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007,

Here is the official announcement confirming Sam Mendes, Daniel Craig and John Logan are to return for Bond 24

It may have been a foregone conclusion, despite the protestations from both EON Productions and Sam Mendes’s camps, but finally we can breathe a sigh of relief as it is now official Sam Mendes will be back for Bond 24. But it's not all oeufs en cocotte and Taittinger as Mendes has his work cut out for him.

After the phenomenal success of Skyfall the Bond team are going to have to pull a rabbit out of the hat to please audiences again. With all the twists and changes brought on by Skyfall it would be all too easy to revert to the dire formulaic Bond that does nothing for the its 51 year legacy.

Hopefully the franchise will continue focussing on story and characters supported by beautiful cinematography, art and locations rather than making Bond and the gadgets the focus of the films. Also Skyfall got a pass but please rethink the dull humour and terrible puns - this isn't the 80s (and even then it was dire).

SAM MENDES RETURNS TO DIRECT BOND 24
Sam Mendes’s Follow-Up to SKYFALL™, the Highest-Grossing Film in the Longest Running Film Franchise, to Arrive in Theaters on October 23, 2015 in the UK and November 6, 2015 in the US.

Director Sam Mendes’s Follow-Up to SKYFALL™, the Highest-Grossing Film in the Longest Running Film Franchise, to Arrive in Theaters on October 23, 2015 in the UK and November 6, 2015 in the US.

Producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli, EON Productions; Gary Barber, Chairman & CEO, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer; Michael Lynton, CEO, Sony Entertainment, Inc, and Amy Pascal, Co-Chairman of Sony Pictures Entertainment today announced that Daniel Craig will once again return as the legendary British secret agent in the 24th James Bond film and Sam Mendes will also return to direct the screenplay written by John Logan.  The film is set for release in UK theaters on October 23, 2015 and in US theaters on November 6, 2015.

SKYFALL™, the 23rd James Bond film, took in $1.1 billion worldwide and set a new mark as the highest-grossing film of all time in the UK; it was the best-selling Bond film on DVD/Blu-ray and was the most critically acclaimed film in the history of the longest-running film franchise.

Commenting on the announcement, Wilson and Broccoli said, "Following the extraordinary success of SKYFALL, we're really excited to be working once again with Daniel Craig, Sam Mendes and John Logan.”

"I am very pleased that by giving me the time I need to honour all my theatre commitments, the producers have made it possible for me to direct Bond 24. I very much look forward to taking up the reins again, and to working with Daniel Craig, Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli for a second time,” said Mendes.

Barber added, “We are thrilled to reunite the extraordinary talents of director Sam Mendes with our star Daniel Craig for the next great Bond adventure.” He added, “As evidenced by the phenomenal success of our last collaboration with EON Productions and Sony, the incredible legacy of this 51-year-old franchise continues to amaze.”

Lynton and Pascal said, “It’s a privilege to work on the Bond films. EON, John Logan and Sam Mendes have come up with an extraordinary follow up to SKYFALL and we, along with our partners at MGM, can’t wait to share this new chapter with audiences all over the world.”

The Establishing Shot: HERE IS THE OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT CONFIRMING SAM MENDES, DANIEL CRAIG AND JOHN LOGAN ARE TO RETURN FOR BOND 24