Daniel Craig to star in new Bond film ‘Skyfall’

Actor Daniel Craig says he is looking forward to return to his role as British secret agent James Bond.

Skyfall will be the 23rd 007 installment, one of the world’s longest-running and most successful franchises.

Cast and director were introduced at a news conference in London on Thursday.

Sam Mendes (American Beauty) has been put at the helm of this latest Bond adventure, and his lead actor told Reuters Television why he thinks the director is the right man for the job.

“He’s got great experience,” Craig said. “He’s a superb director, and first and foremost he’s a Bond fan. You need someone who loves the material and he does.”

There had previously been some uncertainty over the future of the Bond movie franchise, after a studio bankruptcy put production on hold for months.

But Craig said he was always confident the production would go ahead eventually.

“No, I wasn’t worried about it,” he said. “I mean, if it didn’t happen, it didn’t happen. I’d have to be as cool as I could be about it because you know this is a really privileged position to be in and I count myself lucky. But I knew that we get it sorted.”

Debt-laden Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., known for its roaring lion logo and behind some of Hollywood’s most fabled films including The Wizard of Oz, had filed for bankruptcy last November, but has since teamed up with Sony Pictures, which will now co-finance and distribute the film.

The studios previously partnered on Quantum of Solace and Craig’s 2006 Bond debut Casino Royale.

With the project’s delay Craig is now keen to start working on his next Bond adventure soon.

“I just wanna get going really,” he said, joking, “I’d rather be on set now than doing this. Put it that way.”

Spanish actor Javier Bardem has been cast to play the villain in Bond 23. He spoke about how he grew up to watching Bond on Spanish cinema screens.

“The people of my generation were born with and have grown up with James Bond,” he said. “It has a strong resonance and it’s exciting to be a part of that. It’s an adventure, a pleasure, an honour in the sense of the calibre of my colleagues and the director. It’s tremendous to be part of this.”

Actresses Bérénice Marlohe and Naomie Harris will be taking over the female leads — the famous 007 girls.

British star Naomie Harris will be seen in the role of a field agent called Eve. Speaking to Reuters Television the actress said she was glad the secret was finally out.

“It’s really difficult because I was with a lot of people,” she said. “I was at an event and I wanted to run around and go, ‘Oh my gosh,’ but I couldn’t. I knew I couldn’t because I was asked to keep it a secret. So I kind of sat there with just this silly grin on my face all evening … people must have thought I was crazy. But I was so excited and I still am so excited.”

Fellow Bond-girl-to-be Marlohe says she has great ambitions for her character.

“I really want to bring my own personality (to it),” the French actress said. “I want to put some substance … that has not been done before for a Bond girl.”

Judi Dench returns as Bond’s stern boss M in a cast that will also include Ralph Fiennes and Albert Finney.

In keeping with Bond’s globe-trotting legacy, the film will be shot in London, Shanghai, Istanbul and Scotland.

Skyfall is set to hit North American cinemas in November 2012.