Daniel Craig is returning to play James Bond in the next adventure in “Bond 25.” While the title hasn’t been released, the new cast was revealed and that Oscar-winner Rami Malek will play the villain opposite Bond.
“We’ve got quite a ride in store for Mr. Bond,” producer Barbara Broccoli said during a press release in Goldeneye, Jamaica, the location where Ian Fleming wrote all the James Bond novels. It’s also the location of iconic films such as “Dr. No” and “Live and Let Die.”
Broccoli added that the film will begin with Bond on holiday and off-duty. “He’s enjoying himself in Jamaica,” Broccoli said, adding that he will be in an “extraordinary” house built specifically for him.
We’ve been expecting you. 007 himself, Daniel Craig, is at the #BOND25 Live Reveal in Jamaica pic.twitter.com/F6KLGA9X5s
— James Bond (@007) April 25, 2019
“Bond has left active service. His peace is short-lived when his old friend Felix Leiter from the CIA turns up asking for help, leading Bond onto the trail of a mysterious villain armed with dangerous new technology,” according to the official synopsis for the film on IMDb.
While details were scarce, director Cary Joji Fukunaga did reveal that locations in the film would include Jamaica, Norway, where the team has already shot footage, Pinewood, London, and would wrap in Italy.
CONFIRMED. Locations for #BOND25 include Jamaica, Norway, London and Italy pic.twitter.com/Hwv4VxrMC6
— James Bond (@007) April 25, 2019
Fukunaga is best known as the director and executive producer of the first season of “True Detective.” He told fans his favorite Bond was Craig’s version and is excited to work on the next one. “I want to make sure that this run of the films … have a really great next chapter and just keep upping the ante so whoever is next has a harder job,” he said.
The film will continue to be produced by the British film production company Eon that produces the James Bond film series.
The official cast will include Daniel Craig, Ralph Fiennes (M), Lea Seydoux (love interest Dr. Madeleine Swann from Spectre), Ben Whishaw (Q), Naomi Harris (Moneypenny), Rory Kinnear, and Jeffrey Wright (The Independent Reporters).
New faces will include Dali Benssalah (“Captain Marvel”), Billy Magnussen (“Game Night”), Ana De Armas (“Blade Runner 2049”), David Dencik (“Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy”), Lashana Lynch (“Captain Marvel”), and Rami Malek (“Bohemian Rhapsody”).
While most of the cast was present, Malek was absent. In a video message recorded from New York, Malek said, “I’m very much looking forward to joining the cast and crew very soon, I will be making sure that Bond does not have an easy ride of it in his 25th outing.”
A word about #BOND25 from Rami Malek pic.twitter.com/CLJ5mpO9mu
— James Bond (@007) April 25, 2019
Although production seems to be in motion, “Bond 25” has already run into some issues compared to most of the 007 titles.
Danny Boyle, director of “Trainspotting,” was already set to direct “Bond 25” with a script he had written with his long-standing collaborator, John Hodge, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
However, Eon and the directors split over “creative differences” and Fukunaga was announced as the director in late 2018, alongside regular Bond writers Neal Purvis and Robert Wade. Scott Z. Burns, “The Bourne Ultimatum” screenwriter also joined them.
“Bond 25” is set to release in the United States on April 8, 2020, by Metro Goldwyn Mayer through its United Artists Releasing joint venture with Annapurna, as well as through Universal and MGM in the U.K. and internationally on April 3, 2020, according to IMDb.
