One More Bond…

The official beginning of filming on the 20th Bond movie was marked this morning with a press conference at Pinewood Studios. True to form, Empire Online was there to hear Pierce Brosnan tell the assembled press that he would be returning for Bond 21. 'I will do another one,' he said, going on to raise the issue of making that his last Bond movie. 'It takes stamina to play this role,' Brosnan admitted. 'I would like to get off the stage with grace. I am honouring my contract here but it would be wonderful to do another one. After that, I do not know.' Asked whether the events of September 11 will have any bearing on the film Brosnon replied: 'I never worried about Bond being affected by world affairs. Bond is great escapism.' 'I've been a big fan of the Bond movies most of my life,' said director Lee Tamahori. 'To me the Bond film is a kind of impregnable fortress of film making. It used to be about girls and gadgets and a good-looking spy and then it changed shape and is now about girls, gadgets, a good-looking spy - and big action. It is a timeless thing and is constantly evolving." Two of Brosnan's female co-stars, Halle Berry and Rosamund Pike, were also on hand to entertain the press corps. 'I hope I will fit in and do as fine a job as the women before me,' said Berry. While the assembled media were left in the dark as to the title of Bond 20, a number of cast members were confirmed including Judi Dench, John Cleese, Michael Madsen and Samantha Bond. A few revelations and confirmations were released regarding the plot. The story will begin in the demilitarised zone between North and South Korea with a high-speed hovercraft chase. The Film continues to Hong Kong, Cuba and London, where Bond meets leading ladies, Berry and Pike, and finds himself in trouble when a covert operation in North Korea is compromised by an unknown traitor.