Perhaps one of the more exciting themes coursing through the veins of Sam Mendes’ Spectre is history; specifically the rich, largely unexplored history of one James Bond. While many of the previous entries into MGM’s sprawling spy series have acted as standalone adventures, Daniel Craig bucked tradition when he enlisted to wield the license to kill with Casino Royale, instilling a sense of continuity that both the actor and Mendes will tap into once again for the soon-to-be-released thriller.
While Skyfall had us revisiting Bond’s ancestral home in the Scottish Highlands, Spectre is much more focused on Bond’s murky past, and his relationship to Franz Oberhauser. Portrayed with impish charm by Christoph Waltz, the leading antagonist of the film claims he is the “author” of all Bond’s pain and heartache, even if he is viewed as a quasi-father figure.
Fertile territory, no doubt, particularly if this really is to be the final installment with Daniel Craig in the tuxedo. Claiming he would only do another Bond “for the money,” the actor caused a bit of a stir late last week, though co-star Naomie Harris has played down the remark, stating that Craig’s sarcastic sense of humor doesn’t necessarily come across in print.
“It was not as he intended it,” she told BBC News, claiming her co-star’s “sense of humour… doesn’t come across particularly well in print. He’s so dedicated to his craft and he loves playing Bond. It’s easy to take something that someone says in passing and blow it completely out of proportion. I think that’s what’s happened here, so I don’t really believe those comments at all.”
Spectre will make its debut in the UK first – as one would expect – on October 26, before making its way across the pond in time for a release on November 7. To whet your appetite, you can feast your eyes on all of the new clips down below.
A cryptic message from the past sends James Bond (Daniel Craig) on a rogue mission to Mexico City and eventually Rome, where he meets Lucia Sciarra (Monica Bellucci), the beautiful and forbidden widow of an infamous criminal. Bond infiltrates a secret meeting and uncovers the existence of the sinister organisation known as SPECTRE.
