14/11/2006

Expressing concerns over the costs of a UK shoot and some aspects of the new UK film tax incentives, the producer of the James Bond franchise, Michael G Wilson, told trade film website Screen Daily that the next Bond movie, known as “Bond 22” for now, might look for more attractive shores on which to spend its $100m plus budget.

“We’re going to have to make that decision again”, said Wilson. “London is the most expensive city in the world right now. To bring talent here and put them up for long periods of time and the cost of doing business here is a factor. Whether the new tax incentives will balance that out or not is something we still have to calculate”, he stressed.

For the making of Casino Royale, producers Barbara Broccoli and Wilson from Eon Productions already created shock waves within the UK film industry when they chose to shoot most of the film at Barrandov Studios in Prague, leaving only final wrapping for the historic 007 Stage at Pinewood Studios outside of London.

It would certainly be ironic if the new UK tax credit, almost tailor-made to attract US studios films, would nevertheless deter a James Bond film – symbolising the best of the UK with backing from US studios Sony and MGM – from being made at home because of its rule saying that UK qualifying films will no longer be able to claim tax relief on money spent overseas.

“Bond 22” is scheduled to start shooting the first quarter of 2008, with a release date set for November 2008. Produced again by Wilson and Broccoli (for Eon Productions), the follow-up to Casino Royale will again feature British actor Daniel Craig in the lead. As the sixth actor playing James Bond, Craig has conquered the majority of UK film critics who previewed Casino Royal earlier this month.

“Daniel has taken the origins of Ian Fleming's James Bond portraying, with emotional complexity, a darker and edgier 007,” said the producers in a joint announcement with Sony and MGM revealing production plans on “Bond 22”.