Bond 22 Starts Production Today at Pinewood Studios, London

CULVER CITY, Calif., Jan. 7 /PRNewswire/ -- Producers Michael G. Wilson
and Barbara Broccoli of EON Productions Ltd, Sony Pictures Entertainment and
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios announced today the start of principal photography
on the eagerly anticipated 22nd James Bond adventure. Daniel Craig reprises
his role as 007 in the film which is directed by Marc Forster and follows the
success of CASINO ROYALE, the latest and highest grossing film in the series.
Starring alongside Craig is an impressive international cast led by the
critically acclaimed French actor Mathieu Amalric as the sinister villain, and
the Ukranian actress Olga Kurylenko who plays 007's leading lady.
Returning to Bond 22 (working title) from CASINO ROYALE are Judi Dench in
her role as M, Jeffrey Wright as Felix Leiter and Giancarlo Giannini as
Mathis. Newcomer to the Bond franchise, Gemma Arterton, will play the role of
MI6 Agent Fields.
Commenting on the announcement, Wilson and Broccoli said, "We are
fortunate to continue in the Bond tradition of attracting the finest
international actors for our starring roles. Mathieu in the role of Dominic
Greene, a leading member of the villainous organization introduced in CASINO
ROYALE, will be a powerful counterpart to Daniel's portrayal of Bond. Olga
Kurylenko will play the dangerously alluring Camille, who challenges Bond and
helps him come to terms with the emotional consequences of Vesper's betrayal."
MGM and Sony Pictures will share distribution rights worldwide with
Columbia Pictures and Sony Pictures Releasing International distributing the
film to theaters worldwide on November 7th, 2008. Marc Forster directs the
screenplay by Neal Purvis & Robert Wade and Paul Haggis. The unit includes
Production Designer Dennis Gassner, Director of Photography Roberto Schaefer,
Editors Matt Chesse and Rick Pearson, and 2nd Unit Director Dan Bradley.
MATHIEU AMALRIC, one of France's leading screen stars, is best known for
his roles as Jean-Dominique Bauby in Julian Schnabel's award-winning film, The
Diving Bell and the Butterfly, and as the French information broker, Louis, in
Steven Spielberg's Munich. Last year, he was awarded Best Actor at France's
Cesar Awards for his role in the internationally acclaimed comedy Kings and
Queen, directed by Arnaud Desplechin. Previously, Amalric won the Cesar for
Most Promising Actor for his role in Desplechin's My Sex Life.
Amalric began his career as an actor in 1984, appearing in Otar
Losseliani's Les favoris de la lune, and went on to serve as an assistant
director to Louis Malle on Au Revoir Les Enfants. As an actor, he has since
worked with many leading directors including Andre Techine, Olivier Assayas,
Jean-Claude Biette and the Larrieu Brothers. His latest films include
Desplechin's Un conte de Noel, 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 Wimbledon Stage
and, most recently, the documentary short Let Them Grow Up Here. This year,
he directs Tournee, about American burlesque girls on tour in France.
OLGA KURYLENKO recently co-starred opposite Timothy Olyphant in Hitman and
opposite Elijah Wood in Paris, je t'aime. She also appeared in starring roles
in Eric Barbier's thriller The 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, multi-lingual Kurylenko appeared in the mini-series
"Suspectes" and the drama "The Good Luck Charm."
In her career as a top European model, Kurylenko has appeared in numerous
advertising campaigns, including Kenzo, Helena Rubenstein and Just Cavalli.
Her magazine covers include US Glamour, French Elle, Madame Figaro and Marie
Claire.
GEMMA ARTERTON graduated from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts (RADA)
and made her film debut with Dame Maggie Smith and David Walliams in Stephen
Poliakoff's Capturing Mary for BBC Films. She currently stars in the hit
British comedy St. Trinian's. Arterton recently made her professional stage
debut as Rosalind in "Love's Labour's Lost" at Shakespeare's Globe Theatre.
About EON Productions
EON Productions/Danjaq, LLC, is owned by the Broccoli family and has
produced twenty-one James Bond films since 1962, including Casino Royale
(2006). The James Bond films, produced by Michael G. Wilson and Barbara
Broccoli, make up the longest running franchise in film history and include
the recent blockbuster films GoldenEye, Tomorrow Never Dies, The World is Not
Enough, and Die Another Day. EON Productions and Danjaq, LLC, are affiliate
companies and control all worldwide merchandising of the James Bond franchise.
About Sony Pictures Entertainment
Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) is a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of
America (SCA), a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Corporation. SPE's global
operations encompass motion picture production and distribution; television
production and distribution; digital content creation and distribution;
worldwide channel investments; home entertainment acquisition and
distribution, operation of studio facilities; development of new entertainment
products, services and technologies; and distribution of filmed entertainment
in more than 100 countries. Sony Pictures Entertainment can be found on the
World Wide Web at http://www.sonypictures.com.
About Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc.
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc., through its operating subsidiaries is actively
engaged in the worldwide production and distribution of motion pictures,
television programming, home video, interactive media, music and licensed
merchandise. The company owns the world's largest library of modern films,
comprising around 4,000 titles. Operating units include Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Studios Inc., Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc., United Artists Films Inc.,
Ventanazul, MGM Television Entertainment Inc., MGM Networks Inc., MGM
Distribution Co., MGM International Television Distribution Inc.,
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Home Entertainment LLC, MGM ON STAGE, MGM Music, MGM
Worldwide Digital Media, MGM Consumer Products and MGM Interactive. In
addition, MGM has ownership interests in international TV channels reaching
nearly 110 countries. MGM ownership is as follows: Providence Equity
Partners (29%), TPG (21%), Sony Corporation of America (20%), Comcast (20%),
DLJ Merchant Banking Partners (7%) and Quadrangle Group (3%). For more
information, visit http://www.mgm.com.
For More Information:

Steve Elzer
Senior Vice President, Media Relations
Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group
(310) 244-7142
steve_elzer@spe.sony.com

SOURCE Columbia Pictures

Steve Elzer, Senior Vice President, Media Relations of Columbia TriStar Motion
Picture Group, +1-310-244-7142, steve_elzer@spe.sony.com