Daniel Craig Honoured By Hollywood Walk Of Fame

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Daniel Craig has been honoured with a star on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame. The unveiling ceremony took place on 6th October, with Daniel Craig joined by Bond producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli and his No Time To Die co-star Rami Malek.

The new star is fittingly situated outside 7007 Hollywood Boulevard and is next to the star honouring Sir Roger Moore and just a block away from Cubby Broccoli’s.

“To Michael Wilson and Barbara Broccoli, I thank you from the depths of my heart,” said Craig at the ceremony. “Without you I would not be here today. I never thought I would hear myself say this, but it’s an absolute honour to be walked all over in Hollywood.”

“No Time To Die: The Making of the Film” Book

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Titan Books have just released an in depth look at the making of the new film, No Time To Die. Written by Mark Salisbury, this 192-page coffee table book reveals all the locations, characters, gadgets, weapons and cars, with on-set photography, concept art, costume designs, stunt breakdowns and more. With exclusive cast and crew interviews, in this special collector’s must-have publication. 

Available to order now at 007store.com

Dressed To Kill With Jenny Packham

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Jenny Packham knows exactly what she expects from a 007 movie. “Obviously when I think of Bond films, they have to be glamorous. Drop dead glamourous. I don’t think you should fight that at all.”

Packham was responsible for creating the modern classic satin dress worn by Solange (played by Caterina Murino) in 2006’s Casino Royale but she is quick to share the plaudits: “Costume Designer Lindy Hemming came to us and she really had a colour in mind for the dress for Solange. She wanted this beautiful pomegranate colour,” says Packham across the table in her London office as she chats to 007.com. We’re talking about the various designs Packham has created for the Bond films when we ask how the dresses are picked to appear in the films. “I know that they had this enormous fitting with Caterina for Casino Royale which lasted for hours and the gown they selected was the very first thing she tried on which just happened to be mine. Part of the allure is that unusual colour. It wasn’t bright, it was just slightly softer. The way that it pulled around Caterina however, to make her look sculpted, the high split and back detail with strapping is very sexy and part of the appeal as well. There’s something sexy about strapping. The dress was amazing but I think Caterina in the dress was what made it work.” After Casino Royale was released Packham says her team were inundated with orders from across the globe. “We had men ringing from around the world to order that dress for their wives and we still get orders now. It’s incredible to think that the movie came out 15 years ago and people still want that dress.”

Packham’s signature clothes are synonymous with glamorous occasions and A-list names like Adele, Angelina Jolie, Emily Blunt, Kate Winslet, Taylor Swift and The Duchess of Cambridge are among her clients. As one of the UK’s most successful and independent fashion brands, with flagship stores in London, Paris and New York, Packham has become one of the most sought after designers of choice when it comes to social dressing and high end fashion. “Well, glamorous dressing is what I do. It’s what James Bond does so well too so it is an amazing opportunity to work together.” 

Packham’s first time working on a Bond film was in 2002 for Die Another Day: “The gown only stayed on Miranda Frost (played by Rosamund Pike) for a few seconds before it fell to the floor,” she laughs. “But I never get offended by what a costume designer or director does with one of my dresses because of the scale of what they are looking after. I think you have to understand at that point it is a costume and so it has to work in so many ways on set. The costume designers on James Bond are exceptionally good so you have to let them get on with their work as well.”

On No Time To Die, Jenny worked with costume designer Suttirat Anne Larlarb and provided a range of dresses for the Spectre party scene. “There were around 150 individual gowns in total. Almost all of the women in that particular scene are wearing Jenny Packham dresses, which is really nice. It’s great to continue to play a part in the films.”

Packham’s latest venture is an exclusive capsule collection of evening wear gowns created to celebrate the forthcoming 60th Anniversary of James Bond. The eight designs pay homage to the series’ legacy of powerful female characters with two styles inspired by Packham’s original designs which featured in ‘Die Another Day’ and ‘Casino Royale’

“The anniversary is 2022, so this collection is going to be an early start to celebrating the 60th anniversary of James Bond on the big screen by taking these dresses around the world.” We are lucky enough to get to see some of her early notes and sketches for these pieces. “We have chosen iconic dresses like the Sylvia Trench dress from Dr. No. It’s the first dress that stands out in the films, so that gave us inspiration and we started from there.” 

