Archive notice: This article was originally published on January 9, 2008. Links and embedded videos are preserved as part of the historical record.
Daniel Craig reprises his role as 007 in the new film, directed by Marc Forster, which follows the success of CASINO ROYALE, the previous film in the series and its highest-grossing entry to date.
The other leading roles alongside Craig are filled by an impressive international cast, led by acclaimed French actor Mathieu Amalric as the sinister villain and Ukrainian actor Olga Kurylenko, who will play the Bond girl.
Bond 22 (working title) also sees Judi Dench return as M, Jeffrey Wright as Felix Leiter and Giancarlo Giannini as Mathis from CASINO ROYALE. Bond newcomer Gemma Arterton will play MI6 agent Fields.
Producers Wilson and Broccoli commented: “We are fortunate to continue the Bond tradition of being able to cast the most internationally renowned actors in our leading roles. As Dominic Greene, a leading member of the criminal organisation introduced in CASINO ROYALE, Mathieu will be a powerful counterpart to Daniel’s portrayal of Bond. Olga Kurylenko will play the dangerously seductive Camille, who challenges Bond and helps him deal with the emotional consequences of Vesper’s betrayal.”
MGM and Sony Pictures will share worldwide distribution rights with Columbia Pictures and Sony Pictures Releasing International, and will release the film in cinemas worldwide on November 7, 2008. Marc Forster directs a screenplay by Neal Purvis & Robert Wade and Paul Haggis. The crew includes Dennis Gassner (production design), Roberto Schaefer (cinematography), Matt Chesse and Rick Pearson (editing), and second-unit director Dan Bradley.
MATHIEU AMALRIC, one of France’s biggest screen stars, became internationally known for his roles as Jean-Dominique Bauby in Julian Schnabel’s award-winning film The Diving Bell and the Butterfly and as French informant Louis in Steven Spielberg’s Munich. Last year, for his role in Arnaud Desplechin’s internationally acclaimed comedy Kings and Queen, he received the César Award for Best Actor in France. Earlier, Amalric had received the César for Most Promising Actor for his role in Desplechin’s Comment je me suis disputé… (ma vie sexuelle).
Amalric began his acting career in 1984, appearing in Otar Iosseliani’s Les favoris de la lune, and subsequently worked as Louis Malle’s assistant director on Au Revoir Les Enfants. Over the years he has worked with many major directors, including André Téchiné, Olivier Assayas, Jean-Claude Biette and the Larrieu brothers. His recent films include Desplechin’s Un conte de Noël, Claude Miller’s Un Secret, Nicolas Klotz’s Heart Beat Detector, Valeria Bruni Tedeschi’s Actrices and Vincent Dieutre’s Fragments sur le grace. He also appeared in Sofia Coppola’s Marie Antoinette. Amalric has written and directed a number of films, including Le stade de Wimbledon and, most recently, the documentary short Laissez-les grandir ici!. This year he will direct Tournee, a film about American burlesque dancers touring France.
OLGA KURYLENKO recently played the female antagonist opposite Timothy Olyphant in Hitman – Everyone Dies Alone and opposite Elijah Wood in Paris, je t’aime. She also played the lead role in Eric Barbier’s thriller Le Serpent and Diane Bertrand’s The Ring Finger, for which she received the Best Actress award at the Brooklyn International Film Festival in 2006. She recently had a role in Tyranny, directed by John Beck Hofman.
On French television, the multilingual Kurylenko appeared in the miniseries “Suspectes” and the drama “The Good Luck Charm.”
During her career as a leading European model, she appeared in advertising campaigns including those for Kenzo, Helena Rubenstein and Just Cavalli. Her image appeared on the covers of magazines including US Glamour, the French edition of Elle, Madame Figaro and Marie Claire.
GEMMA ARTERTON graduated from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts (RADA) and made her film debut alongside Dame Maggie Smith and David Walliams in Stephen Poliakoff’s Capturing Mary for BBC Films. She is currently appearing in the successful British comedy St. Trinian’s. Arterton made her stage debut as Rosalind in “Love’s Labour’s Lost” at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre.
EON Productions
EON Productions/Danjaq, LLC is owned by the Broccoli family and has produced 21 James Bond films since 1962, including Casino Royale (2006). The Bond films produced by Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli are the most successful franchise in cinema history. Recent box-office successes include GoldenEye, Tomorrow Never Dies, The World Is Not Enough and Die Another Day. EON Productions and Danjaq, LLC are partner companies and control the worldwide merchandising of the James Bond franchise.
