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007,

First look at Mads Mikkelsen as Le Chiffre (The Cypher)

A Danish newspaper has printed the first look at Mads Mikkelsen as Le Chiffre (The Cypher). I think they must have made a mistake this is clearly a high school shot of Dr. Evil!!??

I have high hopes for this film. A young serious Bond that looks the business and a decent plotline that sounds almost true to the book.

James Bond (Craig) is a new recruit at the MI6 team. He's reckless and careless and on a mission. After just earning his 00 status with his first 2 kills he is sent to the Bahamas where he is to verse Le Chiffre (Mikkelsen)in a game of Texas Hold 'Em Poker. Although Bond must ensure that Le Chiffre's death comes at the hands of his own people.
Source - Internet Movie DataBase

Having a closer look at Mads he certainly does look like a young Donald Pleasance "Bloefeld". I have intentionally stayed away from any info that will give away some of the rich world the film will create as I would like a fresh view of the film on its release.

I recently listened to "Casino Royale" to refresh my memories of casino Royale. I read the book when I was young and remember Casino Royale's Bond being one of the more credible Bonds. This is an opportunity for the Bond producers to refresh the franchise. No doubt the film will be a success. Unfortunately I have 2 scenarios playing out in mind about he future of this Bond.
1. Although contractually bound. After the 3rd film Daniel will probably thinking wait a minute you guys are making $XXX and I'm only making $X. Time to renegotiate. Ala Brosnan. We know how this ends.
or
2. Although the film's are critically acclaimed, profits are not high enough and the producers revert back to the Bond cartoon formula. Ala Batman (pre Batman Begins).

I hope this time they elevate Bond from a wisecracking cartoon to an idealistic, alcoholic, keen to prove his worth , inexperienced (although self assured) Civil Servant.

Sounds like this Bond will be a mixture of Timothy Dalton, George Lazenby and early Sean Connery. Some of the images of Daniel Craig seem to stylistically hark back to the early Sean Connery Bond.

I must be looking forward to the film I can't remember the last time I thought about a forthcoming Bond film this much. I guess I just want the Bond that's in minds eye to be up on the screen rather than another cash spinning merchandising opportunity.

Some trivia about Casino Royale

• A published report by BSkyB in early 2003 indicated that Sean Connery was among those being considered to direct the film.

• Quentin Tarantino also expressed an interest in directing. He said at the Cannes film festival 2004 that he wanted to film "Casino Royale" properly - pretty much as Ian Fleming wrote it. He backed Pierce Brosnan for Bond and Uma Thurman as Bond Girl (presumably the tragic Vesper Lynd). He approached Eon Productions with his ideas, but they turned him down. Then, shortly thereafter, Eon announced the film would indeed be called "Casino Royale", but with Martin Campbell as the director, and with a new (not-yet-revealed) actor to portray the role of James Bond.

• Before Daniel Craig was officially announced as the sixth actor to play James Bond there were several other actors considered for the part. Producer Michael G. Wilson said that they looked over 200 actors searching for the right one. Some of them were:

1. Julian McMahon
2. Dominic West
3. Gerard Butler
4. Henry Cavill
5. Goran Visnjic
6. Sam Worthington
7. Alex O'Lachlan
8. Rupert Friend

C'mon Layer Cake was one long audition for Casino Royale. For Matthew Vaughn (Director) and Daniel Craig. So it should not be a real surprise to anyone.

• The announcement of Daniel Craig as the new James Bond was made on October 14th, 2005, aboard the HMS President, in London. In that same day, former James Bond Roger Moore was celebrating his 78th birthday. Many of the other actors in the running for Bond didn't even know they didn't get the job until they saw the TV broadcast of Daniel Craig accepting the offer.

• The rights to Fleming's first 007 novel "Casino Royale", sold by him separately very early on, now reside with Eon Productions. The book was filmed for television and later as a big-screen spoof.

• The first Bond film to be named after an Ian Fleming book or story since The Living Daylights (1987).

• For this film Daniel Craig had to learn how to drive a car with manual transmission.

Source - Internet Movie DataBase