Swatch X 007 Collection Released

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Swiss watchmaking brand Swatch have announced the launch of their collection of 007 inspired watches. 

Original movie posters and opening title sequences from Dr.No (1962), On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969), Moonraker (1979), Licence To Kill (1989), The World Is Not Enough (1999) and Casino Royale (2006) have provided the inspiration for a capsule collection of six designs to be released at the end of February. 

The seventh watch in the collection has been designed by No Time To Die costume designer Suttirat Anne Larlarb alongside Swatch and will be worn by Q in the upcoming film, No Time To Die. It will be available in stores this March.

Shop the collection at 007store.com

Michael Kors Partners With The 007 Films

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Today Michael Kors has announced its partnership with the 007 film franchise. To celebrate the release of No Time To Die, Michael Kors will be debuting a limited-edition three-piece capsule collection. Featured in the collection is the Michael Kors Collection Bancroft satchel, which will be seen in the 25th Bond film carried by Moneypenny (Naomie Harris). 

“Jet set glamour, sophistication, speed, energy—these are all words that come to mind when you think about the world of James Bond,” says designer Michael Kors. “They’re also at the core of our brand DNA. This collaboration was really the perfect union of fashion and film.” 

The collection will be available to shop at 007store.com, select Michael Kors stores worldwide and MichaelKors.com starting late March. 

No Time To Die Official Game Day Spot

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Has James Bond finally met his match? Watch the new No Time To Die Super Bowl TV spot now! In cinemas 2 April in the UK, 10 April in the US.

Update: The film will be released in the U.K. on November 12, 2020 with worldwide release dates to follow, including the US launch on November 25, 2020.

No Time To Die World Premiere Date Announced

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The World Premiere for No Time To Die will take place at the Royal Albert Hall in London on Tuesday 31st March. The film will then be released in the UK on 2 April and the US on 10 April. 

Update: The film will be released in the U.K. on November 12, 2020 with worldwide release dates to follow, including the US launch on November 25, 2020.

Billie Eilish To Perform No Time To Die Title Song

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Billie Eilish will perform the theme song for the 25th James Bond film, No Time To Die. The 18-year-old multi-platinum selling and GRAMMY® Award nominated singer has written the title song with her elder brother; fellow multi GRAMMY® Award nominated FINNEAS. Billie Eilish is the youngest artist in history to write and record a James Bond theme song. 

“We are excited to announce that Billie and FINNEAS have written an incredibly powerful and moving song for No Time To Die, which has been impeccably crafted to work within the emotional story of the film,” said producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli. 

Eilish said, “It feels crazy to be a part of this in every way. To be able to score the theme song to a film that is part of such a legendary series is a huge honour. James Bond is the coolest film franchise ever to exist. I’m still in shock”. FINNEAS adds, “Writing the theme song for a Bond film is something we’ve been dreaming about doing our entire lives. There is no more iconic pairing of music and cinema than the likes of Goldfinger and Live And Let Die. We feel so so lucky to play a small role in such a legendary franchise, long live 007.” 

“There are a chosen few who record a Bond theme. I am a huge fan of Billie and FINNEAS. Their creative integrity and talent are second to none and I cannot wait for audiences to hear what they’ve brought – a fresh new perspective whose vocals will echo for generations to come,” said Cary Joji Fukunaga.

Billie Eilish released her debut album When We All Asleep, Where Do We Go? in March 2019. The Album Of The Year nominated full-length debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 in the U.S as well as 17 additional countries around the world upon release. She scored her first No. 1 single on the Billboard Hot 100 and at Top 40 radio with Song and Record of the Year nominated “bad guy.” When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? was the highest selling debut album of 2019 and biggest North American debut of the decade (male, female or group), hitting No. 1 on the Billboard 200 album charts for an additional 2 non-consecutive weeks since its release. When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? was written, produced and recorded entirely by Billie Eilish and brother FINNEAS in their childhood home of Highland Park, Los Angeles. FINNEAS is nominated for 5 GRAMMY Awards®, including the prestigious Producer of the Year, Non Classical. Billie’s sold out 2020 arena Where Do We Go? world tour starts on March 9th. 

In No Time To Die, Bond has left active service and is enjoying a tranquil life in Jamaica. His peace is short-lived when his old friend Felix Leiter from the CIA turns up asking for help. The mission to rescue a kidnapped scientist turns out to be far more treacherous than expected, leading Bond onto the trail of a mysterious villain armed with dangerous new technology.

No Time To Die will be released in theatres globally from 2 April 2020 in the UK and in the US on 10 April 10.

Hans Zimmer To Score No Time To Die

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Producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli confirmed today that composer Hans Zimmer will score the latest 007 adventure, No Time To Die.

