If you’ve been eagerly anticipating getting your first look at Daniel Craig as James Bond in Skyfall, your wait is now over–unless of course you were hoping for a trailer, in which case I suppose you’ll just be disappointed.

After a whole bunch of teasing on the movie’s official Twitter account with ambiguous set photos, the first official photo of Daniel Craig reprising his role as James Bond in the 23rd installment of the 007 film franchise, Skyfall, has finally surfaced.

The photo, which you can see for yourself directly above, shows Craig clutching a pistol and staring off at something–or someone. The team behind the film wasn’t willing to say just what is going on in the still, only that this particular shot is set in Shanghai.

At this point, very little is known about Skyfall. A very brief and very vague synopsis was recently released for the film, which says that James Bond will be tasked with defending MI6 from some threat or another, and that his loyalty to M (Judi Dench) will be tested. The villain will be played by Javier Bardem, along with Albert Finney and Ralph Fiennes.

Skyfall is set to release in the UK on October 26, followed by a North America release on November 9.

First shot of Daniel Craig in new 007 film ‘Skyfall’ released is a post from: The Inquisitr

One of (or even both) Naomie Harris and Bérénice Marlohe will follow the likes of Ursula Andress, Teri Hatcher, Halle Berry, Eva Green, Denise Richards, and other femme fatales when they smooch with James Bond next year. People, these are your next Bond girls.

35-year-old Brit Harris will play the role of an unfeasibly hot field agent named “Eve” in Skyfall, the 23rd James Bond film. She’ll be joined by Bérénice Marlohe, who landed the gig of “a glamorous, enigmatic character” named Severine. The 31-year-old French actress might be a little-known name – her Wikipedia page extends to three sentences at the time of writing – but it looks like her career may well rocket when Skyfall hits theaters in October 2012.

Both Harris and Merlohe were revealed at a press conference on Thursday. They’ll be starring opposite Daniel Craig, who’s reprising the Bond role for a third time.

They’ll be part a cast that includes Dame Judi Dench, Ralph Fiennes, Ben Whishaw, and Albert Finney, not to mention Javier Bardem as the villain of the piece.

And of course, it will all be directed by director Sam Mendes, he of American Beauty and being-married-to-Kate-Winslet fame. Mendes has already stated that Skyfall will “not connect” with the previous two Bond films, Quantum of Solace and Casino Royale.

Here’s a snippet from the official Skyfall press release to whet your appetite:

“Bond’s loyalty to M [Dench] is tested as her past comes back to haunt her. As M16 comes under attack, 007 must track down and destroy the threat, no matter how personal the cost.”

So, who’s excited for this?

Naomie Harris, Bérénice Marlohe are the New Bond Girls is a post from: The Inquisitr

A few months ago, James Bond fans weren’t sure that Bond 23 would ever get made. MGM nearly scrapped the film due to financial reasons, but now the latest Bond movie looks stronger than ever. Javier Bardem has already been cast to play the new villain, and now the film is getting even more star power with the casting of Albert Finney.

Finney, who has been nominated for five Oscars, will play the superior to James Bond’s boss M (played by Judi Dench.) BondMovies reports that M is usually the authoritative figure in the Bond movies, so the introduction of Finney probably means that she can’t handle the level of danger in Bond 23. Is the Quantum Organization that dangerous? Does Bond go rogue? Will Finney call in more OO agents to help James Bond in the new film?

There isn’t much known about the plot of the new Bond film, but one thing’s for sure, Finney should feel right at home filming the spy caper. Finney played a major part in the third installment of the Jason Bourne series and is currently reprising the role for “Bourne Legacy.”

Daniel Craig, Judi Dench, Javier Bardem, Ralph Fiennes, and Albert Finney… Bond 23 has the potential to be a classic James Bond movie. Bond 23, which is tentatively titled, “Skyfall” will be released in November 0f 2012.

Do you think Albert Finney is a good addition to the Bond 23 cast?

