JAMES BOND
NEWS

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MOONRAKER - BBC Radio 4 Saturday 31 March 2018

Martin Jarvis directs this surprisingly up-to-date, all-star guided missile drama.

It's 1954 and British patriot Sir Hugo Drax (Samuel West) has built an atomic rocket, Moonraker, vital to Britain's defences. It's ready for a trial launch. But after a double-murder, James Bond (Toby Stephens) goes undercover at Moonraker's secret base. He and agent Gala Brand (Katherine Kingsley) discover possible treachery. Can they prevent a catastrophe?

Archie Scottney's compelling dramatization of Ian Fleming's novel is Jarvis and Ayres' seventh Bond on Radio 4. Janie Dee, John Standing and Julian Sands return as Moneypenny, M and Q. Jared Harris is Head of Special Branch, Patricia Hodge a hearty missile expert, Ian Ogilvy a BBC man, and Nigel Anthony is a Peter Lorre-inspired Krebs.

3 March 2018

The Royal Mint produces Bond 10p piece

The Royal Mint has revealed a brand-new collection of 10p coins which map out the A-Z of what makes Britain great with B standing for Bond. The James Bond coin features the iconic gun barrel and 007 logo. The entire collection will be rolling out into circulation across the country from today, and will be available at selected Post Offices from this week. A collectors’ folder, and silver proof and uncirculated versions of the 10p coins, will be available to purchase from The Royal Mint website. The coins will also be available to purchase at Bond in Motion, London Film Museum.

For more information visit https://www.royalmint.com/coinhunt/
 

2 March 2018

The UK hardback cover for FOREVER AND A DAY was revealed today. The cover design for Anthony Horowitz’s second Bond novel cleverly ties the French Riviera setting to the deadly world of espionage with a luxury yacht doubling as a bullet shooting from a gun.

To celebrate that FOREVER AND A DAY is a prequel to CASINO ROYALE, Vintage UK will be releasing a new paperback edition of Ian Fleming’s first James Bond adventure with a special introduction by Anthony Horowitz. The cover design compliments the style of the FOREVER AND A DAY hardback and draws on the themes of violence, card play and shattered romance.   FULL STORY

23 February 2018

Three-time James Bond film director Lewis Gilbert has died at the age of 97. In a varied career spanning six decades, Gilbert directed many classic and iconic British films including Reach For The Sky (1956), The Admirable Crichton (1957), Carve Her Name With Pride (1958) and Sink The Bismark! (1960).

Following his great success with Alfie (1966), Gilbert was invited to become the third James Bond director with the epic You Only Live Twice in 1967.

A decade later when Albert R. Broccoli became the sole producer of the Bond series, Lewis Gilbert was invited back to direct The Spy Who Loved Me (1977), which became a huge international success. He returned to direct Moonraker in 1979, which again surpassed the box-office of its predecessor, becoming the highest-grossing film of the series until GoldenEye in 1995.

Following his three Bond films, Gilbert returned to directing low-budget British films with the acclaimed Educating Rita (1983) and Shirley Valentine (1989), both adapted from plays by Willy Russell.

007 MAGAZINE You Only Live Twice 50TH Anniversary (1967-2017) Special

17 February 2018

The bespoke, midnight-blue 2014 Centenary Edition Vanquish - numbered 007 - will be offered on 20 April in New York. Sale proceeds will benefit The Opportunity Network, which helps young people with career development.

The limited-edition car was further customised by Craig in partnership with Marek Reichman, Aston Martin’s Chief Creative Officer. Estimated at $400,000-600,000, the car is left-hand drive and street-ready.

‘This Aston Martin Vanquish is a tour de force of automobile engineering and a distinct pleasure to drive,’ says Craig. ‘While I will miss it, I am keen to further the very important work of The Opportunity Network with its sale.’

FULL STORY

See also: The Search for Bond
An exclusive three-part article

9 February 2018

John Gavin the American actor and former US Ambassador to Mexico has died at the age of 86.

Gavin's two most famous screen roles were in 1960 when he starred as Sam Loomis in Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho, and then as Julius Caesar in Stanley Kubrick's Spartacus. Following the departure of George Lazenby after On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969), Bond producers Harry Saltzman and Albert R. Broccoli were looking for a new 007 and considered a number of American actors including Adam West, Clint Eastwood and Burt Reynolds. In early 1971 John Gavin was signed to play James Bond in Diamonds Are Forever which would start shooting in April of that year.

Distributors United Artists were not convinced and eventually persuaded Sean Connery to return for a record-breaking $1.25 million and a 10% cut of the gross profits. Luckily, John Gavin had made a pay-or-play deal and was reportedly compensated with $50,000. To date John Gavin is the only actor ever to be signed as James Bond but never actually play the part. He was briefly considered again for Live And Let Die (1973) before the role was offered to Roger Moore.

Gavin was appointed U.S. Ambassador to Mexico in June 1981 by President Ronald Reagan and served until June 12, 1986. He was also president of the Screen Actors Guild from 1971-1973.

8 February 2018

Anthony Horowitz’s second James Bond novel using original material by Ian Fleming will be published in the UK on Thursday 31 May 2018 and in the autumn in the US. FOREVER AND A DAY is a prequel to CASINO ROYALE, Fleming’s first 007 novel, and will explore the origins of the world’s most famous secret agent.

The sea keeps its secrets. But not this time.

One body. Three bullets. 007 floats in the waters of Marseille, killed by an unknown hand.

It’s time for a new agent to step up. Time for a new weapon in the war against organised crime.

It’s time for James Bond to earn his licence to kill.

This is the story of the birth of a legend, in the brutal underworld of the French Riviera.

FULL STORY