“It’s a dream come true to be working with the legendary composer Hans Zimmer on our twenty- fifth James Bond film, No Time To Die,” said producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli. While director Cary Joji Fukunaga echoed their statement, “I’m beyond excited that Hans is scoring No Time To Die. The music of Bond has always been iconic and I’ve already witnessed Hans adding his touch of genius to the Bond legacy.”

Hans Zimmer has scored more than 200 projects across all mediums. Most recently, Zimmer scored the live-action remake of The Lion King, which was released by Disney in July. Zimmer will compose the music for Wonder Woman 1984 set to be released by Warner Bros. June 5, 2020 and Top Gun: Maverick, the highly anticipated Top Gun follow-up which will be released in June of 2020 by Paramount. Zimmer has won an Academy Award®, two Golden Globes®, three Grammys®, an American Music Award, and a Tony® Award. Past notable scores of Zimmer’s include Gladiator, The Thin Red line, As Good As It Gets, Rain Man, The Dark Knight Trilogy, Inception, Thelma And Louise, Black Hawk Down, The Last Samurai and Dunkirk. Recently, Zimmer completed highly successful Hans Zimmer Live tour stops across Asia and Australia and continues to perform concerts around the globe including an upcoming European tour beginning in February 2021.

In No Time To Die, Bond has left active service and is enjoying a tranquil life in Jamaica. His peace is short-lived when his old friend Felix Leiter from the CIA turns up asking for help. The mission to rescue a kidnapped scientist turns out to be far more treacherous than expected, leading Bond onto the trail of a mysterious villain armed with dangerous new technology.

No Time To Die wil be released globally from 2 April in the UK, and on 10 April in the US. 

Claudine Auger (1941-2019)

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It is with great sadness we have learnt that Claudine Auger, who played Domino Derval in Thunderball (1965), has passed away at the age of 78. Our thoughts are with her family and friends.

Focus Of The Week: Spectre’s Austria Chase

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Following a thrilling car chase in Rome, the second duel between James Bond (Daniel Craig) and Hinx (Dave Bautista) during Spectre (2015) takes place on the snowy roads of Austria. Hinx has kidnapped Madeleine Swann (Léa Seydoux), spiriting her away in a fleet of Land Rovers. Bond gives pursuit in a light aircraft and the result, as producer Michael G. Wilson puts it, is “something that audiences have not seen before.”

The spectacular sequence see’s Bond’s plane flying at low altitude over forested hillsides, playing chicken with Hinx’s convoy, skimming across the tops of vehicles before landing and smashing through a barn. Shooting the initial section of the chase at the Rettenbach glacier in early 2015, the conditions meant there was only a brief window to capture the action.

“In the morning the roads would be ice,” recalled stunt co-ordinator Gary Powell. “It would warm up to -6 degrees and in the afternoon it would go cold again. We could do a run down, drive back up again and the road could have turned to ice. We could go again but we had to make sure there were studs in the tyres and modified our driving.”

The sequence was further complicated by adding a plane into the scenario. “The cars had to drive in sync with the plane which was flying at about 110 mph,” said second unit director Alexander Witt. “It was especially difficult for the drivers who were on a curving downhill road.”

As the chase progresses, Bond plays ‘chicken’ with Hinx’s convoy, flying directly toward the Land Rovers. Filmed in Obertilliach, for the moment Bond’s aircraft touches the tops of the cars, special effects supervisor Chris Corbould used a version of the plane that could do a 400-metre run on high wires at very high speeds. 

007 is subsequently forced to land the plane on the snow at high speed, skidding it along on the underside of its fuselage. To execute the stunt, the special effects team came up with an ingenious solution. 

“We had planes that had powerful skidoos mounted inside the aircrafts’ bodies,” explained Corbould, “so that once a plane landed it could drive along the ground at high speed. It looks as though it is sliding on the snow but is actually being driven and steered from the inside.”

The conclusion of the sequence sees Bond’s plane, stripped of its wings after colliding with trees, skid down a hill, career through a barn and take out Hinx’s convoy. The sequence was five months in the planning. Some of the most complicated logistics centred on the creation of the barn.

“The big one was the barn which we bought, dismantled and then drove across the other side of Austria, where we strapped it back together again,” said supervising art director Chris Lowe. “Using old timbers meant it looked natural and we weren’t spending time with painters trying to match all the wood.”

For actor Dave Bautista, there was a synergy between his character’s relish of the fight and performing in the sequence. “In my mind, Hinx is really enjoying this duel,” he said. “The scenes are absolutely beautiful and I got totally immersed in them. 