Dresses in the new collection include Packham’s own designs from Die Another Day, a one shouldered tulle dress which is covered in transparent sequins and silver beads and the aforementioned Casino Royale creation, as well as dresses inspired by Octopussy, Tomorrow Never Dies and The World Is Not Enough. “EON gave us access to the classic evening wear from the 007 archives. When we got to look at the navy dress worn by Barbara Bach as Major Anya Amasova in The Spy Who Loved Me we found some rather interesting things about how it was created. That was intriguing. It was very slim fitting and here is a ribbon which runs inside and holds the whole gown in place. There’s a split but Barbara would have been able to move around as an actress without worrying about the split moving or revealing anything because of how the dress was constructed. It was a nice little secret to find for a designer. We all know what these items look like on the outside but it has been fascinating to get a closer look and discover more about the details inside.”

What about the other dresses? “We found out that Caterina Murino never got to own her dress from Casino Royale as the original is kept in the EON Archive. So we’ll be making sure she has one of those. It’s the dress that changed her life”.

The perfect symbiosis – Packham’s work and 007 – has endured for nearly two decades so what is it about the relationship that works so well? “When we make dresses it is a luxury garment and it is made to a very high level. That is something the Bond films need and that is also the production team’s expectations of anything in those films. We agree on high standards.”

Jenny Packham’s 007 dress collection is on sale now via https://jennypackham.com/ 

Die Another Day and Casino Royale photography: Greg Williams

The Best Of Bond… James Bond

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UMe have released an updated version of “The Best Of Bond… James Bond”, a digital, 2CD and 3LP vinyl compilation featuring celebrated Bond theme songs. The new James Bond 2021 Edition includes “No Time To Die” by Billie Eilish from No Time To Die. Also now included are Adele’s “Skyfall” from Skyfall and Sam Smith’s Spectre theme, “Writing’s On the Wall,” – Oscar® winners for Best Song in 2013 and 2016, respectively.

You can buy the “The Best Of Bond… James Bond” at 007Store now.

The 007 Secret Agent Attaché Case

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To celebrate James Bond Day 2021, 007 Store have unveiled the re-issue of the 007 Secret Agent Attaché Case, one of the toy world’s most coveted collectibles. Made in a numbered limited edition, the case is inspired by James Bond’s trick attaché case seen in From Russia with Love and was first released as a toy in 1965. This piece of movie memorabilia is now available as a collector’s piece.

The 2021 case is made from the original 1965 moulds and includes the 007 Code-A-Matic (a coding device for writing secret messages), the 007 Confidential Code Book which also operates as a booby trap, a passport, international currency, secret Universal Exports secret business cards, gold coins, a specila pen, secret weapon and a viewing James Bond Movie Camera. Updates from the original include the flocked red interior (matching the movie prop), a replica of the original Movie Camera in place of the gun, a new secret pen and gold coins in place of bullets, inspired by those in the film.

The attaché case is made with black simulated leather, gold metalwork and 007 combination locks with a dagger insignia. The edition is individually numbered and comes with a Bond Archive certificate of authenticity.

Available to pre-order now (shipping November 2021) from 007 Store.

Greg Williams: The Man Who Shot 007

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Perhaps no photographer in the last 20 years is more closely associated with Bond than Greg Williams. His intimate, unguarded portraits of the stars of the films and much loved 007 poster campaigns are the hallmarks of the style this former reportage photojournalist (who early in his career covered war zones in Burma, Chechnya and Sierra Leone) has brought to more than 200 film shoots. To celebrate the release of No Time To Die Greg, in partnership with EON Productions, has released 007 X GWP – a limited edition series of prints of 25 of his favourite images taken during the making of Daniel’s Craig’s five 007 adventures. Here he talks to 007.com about his time behind the lens for 007 and picks some of his favourite Bond images..

