- Title: FRANCE: Casino Royale has its French Premiere
- Date: 23rd November 2006
- Summary: FILM POSTERS (SOUNDBITE) (English) DIRECTOR MARTIN CAMPBELL SAYING: "He doesn't become the James Bond we know until the end of the movie. It's very much more personal about Bond. A lot of elements of his character, grittier, tougher. And he falls in love. I think women will really respond to the film."
- Embargoed: 8th December 2006 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: France
- Country: France
- Reuters ID: LVAECVBMIG0IM6ATTB7X5707AN6L
- Story Text: After London and Dublin, the highly anticipated 21st James Bond film, Casino Royale, premiered in Paris Friday evening (November 17). Several of its stars were on-hand including director Martin Campbell (with wife), new Bond Daniel Craig and his girlfriend Satsuki Mitchell and Italian actress Caterina Murino, who plays a brief love-interest named Solange.
Based on Ian Flemming's 1953 novel also called Casino Royale, the film stars Daniel Craig, the first blond-haired James Bond. Craig's acting has received rave reviews, but the actor told Reuters that it was not for him to make the comparison between his Bond and others.
"It really isn't. I just approached it the way I approach every film I do. I just try to show every side of this man's character, every I could," he said.
Co-star Caterina Murino was eager to highlight the novelties of this Bond film.
"After 20 movies, after 5 actors play the role, a lot of people say what we can expect from the role? You know we saw everything, they play in different ways, what's going to be different? Go to see this movie everyone and they're gonna not only go to see a good Bond, they're going to see a good movie also," she said.
Craig has put a new spin on the old spy for "Casino Royale" in a gamble for a studio looking to give the 21-film franchise a makeover.
The high-speed chases in an Aston Martin and beach beauties are never far away as Bond travels the world after Le Chiffre, evil banker to the world's terrorists - but there is more realistic action and emotion alongside the glamour and gadgets.
The Bond story goes back to the beginning of 007's life as a spy and is based on the first Ian Fleming Bond novel from 1953.
Producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson admit they took a risk in casting Craig, whose appointment in October 2005 was met with complaints from fans who said he was too blond, too unsophisticated and simply too ugly to carry off the role.
With a budget of around 100 million US dollars and marketing costs almost as much, "Casino Royale", directed by New Zealand-born Martin Campbell, must be a hit to make money.
"Die Another Day", the last Bond film starring Pierce Brosnan, earned an impressive 430 million US dollars at the box office, making it a hard act to follow. The 20 official Bond films have amassed nearly 4 billion US dollars in ticket sales worldwide.
"Casino Royale" goes on general release on November 17 and will be full of surprises for Bond fans.
A chiselled Craig emerges from the sea in a shot normally reserved for Bond girls, and there is real intensity in the relationship between 007 and leading lady Vesper Lynd, a prickly official at the British Treasury played by Eva Green. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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