Bond 23: Albert Finney Joins Bond Cast is a post from: The Inquisitr

When Daniel Craig steps into James Bond’s shoes for the third time he’ll have a formidable opponent. Javier Bardem has just been cast as the newest James Bond villain.

Little is known about Bardem’s character, and the “No Country For Old Men” actor is being tight lipped about the new movie.

Bardem said:

“They chose me to play this man, but I cannot give you many details.”

So he’s playing a man, that we know for sure. Sounds villainy.

The James Bond franchise has seen some trouble in recent years. The new movie, tentatively titled “Bond 23,” was almost scrapped when MGM ran into money problems. Bardem should help the new Bond movie achieve some financial success. With Bardem on board, James Bond will be facing off against an actor who has an Oscar and some growing commercial appeal from movies like “Eat, Pray, Love” with Julia Roberts.

Bardem said:

“I am very excited. My parents took me to watch the movies and I saw all of them. So to play that is going to be fun!”

Not much is known about Bardem’s character, but the actor did drop a few hints when his involvement in the movie was just a rumor.

Bardem told the LA Times:

“They’re changing the whole thing, the whole dynamic. I’d be playing Bond’s nemesis, yes, but it’s not that obvious. Everything is more nuanced. It’s very intriguing.”

Rogue spy? 00 agent gone bad?

The new Bond movie, which will be directed by Sam Mendez, is scheduled for a Novemeber 2012 release.

How do you think Javier Bardem will stack up against the Bond villains of the past?

Javier Bardem To Play New Bond Villain is a post from: The Inquisitr

You kids can keep your Call of Duty: Black Ops, because I’ll always have the memory of Goldeneye 007 on the Nintendo 64 to keep me warm in the cold, lonely nights.

My moist-eyed recollections of that renowned Rare classic meant I was instantly cynical about the remake for the Wii, airily dismissing its potential without a second thought. But hey, it’s supposedly pretty good, so my humble apologies, Goldeneye 007 From The Future!

Anyway, here’s a video comparing the N64 Goldeneye (released 1997) to the Wii Goldeneye (released last week). Turns out new games look better than old games, (I know!), but I still think the N64′s mashed potato faces had a certain charm. Christ I’m old.

[RewindReplay, via Joystiq]

[VIDEO] Old Goldeneye 007 vs. New Goldeneye 007 is a post from: The Inquisitr

When playing a first-person shooter game against friends or online, do you like to sit in one spot, near to where the best weapons and/or armor spawns, waiting for your foes to come to you and receive a taste of pain?

Then you, my friend, are a camper. Or, as I prefer to call you (on my polite days), a cowardly, scum-sucking douchenozzle.

Fortunately, the developers of Goldeneye 007 for the Wii have found a solution: if you camp, you explode. Not you (sadly), but your character. The game – a sort-of-remake of the Nintendo 64 classic – will come with a multiplayer mode called “Move Your Feet”. When playing this mode, anybody staying still for three seconds will explode into itty-bitty pieces of flesh and bone and intestines.

Bitmob reports that this “worked beautifully in practice, morphing the map into a hectic affair that zeroed out any chance of a foe settling in to camp.” I fully approve this anti-camping strategy. Combine this with kicking quitters, and playing games online seems to be getting vaguely more tolerable all the time. Vaguely.

[Via Bitmob]

Next Goldeneye game will cause campers to explode is a post from: The Inquisitr

I’ve said before that I think even an updated Goldeneye 007 would feel dated in 2010, and I still think it will, but … nnnnnghh … LOOKS … SO … FUN.

It’s out on the Wii on November 2nd.

[Via YouTube]

[VIDEO] New Goldeneye 007 shows off old multiplayer is a post from: The Inquisitr

Unfortunately the SIS operatives aren’t known as “00″ (double O’s), but as “Operational Officers”, but if you can live with that description, the SIS are still recruiting. You can read the typical Operational Officer profile here.