Let’s talk about your Bond journey, where did you and 007’s paths first cross? 

I was shooting an on-set book about film sets and I reached out to EON and asked about visiting the set of The World is Not Enough. They had this huge set for Zukovsky’s Caviar Fishery. I was told, “Look, we can’t get you in front of Pierce Brosnan but if you want to come and shoot this set because it’s the biggest set being constructed in Europe…” So I went to the water tank at Pinewood, climbed up to the top and did a Hockney-style montage. I took like 60 photos because there wasn’t a lens wide enough to get the whole set in one picture. So I shot that and then I didn’t think about Bond until they were about to shoot Die Another Day when I get this phone call going, “You’re doing it.” 

So Die Another Day was the first time you were hired specifically to cover the making of a Bond film?

It was just extraordinary because I’d worked on some big movies like The Talented Mr. Ripley but nothing on the scale of a Bond. And suddenly it was literally like, “Here’s your script. Here’s the schedule. Go and do whatever you need to do”. And so I just came and went as I needed. I think I probably spent 50 days on the film. Pierce let me be wherever I wanted to be. I shot him in his trailer. I shot him all over the place. And it was an incredibly free-ing and eye-opening experience to really see up close the family of Bond. And they let me inside. And I was just this sort of cheeky little bastard all the way through it. 

What kind of relationship did you build with Pierce?

A very good one. We’re still very friendly today. At the time I was just respectful. Distanced. Did my thing. But there’s a lot of fondness there when we see each other today. It was a greater project and Halle Berry was obviously a very big deal at that point. I took pictures on the beach in Cadiz which doubled for Havana when she came out of the sea in the orange bikini and I did some of my favourite photos ever of her and Pierce playing around. It was just fabulous.  

Did you work with Daniel before he was 007?

I’d already started to get to know Daniel before he was Bond. I’d met him many years before at the Cannes Film Festival. It was my first ever Cannes and he was there with Love Is The Devil in ‘97. We took photos on the Carlton beach in Cannes. And then I was asked to shoot him on the set of Layer Cake. So by the time it came for him to screen test for Bond I knew him and I had been hired to photograph the screen tests. Then once he was confirmed as Bond, Daniel said to the producers, “It’d be great to have Greg around” and so my working on his Bond films just segued beautifully into that. He’s a great man.

You’ve had a very close view of Daniel’s time as 007 haven’t you?

It’s been just extraordinary. It started off so difficult for him with the press. They were so mean to him. And he just absolutely blew it all out of the water, didn’t he? Casino Royale was such a brilliant film – everything about it, even the title sequence with the playing cards. Everything about that film was so exciting. And it was lovely at the premiere, there was so much goodwill for him. He had so many friends there and everyone was just sharing their hearts. And he absolutely smashed it. So yeah, it was an amazing journey to see. I worked on every film apart from Spectre and saw it all leading to where he is today. What’s the right word – he’s just got this incredible authority when he’s Bond. 

What did you shoot on No Time To Die?  

I came onto the film about two months into filming and I shot stuff of Daniel in his trailer which is amazing and I shot him training. Remember that picture of his leg in the cast? I then also did publicity shoots and the film posters. I was in the scene in the woods with the Land Rovers flying through the air. And I was out in Matera for that amazing doughnut square scene with the DB5 which was incredible. We got a lot of lovely material.  

Do you still get a buzz being on a film set?

Yeah, I love it but there’s a number of buzzes. There’s the buzz of creativity. There’s the buzz of a crew that are all the very best in the world at what they do. And then there’s the buzz of knowing you’re where a huge amount of people would love to be but can’t. It’s a mixture of all of those. I think the thing that I love the most in my photography is the interaction with great artists. If you think cinema and television are the prominent artforms of our generation I get to hang out with these amazing people and do something that still has my voice attached to it which is really amazing. It’s an amazing experience to be able to do that.

