Today we can bring you two new tidbits about the next Bond movie, currently titled “Bond 23”.
According to several sources, “after weeks of international tension and drama, EON Productions has decided it’s ditching India and will be filming in South Africa instead”.
While EON Productions has stated the long delays in securing government permission for various locations as the main reason for pulling out of India, Chandralekha Mukherjee, executive director of the Railway, denied that any blame for losing the production fell on them. He states that:
“We’d given them all the permissions. All had been worked out … The matter was finalized by September 13. But a week later, we were informed that after an international discussion, the production team decided not to shoot in India.”
In other news, MI6-HQ.com reports that the opening scenes for “Bond 23” will be shot in Istanbul. According to MI6-HQ, “Producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli met with Ertugrul Günay, Turkish Culture and Tourism Minister, to confirm plans for the filming to take place there in November”.
According to Günay “There are a number of locations, including the waterside and shores of the Bosporus, in consideration for the 10-15 minutes of the movie that is to be filmed in Turkey.” Furthermore casting has begun for a villain’s girlfriend who will be portrayed by a Turkish actress.
Directed by Sam Mendes, “Bond 23” is scheduled for a November 9, 2012 release.