Excerpt from the test:

Your Cover Story

You’re stationed in Transeuratania. You’re a vegetarian and the food isn’t especially good in Metropoligrad – unlike the coffee, which costs less than a Shilling for a pot at the best hotel. Your name is Stephanie Johnson. You were born on 14th December 1974 in Skegness. At A Level, you gained an A in Geography, an A in French and a B in Economics. You have two sisters and a brother. You studied Geology at university and now work as a Management Consultant for a company called British Coal Associates.

Questions

1. What is your name?

A: Joan Stephenson. B: Stephanie Johnston. C: Stephanie Johnson.

2. What is the currency of Transeuratania?

A: Transeuratanian Rouble. B: Transeuratanian Zloty. C: Transeuratanian Shilling.

MI6 publishes test for future James Bonds is a post from: The Inquisitr

If, like this kid, you owned a Nintendo 64 back in the late-’90s, it’s likely that one cartridge was plugged into the console more than most: GoldenEye 007.

And quite right, too. This James Bond shooter was a masterpiece of its time, a brilliant and imaginative first-person shooter with a four-player mode that was streets ahead of anything else on other home consoles of the time. My friends and I sunk hundreds of hours into that awe-inspiring multiplayer, and loved every second.

Ever since Microsoft purchased GoldenEye developers Rare in 2002, gamers have clamored for a remake, speaking in nostalgic, hushed tones about how GoldenEye would make its triumphant return on Xbox Live Arcade. Rumors of a re-release with added bells and whistles really heated up last year, only for Microsoft to state that it lacked the rights to publish the game on XBLA.

From today, chances of a remake really do seem slim. After one fan raised the subject in a Q&A on its official website, Rare’s reply seemed fairly emphatic:

“That was some time ago, my friend. Fate was against us that day. Destiny conspired to raise the hurdles even as we attempted to clear them, resulting in unpleasant groinal injury. I suspect we’re long past the stage where an agreement was on the cards, but you never know. Stranger things have happened… somewhere… probably.”

Cue much howling on game forums.

But you know what? I’m actually GLAD GoldenEye isn’t being dolled up and shoved out on stage for one last hurrah. This old dame needs to be respectfully retired.

I remember the title with real fondness, but if it was re-released in 2009, even with spangly high-def visuals and online multiplayer, it would be a travesty. Since 1997, the first-person shooter genre has moved forward at an alarming pace – in terms of technology and new ideas – and I’m certain GoldenEye would feel quaint by today’s standards. I have no doubt that the title broke exciting new ground twelve years ago, but since then its ideas have been reused time and again, not to mention massively refined.

Re-releasing the game a dozen years after its release would only serve to show its wrinkles when compared to modern shooters. And frankly, the last thing anybody should want is for memories of those wondrous 1997 evenings to be marred.

[Rare, via Eurogamer]

GoldenEye N64 revival more unlikely than ever is a post from: The Inquisitr

What do you get if you mash The Incredibles and Quantum of Solace? You get the Incredibles of Solace. Enjoy:

Todays mashup: The Incredibles of Solace is a post from: The Inquisitr

All good things must come to an end, and so will my enjoyment of the Bond films if this one turns out: Jennifer Aniston is in the running to become a Bond girl.

According to reports, Aniston has been offered a screen test for a role.

“Jennifer has all the qualities we are looking for in a Bond girl. She has to be beautiful but she also needs to have brains,” according to a source at the movie production company. “It helps if she’s athletic and able to keep up with intense stunt work a Bond movie demands.”

“It is likely she’ll be called in to meet producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson soon.”

As we reported last week, Freda Pinto of Slumdog Millionaire fame is also believed to be in the running. Anyone but Aniston please.

Please no: Jennifer Aniston may be a Bond Girl is a post from: The Inquisitr

Slumdog Millionaire actress Freida Pinto is said to be in discussions to appear as a Bond Girl in the next 007 movie.

According to reports, Pinta has been asked to screen test for the role after coming to the attention of producers when originally casting for Quantum of Solace.