You haven’t become cynical about it all then?

No, not at all. I think my experiences in war zones were very helpful to me because after that I always knew I was working in the entertainment industry. So when things get stressful I’ve always been pretty quick to go, “This really isn’t a problem. I’m just going to walk outside.” You should take your work very seriously but don’t take yourself too seriously and you’ll be fine. I’ve always had a healthy balance of knowing I’ve seen much tougher jobs and I’m very grateful.  

Greg On Some Of His Favourite Bond Photographs

After Daniel’s injury he was having to keep himself in shape and having to get himself ready to get back into filming and he had to do it in a very short space of time. Daniel’s always worked incredibly hard in the gym and his physique is part of his character and this image to me is about process. It’s the process you have to go through when you’re carrying an injury and you’ve still got to be James Bond. Do you know what I mean? You’ve still got to walk like Bond and be like Bond and do your stuff. It’s a process picture. 

This is Daniel just checking the take and seeing he’s happy or seeing if he wants to go again. This was during a fight scene in Matera so there was a big punch up. Technically speaking I’m on about a 28mm lens so I’m probably about three quarters of a metre from Cary and about a metre from Daniel. At this moment, I wouldn’t have been in auto because that back light would have screwed my exposure up. I tend to work in auto and then I open up when I need to. My view is you expose for your subjects, not for the picture.

This was in Daniel’s trailer. We had a meeting and I took that picture as he was sitting there. Simple as that, really. It’s James Bond in his trailer. Super exclusive, do you know what I mean? 

This is my favourite picture I’ve ever taken on a film set. Our view of Daniel’s Bond has always been quite bold and in this, you really see Daniel having a laugh, which of course he does a huge amount of the time. It’s just a really silly, joyful, fun picture that you can see from the people’s clothes in the background that it is modern day but that photo –you could have seen that picture in Life Magazine in the ‘50s, right? 

So this is the last scene in Quantum Of Solace. It’s when Bond is out for revenge after Vesper dies and it was shot at the barracks that I stayed at when I was a cadet when I was 18. Yeah, really.

This was from Quantum Of Solace and again it’s a picture about process. Generally when people are doing love scenes, photographers are nowhere to be seen and it’s just about getting some documentation of it and getting the hell out of there before I’m told to. 

Jumping off the roof in Italy. Daniel really, really threw himself around – he did a lot of his own stunts in that film. Yeah, there’s an element  of luck in getting a shot like this but I’ll also accept that you make your luck and if you look at someone doing an action scene and when you know they’re at the high point, you’ve pushed the button, you’re going to be lucky. 

This is the scene in Casino Royale when Daniel’s won the DB5. He’s just literally chilling before a take, waiting for the crew to be ready. This is another one of my favourite pictures. What’s interesting about the Casino Royale ones is that they’re actually becoming vintage, they’re almost old enough. 

Daniel and Eva kissing on the beach in the Bahamas for Casino Royale. Again, it’s showing the filming process and the stuff people don’t usually get to see.

This is Daniel in his trailer during Casino Royale. He was filming the parkour scene.

That’s Daniel and Eva when Bond’s in rehab on Lake Como in Casino Royale. I’m shooting through a tree. It’s slightly voyeuristic. I like it because it sort of leads the eye. Well, I don’t really know why I like it. I just like it. I don’t always know why I like pictures.

October 5 Is James Bond Day

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It’s James Bond Day – held on October 5th – the date of the World Premiere of the first James Bond film Dr. No in 1962.

In 1961, American producer Albert R. ‘Cubby’ Broccoli wanted to bring Ian Fleming’s James Bond novels to the screen. Teaming up with Canadian producer Harry Saltzman, who had optioned the rights to the series, Broccoli landed the financing from United Artists, raising $1 million to bring 007 to the screen.

