James Bond At LEGO’s Flagship London Store

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LEGO and 007 have joined forces for a new exhibit at the model brand’s newly-refurbished flagship store in London’s Leicester Square.

Marking LEGO and James Bond’s respective 90th and 60th anniversaries, the new display in the 805sqm store – now LEGO’s largest in the world – features giant build replicas of 007 icons. Take a look at the super-sized James Bond minifigure and Blofeld’s cat, or get behind the wheel of a life-sized 007 Aston Martin DB5, set up as a permanent visitor photo opportunity for the next few years.

357,954 LEGO bricks were used in the making of the 1,037 kilogram model DB5 and took 1,366 hours – almost 57 days – to build. It’s kitted out with an authentic rotating licence plate, functional headlights and illuminating instruments. 

As part of James Bond’s 60th anniversary celebrations, LEGO has released a new 007 Aston Martin DB5 Speed Champions model. The 298-piece set features a Bond minifigure and a choice of four number plates. Find it at the 007Store now.

Pinewood Studios Honours Sir Sean Connery

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Pinewood Studios has announced that its new sound stage will be named in honour of the late Sir Sean Connery. The purpose-built, 18,000 square foot Sean Connery Stage is one of five new stages opening at the iconic lot.

Sir Sean Connery filmed all six of his 007 movies at Pinewood in Buckinghamshire, from 1962’s Dr. No to Diamonds Are Forever in 1971. Today’s announcement coincides with what would have been the Oscar-winning actor’s 92nd birthday (August 25), and the 60th anniversary of the first James Bond film released in 1962.

Sir Sean’s son Jason and stepson Stephane commented:

“Our family consider it a great honour to have a stage named after Sean. It is fitting, considering the amount of time Sean spent at Pinewood, and we know that he would have been very touched by this privilege.”

What It Takes To Make A Little 007 DB5

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Step aside Q… The latest adaptation of Bond’s faithful DB5 is masterminded by junior car builders The Little Car Company. Made to two-third size and fully drivable – with top speeds of 50mph – the No Time To Die Aston Martin DB5 is a masterclass in engineering. We sat down with the company’s CEO Ben Hedley to find out more.

Can you tell us more about how the Little Car Company came to be?

I was actually approached by Bugatti – they wanted to do an announcement for the 2019 Geneva Motor Show. They already had a $20 million hypercar they were going to announce but they wanted to do something a bit more fun for their 110th anniversary. I’d been involved in the little car area previously and they said “Look, can you help us build a follow up to the original Bugatti Baby from the 1920s?” They had made about 500 of them and they’re now collector’s items, so if you want one, it’s like $100,000. The big change we made is the original ones were designed just for kids. They were half scale, which is actually tiny. They were too small for eight-year-olds. So we looked at whether we could remake them to modern standards. Then also we made a decision to go to 75% scale. We thought “we’re gonna give it some power. It’s gonna be faster.” Rather than try and remake this original 1920s toy. People say they’re toys but they’re not toys. They are the original car just scaled down 25%. They’ve got 50 mph top speeds and they’re not for kids. They’re fast.

How did the idea of creating a James Bond vehicle come about?

When we originally approached Aston Martin and said we’d love to do a DB5, they were just blown away. They couldn’t believe it. They thought we’d bring them a toy and we brought this little car. We were doing the contract and in the back of my mind – as I was a massive Bond fan as a kid – I always thought, “Wouldn’t it be cool to put some gadgets in it? Wouldn’t it be awesome to put some of the Goldfinger stuff in?” Aston Martin thought this could be cool too. But with No Time To Die coming out Aston Martin thought it would be interesting to do it with the modern gadgets. So we got EON Productions on board and they introduced us to 007 Special Effects Supervisor, Chris Corbould. Chris then helped start engineering the car and we created a mini car based on the new movie.

What were the biggest challenges in making the No Time To Die car?

The biggest challenge we had was that we didn’t originally design it to have gadgets in. What wasn’t straightforward was the engineering on it, trying to fit loads of kit in a car that wasn’t designed to have all that kit. But our guys managed to sneak it all in. 

How creative did your team have to be to make it work?

Very creative. You see, the car itself is 66% scale. So that means that when you look at the car, it’s actually only 44% of the area. Then you’re down to a minimum size of about 34% of the volume to play with. Especially with the machine gun mechanisms. You’ve got to have the headlights drop, and then the guns have got to come out and have power for the rotation. Trying to get that in a wheel arch where you’ve got to have a wheel and suspension that’s a challenge. It’s not like a movie car where you can open up the boot and it’s just hidden items and a wire or two: this had to be a finished product. So you still have to have that beautifully lined boot, even though there’s a smoke machine underneath it. You open the bonnet and it’s got to be immaculate and beautiful. We doubled the power to about 25 horsepower, and it’s got a range of about 80 miles of driving. We’ve got a couple of hidden surprises and easter eggs in there as well which we haven’t told people about yet, that the owners will discover over time. 

How do you feel now looking back on fulfilling a dream job?

