With "Casino Royale" finally kicking off production in Prague on Friday, concern is still mounting over the fact that despite intense rumours (Rose Byrne the other week, Thandie Newton last week), both a leading lady and the main villain role have yet to be cast.
The script and locations are locked, supporting roles are all set, and whilst scenes involving James Bond's love interest don't begin for more than a month, time is running out and schedules may have to be reset. Scribe Paul Haggis told today's trade papers that the studio is "talking to three to four girls right now".
Meanwhile MI6 reports that the popular two century old Buena Vista hotel in the Bahamas is about to be transformed into the Liberian Embassy in Madagascar for the purposes of the pre-titles sequence which will shoot there starting the end of next month.
The site also confirms a roof-top chase sequence that was originally cut from the 1969 film "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" will be resurrected for a "Casino Royale" action sequence. Another chase scene is planned which will be Daniel Craig's film scene debut as Bond, and French "free runner" Sebastien Foucan will be performing the stunts of Bond's adversary in the sequence shooting right now.
Finally, and very strikingly, Craig hinted to the UK press that Bond will not be donning a tuxedo in the film.