Initially Broccoli and Saltzman wanted Thunderball to be the first Bond adventure. When their intention was scuppered by copyright issues, they turned to Dr. No, the sixth Fleming novel that featured a topical story (the space race) and plenty of action, all set in a dazzling tropical location. To direct the picture, the producers chose Terence Young, a filmmaker Broccoli knew could bring the elegance, style and panache that were hallmarks of the character.

To adapt the screenplay, the team selected Wolf Mankowitz, who initially introduced Broccoli to Saltzman, and Richard Maibaum who had penned Broccoli’s first big hit The Red Beret alongside Johanna Harwood and Berkely Mather.

The final screenplay cleaved closer to Fleming. James Bond (Sean Connery) is sent to Jamaica to investigate the suspected murder of a fellow agent. Bond, with the help of CIA operative Felix Leiter (Jack Lord) and islander Quarrel (John Kitzmuller), follows a trail that leads him to scientist Dr. No (Joseph Wiseman). Landing on Dr. No’s private island, Crab Key, Bond encounters sea-shell collector Honey Ryder. The pair are captured by Dr. No’s private army and Bond learns of the scientist’s plan to destroy the US space program as a first step towards world domination. Bond outwits Dr. No, knocking him into a nuclear reactor pool, and rescues Honey before the island explodes.

The biggest question revolved around the casting of James Bond. The producers considered casting big names such as Richard Burton, James Mason and Cary Grant (the best man at Broccoli’s wedding). When Mason and Grant refused to sign up to multi-picture deals, Broccoli and Saltzman sought an unknown, discovering a young exciting Scottish actor named Sean Connery. It took Terence Young, who had worked with Connery on Action Of The Tiger, to school the actor in the ways of sharp suits, expensive food and fine wines. The role ultimately fit Connery like a glove.

For Honey Ryder, the producers cast Swedish actress Ursula Andress, who took the role at the prompting of her husband John Derek. To play the title role of Dr. No, Ian Fleming himself suggested friend and playwright Noel Coward. Coward sent a typically witty response by telegram: “Dear Ian, the answer to Dr. No is No! No! No!” The producers finally cast New York stage actor Joseph Wiseman.

Filming began in Jamaica on January 16 1962 before moving to Pinewood to shoot interiors. From Maurice Binder’s title sequence to Ken Adam’s sets to Monty Norman’s theme arranged by John Barry, the film established many of the elements now associated with the series. Equally ground-breaking was the film’s sense of pace and action. “The secret of the James Bond fights is that they are dramatic but are never real enough to be violently sickening,” said stunt arranger Bob Simmons. Dr. No opened in England on October 5th 1962 to huge critical praise and box office success. A new cinematic hero was born. The 5th October now marks, ‘James Bond Day’.

Take A Closer Look At Bond’s Spirit Yacht

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It all started when a Spirit 54 yacht was chosen for Bond to sail in Casino Royale. Handmade by British boatbuilders, Spirit Yachts, the Spirit 54 was used for Bond and Vesper’s memorable arrival in Venice before the film’s dramatic climax.

Sean McMillan, Spirit Yachts CEO and Head of Design, tells us how their 007 story continued when a call came in from the No Time To Die production team. The crew were looking for the right vessel for Bond to enjoy as part of his life away from active service in the tranquility of Jamaica. Together they settled on a Spirit 46 sailing yacht.

Sean tells us, “The Spirit 46 is one of the original Spirit Yachts designs and is an example of the level of craftsmanship and attention to detail that goes into each of our yachts. It suits the Bond character very well because of the combination of beauty and practicality.

Inspired by the elegant sailing yachts of the 1930s, the Spirit 46 has a modern classic design with long overhangs, flush decks and an elegant profile. Capable of up to 18 knots speed, the vessel looks good on the water and has the sailing performance of a regatta racing yacht. The day sailing yacht will take you on short trips or around the world at a moment’s notice – making it the perfect boat for Bond.

The James Bond films are a mainstay of British culture and we are honoured to be continuing our partnership with such an iconic brand.”

Each Spirit yacht is built to order by a team of world-class craftsmen and women in the company’s waterside headquarters in Suffolk, UK. Every vessel is tailored to suit its owner’s criteria, making each one completely unique.