There was a huge responsibility with the Bond and Aston Martin DB5 legacy; they handed us this sacred cow to develop and recreate. There was a lot of pressure because if we didn’t get it right, we would be tarnishing what is an incredible reputation so I was acutely aware all the way through that this was a very special project you only get to do once in your life. Designing a Bond car with the gadgets and making it work. That is a once in a lifetime opportunity. It was brilliant.

Find out more about the car here and at the 007Store.

Bond Vehicles Line Up At Silverstone This Weekend

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Cars from No Time To Die will be in pole position at Silverstone for The Classic over the coming bank holiday weekend, 26-28 August.

Eight vehicles will be on show together for the first time before going under the hammer at the 60 Years of James Bond Christie’s charity auction in September. Topping the bill at The Classic is an iconic Aston Martin DB5 stunt car driven by James Bond in the opening chase sequence in Matera, Italy. It is the only DB5 stunt car ever to be released for public sale and is expected to raise between £1,500,000 and £2,000,000 at auction.

Silverstone has a history with Bond dating back to 1965 when the track was used to film Sean Connery driving an Aston Martin DB5 as part of a Thunderball chase sequence. The DB5 will once again line-up at the circuit alongside seven other No Time To Die vehicles, including an Aston Martin V8 and Triumph Scrambler 1200 XE – used by James Bond – and limited edition Land Rover and Jaguar models driven by Safin’s team.

Get tickets for The Classic 2022 here.

Royal Albert Hall To Host Anniversary Concert

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An unmissable evening of entertainment marking the 60th Anniversary is coming soon to the Royal Albert Hall in London.

Taking place on Tuesday October 4th, The Sound of 007 in Concert will feature the music of some of the most illustrious names in Bond music history. Further artists and designated charity will be announced in due course. 

Dame Shirley Bassey will headline the benefit concert and Garbage will take centre stage to perform their theme to 1999’s The World Is Not Enough.  

Rising music stars will also put their spin on some of the franchise’s soundtrack songs, including Academy Award-nominated singer-songwriter Celeste.  

Produced by EON Productions, The Sound of 007 will be curated by five-time Bond composer David Arnold and will feature the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra.

Tickets go on general sale at the Royal Albert Hall box office and website from August 1st.

James Bond At 60 Weekend At BFI

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The BFI (British Film Institute) Bond 60th anniversary weekend is on in London. The three-day event features a series of live specials, screenings and appearances.

Taking place from September 30th-October 2nd at BFI Southbank and BFI IMAX, the James Bond at 60 weekend kicked off on Friday with an in-conversation event featuring producer Michael G. Wilson and a panel of 007 cast and crew, followed by a screening of Dr. No.

The celebration of six decades of film features a preview of The Sound of 007, a new documentary directed by Mat Whitecross (Oasis: Supersonic, Coldplay: A Head Full of Dreams) and produced by John Battsek for Ventureland. The doc chronicles the music of 007 from the iconic Bond theme to Billie Eilish’s Oscar winning No Time To Die. Director John Glen, Maryam D’Abo and Art Malik will also be appearing to discuss their work and Special Effects Supervisor Chris Corbould will take part in a behind-the-scenes look at the stunts and SFX work of the films.

Among a series of anniversary screenings, the weekend features a triple-bill of Daniel Craig’s three most-recent Bond films on the UK’s biggest cinema screen at BFI IMAX, including a UK first showing of No Time To Die in 3D.

Legendary vehicles from the Bond Archive, including Little Nellie and the Aston Martin V8, are on display outside BFI Southbank, while Stern’s new 007 pinball machines, 007 photo ops and a display of the Little Car Company’s No Time To Die DB5 are inside the foyer.

Tickets are on sale at the BFI website.

James Bond Films Return To Cinemas

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James Bond is back on the big screen. Following celebrations at the Academy Awards® and the BAFTAs, the 60th Anniversary celebrations continue with UK and Irish cinema screenings of all 25 Bond titles from mid-April, culminating on James Bond Day on 5th October.

The films will be screening in stunning 4K and will screen chronologically at Vue and Odeon Cinemas across the UK and Ireland starting mid-April with the 60th Anniversary of Dr. No, through to No Time To Die in October, alongside other celebratory programmes at selected cinemas nationwide.

In 1962, Sean Connery introduced Ian Fleming’s character to cinema audiences. “Bond, James Bond” is now one of the most iconic moments in film history. Now you can watch it again on the silver screen.

Buy your tickets here now via Cineworld, Odeon and Vue websites in the UK and also select Omniplex sites in Ireland.

Floris Launch 007 Fragrance

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Floris have launched a new 007 fragrance, created in celebration of 60 years of the James Bond film franchise. 

The exclusive No. 007 fragrance draws inspiration from the effortless style and substance of James Bond which has entertained audiences for generations.

“We are delighted to collaborate with EON Productions to create a fragrance that celebrates 60 years of James Bond films,” said Perfume Director Edward Bodenham. “The perfumery team here at Floris have been inspired by this exciting project and felt it was important to reflect on what the James Bond films mean to so many people, and how much they have greatly entertained our lives over the years.”

