rd May 2007

Shooting on Daniel Craig's second outing as 007 is not scheduled to start until January 2008, but many developments are already well underway. MI6 keeps you up to date with the latest coverage of Bond 22 - due out 7th November 2008.

Licence To Script

With Neal Purvis and Robert Wade completing work on the first draft script for Bond 22 (they handed it in to producers in early April) and departing the production to work on "Barbarella" for director Robert Rodriguez, attention turned to Oscar winner Paul Haggis who polished the duo's script for Casino Royale. Daniel Craig himself confirmed this week that the script was yet to be completed, and that "we have to make the next one, I think, better than the last one to keep people happy." Although initially cagey about his possible involvement in late March, Haggis has now officially confirmed that he is onboard to complete work on the shooting script. The LA Times reported that Haggis has additional projects lined up as producer, director and/or writer, so the Bond producers must have dangled, shall we say, very seductive creative and financial incentives for him to return to the Bond juggernaut. A few weeks ago, Purvis and Wade confirmed earlier MI6 reports that elements of the Bond 22 script may be influenced be as-yet untapped nuggets from original Ian Fleming short stories. Although most of the literary canon has been plundered for film scripts, there are a few passages still to be exploited.

Purvis & Wade said "there's a few morsels but you'd have to say the carcass has been pretty stripped. There are still a few details from the short stories that it would be nice to use." When asked specifically, the duo ruled out "Risico" and "Property of a Lady" from the short stories up for grabs. These have both been previously used in "For Your Eyes Only" and "Octopussy" respectively. So does this mean 007 will visit New York again?

Above: Writer Paul Haggis (left), rumoured director Marc Forster (right)

Directorial Merry-Go-Round
Before coming onboard Bond 22 in the script department, Paul Haggis also revealed that he was offered the job of directing Daniel Craig's second outing as 007, but turned it down. Last year, director Roger Michell ("Venus") and screenwriter Ted Griffin ("Ocean's Eleven") were briefly attached to the Bond 22 project.

According to the latest rumours, four helmers recently met producers to pitch for the Bond 22 directors chair: Marc Forster, Tony Scott, Alex Proyas, and Jonathan Mostow. Marc Forster has emerged the rumour-mill favourite. Forster is best known for helming "Finding Neverland" (2004). His recent directorial credits also include "Monster's Ball" (2001), "Stay" (2005) and "Stranger Than Fiction" (2006).

The buzz is that news will break within the next few weeks on who ultimately secured the job. As the shooting schedule (January start) and release date of Bond 22 (November) is very similar to the previous outing, it would be fair to point out that Martin Campbell was announced as director of Casino Royale back on 3rd February 2005, almost four months ahead of the current Bond 22 timeline.

Bond To Return Home
Bond 22 is yet to announce its production base, although producer Michael G. Wilson spoke glowingly about Pinewood Studios in a recent radio interview to commemorate the opening of the newly rebuilt 007 Stage. When asked if they would base Bond 22 at Pinewood, Wilson said "we hope we'll be making it at Pinewood. We did work in the 007 Stage for Casino Royale, but we were in the Czech Republic for the most part. But this time around (Bond 22) we hope to get back in to Pinewood and be in familiar surroundings on our old stomping ground again. It's nothing really to do with Pinewood, it's the exchange rate - which is very very high (currently 2 US Dollars to 1 Pound Sterling). London is one of the most expensive cities in the world, especially when you're bringing actors in from outside the country. So, it's a tough call, but it's nothing that anyone in the film business really controls."

MI6 can reveal that plans are moving ahead to base Bond 22 at Pinewood despite the exchange rate issue, and a return to the Czech Republic (as used in Casino Royale) is unlikely although Barrandov Studios did put in a strong bid.

Bond Girl Rumour Ticker
Australian actress Abbie Cornish... Turkish kickboxer Fulya Keskin... Pop singer Jamelia... Dutch actress Carice van Houten... Singer Amy Winehouse... Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen... (tabloid silly season begins)