Find out more here.

Jaguar XF Makes Its Debut In No Time To Die

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The Jaguar XF is to debut as the perfect chase car in No Time To Die. The Jaguar XF appears in a chase sequence filmed on the streets of Matera, Italy, as two XF saloons weave through the twisting city streets in pursuit of James Bond. The Jaguar XF demonstrates its exceptional performance and exhilarating driving dynamics.

Both XFs feature Jaguar’s all-wheel drive system with Intelligent Driveline Dynamics, which delivered incredible levels of traction on the low-grip surfaces. The saloon’s lightweight aluminium-intensive architecture and advanced suspension design enable exceptional handling and agility together with comfort and refinement.

Chris Corbould, No Time To Die’s special effects and action vehicle supervisor, said: “The Jaguar XF was an exciting choice for this high-intensity car sequence. We always look to push the boundaries to extreme limits in our stunts, and this extends to the capabilities of the vehicles too. There is no compromise with this particular scene. There were only inches to spare in the narrow alleyways and no margin for error, the XF shows its performance and driving dynamics.”

Exclusive Jenny Packham 007 Capsule Collection

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To celebrate the forthcoming 60th anniversary of James Bond, Jenny Packham has collaborated with EON Productions on an exclusive capsule collection of evening wear gowns. The eight designs pay homage to the series’ legacy of powerful female characters with two styles inspired by Packham’s original designs which featured in Die Another Day and Casino Royale.

‘’The Bond movies have been the cinematic constant of my life and their glamour has always inspired me. So, when I am asked to describe a highlight in my career – to see one of my designs in a Bond film is absolutely one of them. From Ursula Andress walking out of the ocean in her white bikini with a knife strapped to her hip to Caterina Murino in Casino Royale draped in sultry pomegranate satin, the fashions of the Bond women are unique and timeless. Creating a collection of Bond inspired gowns in collaboration with EON Productions has been an incredible experience,’’ Jenny Packham.

The campaign was shot on location at Isabels in London by celebrated photographer Greg Williams featuring his signature style that encapsulates the high-octane glamour of the world of 007.

The collection will be available exclusively at ten of the world’s most discerning stores including Harrods, Net-a-Porter and Neiman Marcus from 5th October to celebrate James Bond Day.

World Premiere of No Time To Die

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The spectacular World Premiere of No Time To Die took place in London on Tuesday evening. Cast members Daniel Craig, Rami Malek, Léa Seydoux, Lashana Lynch, Ben Whishaw, Naomie Harris, Jeffrey Wright, Rory Kinnear, Ana de Armas, David Dencik and Dali Benssalah  were in attendance, alongside director Cary Joji Fukunaga, composer Hans Zimmer, and “No Time To Die” performers Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell.

Their Royal Highnesses The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall and Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were also in attendance alongside healthcare workers and members of the armed forces who had been invited as special guests in celebration and gratitude of their extraordinary work during the pandemic. The evening also supported charities for past and present members of the United Kingdom Special Forces.

The red carpet at the Royal Albert Hall in London was one of 57 screenings of No Time To Die taking place across the globe. Fans around the world were treated to unique viewings of the 25th James Bond film.

Chopard Are An Official Partner of No Time To Die

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Maison Chopard is an official partner of No Time To Die, with Ana de Armas, who plays Paloma, wearing three Haute Joaillerie models from Maison’s Green Carpet Collection in the film.

Ana de Armas wears a necklace set with pear-shaped diamonds totalling 43 carats. A bracelet composed of an 82-carat cascade of pear-shaped and brilliant-cut diamonds also adorns her wrist. Finally, earrings graced with 14 carats of pear-shaped diamonds enhance her look.

All these creations are part of Chopard’s Green Carpet Collection, the first entirely made from sustainably mined materials in the form of ethical Fairmined certified gold and diamonds from suppliers endorsed by the Responsible Jewellery Council.

Photography: Greg Williams