“Freida came to the attention of the Bond team when they were casting Quantum of Solace. She was too young at the time to have a part as a love interest for a secret agent, but she has blossomed into an incredibly stunning young woman and would look perfect on Daniel Craig’s arm” a source told The Sun.

I could be wrong, but Pinto would be the first Indian Bond girl, at least that I can remember.

Freida Pinto the next Bond Girl? is a post from: The Inquisitr

Mel Gibson has been snapped by FadedYouthBlog, in close proximity to a mystery Russian woman, who they have prevously alleged was his mistress. Okay, they didn’t allege it – they said it was rumoured, and then they called the story an exclusive.

Her name is Oksana, she is Russian, 28 years old and as far as we know despite being beautiful she has never appeared in a James Bond Film.

FYB said that when they broke the story of the rumoured mistress in August Oksana quickly disappeared from the Edge of Darkness movie set Mel was working on in Boston.

FYB says:

While Mel’s spokesperson tried to quash the original rumours of his mistress by saying she was “one of the artists on Mel’s recording label in the US recording,” Oksana’s reappearance by Mel’s side confirms suspicions that she is more to Mel than just a colleague.
Most recently, a weary Mr. Gibson was seen walking across the set of Darkness, casually smoking a cigarette. Minutes later, an angelic but cautious Oksana walked the same path. Sources confirm that Oksana has no role in the film or job on the set, so her presence on set and her consistent proximity to Mel is undeniably puzzling.

Oksana’s mysterious appearance brings further scrutiny to Mel’s character, infidelity, and lascivious nature.

Mel has been married to Robyn for the past 28 years, not a bad effort by Hollywood standards. We are not sure you can call someone out for being a cheater, or say its rumoured they are cheating because you saw them together once, and on a second occasion they walked in the same direction, minutes behind each other. Which is what FYB, followed by a host of “me-too” celeb sites are saying.

Mel has had a tough time recently, the set he was pictured on is the first time he has acted since the whole “get shit faced/pulled over by the cops/anti Semetic comment” incident. Anyway, he might be Mel Gibson, but time has not been kind to the 52 year old, so we can’t see it. What do you think?

You can see the rest of the images here.

Mel Gibson and the case of the suspected Russian Mistress is a post from: The Inquisitr

Another Way to Die, the Jack White/ Alicia Keys duet theme song for the next James Bond flick The Quantum of Solance was released 2 weeks ago, and the general reaction from Inquisitr readers wasn’t positive. For the followup, the video clip has been released, as embedded from the original source above (if you can’t see this in the feed, visit the site….also this is the original source, so quality is superior to the YouTube rips popping up).

I know others don’t like the song, but combined with the dark, moody Bondesque clip I’m warming to it more and more. The other thing to note from the clip: Alicia Keys is quite simply hot.

For the movie preview, see the Quantum of Solace trailer.

Another Way to Die video clip released is a post from: The Inquisitr

The full theme song to the next James Bond film Quantum of Solace has been released. The track sees Jack White team up with Alicia Keys to offer a modern take on a Bond theme.

The undertones are deep, somewhat dark (it says Jack White) with some brass adding to the over all Bond affect. Reviews so far are mixed, but as a Bond fan who still owns nearly every Bond theme song, I don’t mind it. It keeps to the theme, even if it’s a little flat compared to the strong vocals of Shirley Bassy, or the pop rock of Wings for Live and Let Die. The dark mood sits well with the darker Bond we’ve seen since Daniel Craig took over the role.

Embed above (you won’t see it on the feed) so you can listen to it, and leave a comment if you have an opinion, and if you haven’t seen it yet, check out the latest Quantum of Solace trailer.

Another Way to Die, Quantum of Solace theme song released is a post from: The Inquisitr

The second trailer for the upcoming James Bond movie Quantum of Solace has been released. Full trailer above.

As a Bond fan there’s only one word for the trailer: wow. The movie hits cinemas in November.

Quantum of Solace Trailer 2 is a post from: The Inquisitr