This morning in London, Sony Pictures, MGM Studios and EON Productions held a press conference at Pinewood Studios to announce the start of production on the 23rd James Bond film, which can now formally be called SKYFALL.
Director Sam Mendes and star James Bond were on hand with other members of the cast including Judi Dench, Bond girl Bérénice Marlohe, Naomie Harris and Javier Bardem, who was confirmed as the film’s villain. Other cast members confirmed but not in attendance were Ben Whishsaw, Ralph Fiennes and Albert Finney.
Much speculation has been that Harris would star as Miss Moneypenny in the film but at the press conference the actress revealed she was playing a “field agent named Eve.” In the previous films, Moneypenny’s name was Jane but perhaps this is just a ruse to throw people off.
As for the film itself, the cast and crew weren’t talking much but an official synopsis was revealed and may lend some hints towards the film’s direction: “Bond’s loyalty to M is tested to the full as her past comes back to haunt her. As M16 comes under attack, 007 must track down and destroy the threat, no matter how personal the cost.”
Mendes also noted that SKYFALL “doesn’t connect with the last two films,” which means (unless he’s bullshitting) we won’t continue the saga of QUANTUM (at least not this time around).