To discover more about Bond in Austria then visit the 007 Elements exhibition in Sölden: https://007elements.soelden.com/home.html

OMEGA Unveil New 007 Watch

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At an event in New York, OMEGA unveiled the new watch that will be worn by Bond in No Time To Die. As well as appearing on screen in the 25th 007 film the watch will also be available in OMEGA’s current collection from February. 

The new Seamaster Diver 300M 007 Edition has been built with military needs in mind and was designed with input from Daniel Craig. He says, “When working with OMEGA, we decided that a lightweight watch would be key for a military man like 007. I also suggested some vintage touches and colour to give the watch a unique edge. The final piece looks incredible.”

The New York launch event showcased a display of the unique Seamaster watches worn by the British spy over the past 25 years and was attended by Daniel Craig and producers of the James Bond films, Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli.

The watch will be released in OMEGA Boutiques from February. It will be available on a titanium mesh bracelet, or on a striped NATO strap in dark brown, grey and beige with 007 engraved on the loop.  

No Time To Die Trailer Released

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“Bond… James Bond” – The first trailer for No Time To Die has arrived.

In No Time To Die, Bond has left active service and is enjoying a tranquil life in Jamaica. His peace is short-lived when his old friend Felix Leiter from the CIA turns up asking for help. The mission to rescue a kidnapped scientist turns out to be far more treacherous than expected, leading Bond onto the trail of a mysterious villain armed with dangerous new technology.

In cinemas April 2020.

Focus Of The Week: The Destruction Of Skyfall

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The finale of Skyfall (2012) represented a different kind of ending for a James Bond film, still full of exciting action but also under-pinned by something more personal and intimate. After Bond (Daniel Craig) rescues M (Judi Dench) from the attack by Silva (Javier Bardem) at the board of inquiry, 007 needs to find a place off the grid to take on the cyberterrorist on a more even footing. With Q (Ben Whishaw) leaving digital breadcrumbs for Silva to follow, Bond and M head north to Bond’s old family home, Skyfall, in Scotland. With the help of gamekeeper Kincade (Albert Finney) and M, Bond defends Skyfall when Silva and his men come for M.

“We wanted to make the third act more emotional for Bond and raise the stakes for him,” said producer Barbara Broccoli. “What better way than to go back to the last place on earth that he wants to go to, the most painful place for him, the place he grew up, the place where he heard his parents had been killed.” 

The sequences of Bond and M heading North in the Aston Martin DB5 were shot in Glencoe in February 2012, with Skyfall’s interiors recreated at Pinewood. For the exteriors of Bond’s ancestral home, the filmmakers chose Hankley Common in Surrey where special effects and miniature effects supervisor Chris Corbould led a splinter crew to create the action, explosions and destruction of the house. 

With the help of his DB5 and his father’s shotgun, Bond sees off a ground attack but is caught unawares when Silva appears in an AW101 helicopter that strafes the house and blows out every single window.

“I was anxious to get the biggest calibre gun on the helicopter I could so I got a 50-calibre gun,” remembered Corbould. “We spent a lot of time getting really big bullet hits coming through the walls — they literally take one wall apart.”

Bond fights back and sends the helicopter crashing into the house. Working with digital effects and miniature effects supervisor Steve Begg, Corbould achieved the effect by combining live action footage shot at Hankleyon a full size house with 1/3 scale model work filmed at Longcross Studios. 

“For the helicopter crashing into Skyfall, we both felt we’d get a lot more realism out of it by filming it as a miniature rather than as CG,” said Corbould. “We built a third scale model of the house and two-third-scale models of the helicopter. We put the helicopter on a hydraulic rig that we programmed to give us a lifelike movement as it crashed into the house.” 

The scene was devised with two explosions. A small explosion that creates debris which knocks the helicopter off course and sends it careening into the house. The fuel tanks then ignite, causing a massive second explosion. “We used 150 stacks of dynamite and a couple of hundred gallons of fuel for that one,” said Corbould proudly.

If the explosion is the finale of the spectacular action, the emotional climax comes with Bond’s confrontation with Silva and the subsequent death of M from wounds sustained in the attack. 

“When I found out M was going to die, I said to Sam and Barbara, ‘Of course, she’s got to go, with a bang and a good script,’” recalled Dench.

For Daniel Craig, the death scene finally acknowledged something that had always been present but never fullyexpressed in the Bond-M relationship.

“That was very emotional,” he said about the scene. “We joked most of the day but it was actually very tough to do because Judi had been part of Bond for 17 years. In the end, during the scene Bond and M genuinely connect and show weakness to each other for the first time.”

To discover more about Skyfall’s explosive ending then visit the Spyscape exhibition in New York where there is a whole room dedicated to how the sequence was put together.