Having stood in the heart of Jermyn Street for nearly 300 years, Floris are the standard bearers of perfumery expertise in London. Their rich history of creating the perfect scents for every occasion as family perfumers dates back to 1730 and is to be continued with 007.

No. 007 fragrance is a rich and spicy fragrance with amber at its base, this captivating scent is a blend of refreshing citrus and juniper notes set against a subtly smoky accord with flashes of spicy dianthus carnation and an aromatic heart created by a fusion of rose, lavender, rosemary and geranium, underscored by the reassuring warmth of sandalwood, oakmoss and musk.

The Dr. No dots inspired the team at Floris for No. 007’s packaging design in the 60th anniversary year. This iconic design helps to complete the look on the packaging with a visual which all James Bond fans will be able to identify.

Find the fragrance at 007Store and Floris.

James Bond Cars In Rocket League

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James Bond’s Casino Royale Aston Martin DBS is set to make its debut in multi-platform game Rocket League, from 13th July. Players will able to choose the 007 DBS Engine Audio, Wheels, a Reel Life Decal, Player Banner and the James Bond Theme as a Player Anthem. Also in the game for 2022 are the 007 Aston Martin DB5 and Valhalla which first launched last summer.
 
This is part of an ongoing partnership with Psyonix, the San Diego video game developer behind Rocket League, who has teamed up with Metro Goldwyn Mayer and Aston Martin to celebrate 60 years of James Bond.
 
The 007-themed content will be available in Rocket League from 13th – 19th July on all platforms.

Monty Norman (1928 – 2022)

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Monty Norman has passed away at the age of 94. The legendary composer was responsible for creating the James Bond theme that introduced 007 to the big screen in Dr. No (1962). The theme arranged by John Barry has been used in every Bond film since.

“We are saddened to learn of the passing of Monty Norman today. Monty created the iconic anthem to accompany the cinematic entrance of the world’s greatest secret agent, 007, and we are eternally grateful for his contribution to the franchise,” said producers, Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli.

 ‘Underneath the Mango Tree’, also written by Norman, features in the famous Dr. No beach scene featuring Ursula Andress and is partially sung by Sean Connery to attract the attention of Honey Ryder (Andress’s character).

Monty Norman was a singer, composer, lyricist and writer with a string of hit stage shows, recordings, TV and film scores to his name.

However, 007 fans will remember the music of Monty Norman that accompanies so many brilliant Bond moments. Norman said on his website, “I hope when the time comes people will remember that I’ve done quite a few things, but the fact that James Bond is so iconic in everybody’s mind – you can’t argue with that and nor would I want to.”

 

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Bond Supports The Into Film Awards

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Producer Barbara Broccoli and No Time To Die actress Lashana Lynch attended the Into Film charity awards which were held in London this week. EON sponsored the Ones To Watch category which was won by Eden Quine-Taylor from Powys, while Lashana presented the Audience Choice Awards which was awarded to Samosa in Space by the Rainbow Collective from London. 

Into Film is a charity which focuses on training for up-and-coming talent. It supports educators to deliver film-related work for children and young people aged 5-19 in class, extra curricular settings and in cinemas. 

Barbara Broccoli, Into Film Trustee, said: “The Into Film Awards shines a spotlight on emerging young filmmakers and helps young people understand the career opportunities the screen industry might hold for them, bringing in new talent and addressing the critical technical and craft shortage we are facing in the industry.”

 

Producers Awarded BFI Fellowship

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Producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli were honoured with BFI Fellowships at the BFI Chairman, Tim Richards’ dinner held in London’s Claridge’s Hotel last night. 

Ralph Fiennes and Naomie Harris presented the producers with their awards. Fiennes praised both as ‘exemplars of film producers and filmmakers’ and stated that as they had killed Bond in No Time To Die that he and Harris were now the people to fix it. ‘You find him and we’ll train him’, he joked.

“We’re very touched by this extraordinary honour and humbled to be in the presence of all these other great Fellows. Seventy years ago, when our father Cubby Broccoli came to the UK to produce his first film, it became a love affair with our family and the British film industry. Sixty years ago, when Connery first uttered those words, ‘Bond, James Bond’, right up through the 25th Bond, No Time To Die, we’ve continued to make films here in the UK. We’re incredibly proud of those films and we would not be here today without the thousands of talented cast, crew, directors and writers who work here and make it possible,” said Wilson and Broccoli. 

Recorded messages of congratulations came from Daniel Craig, Dame Judi Dench, Rami Malek, Léa Seydoux and Sam Mendes, whilst composer David Arnold performed ‘You Only Live Twice’.

Michael and Barbara join an eminent list of BFI Fellows including Martin Scorsese and Thelma Schoonmaker, Tilda Swinton, Sir David Lean, Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger, Nicholas Roeg CBE, Orson Welles, Sir Ridley Scott, Dame Judi Dench, Ousmane Sembène, Sir Christopher Lee, Bernardo Bertolucci, Sir Steve McQueen and Ralph Fiennes.

The BFI will be marking Bond’s 60th anniversary with a celebration weekend of screenings and events in London at BFI Southbank and BFI IMAX on October 1st and 2nd 2022.