The Bahamas is set to experience a significant windfall as the country gets ready to play host to the new launch of the James Bond franchise.
The Tribune has learnt that after an almost 20year absence, James Bond is posed to return to the Bahamas once again with Casino Royale, the 21st instalment of the series.
Director of Film with the Ministry of Tourism Craig Woods yesterday said that pre-production is scheduled to start this Fall.
“This is a wonderful thing, we are extremely excited. We will be the first country in the world to showcase the new James Bond,” he said.
Mr Woods said that having such a distinguished project filmed in the Bahamas will not only give local film crews work and high-level experience, but also bring substantial financial gain for the country. “The benefits will be significant, the crews will need hotel accommodation, food, beverages. Plus they all get hefty per diem which they will spend in the casinos and at the fish fry,” he said.
Mr Woods said the ministry will showcase all of the Bahamas’ cultural aspects for the film crews, to perhaps incorporate into the movie.
“The pre-production phase begins around the same time as Junkanoo preparations take place. Junkanoo is a colourful cultural event, so there might be a chance that the production company will want to include it in the movie. We will show them all the Bahamas has to offer, nothing will be hidden,” he said.
Although Mr Woods could not disclose the identity of the actor selected to follow in the footsteps of Pierce Brosnan, the director of film said the production company has chosen someone less well known..
“He is a younger man, a very energetic man, who I believe will bring some fresh energy to the franchise,” he said.
According to reports, however, British actor Daniel Craig, 37; of movies such as Road to Perdition, Elizabeth, has won the part of the suave secret agent. Before the decision was made to shoot in the Bahamas, the new 007 movie was scheduled to be filmed in South Africa. However, after the production company Eon experienced difficulties securing shooting locations, the film-makers were forced to relocate, the James Bond website commanderbond.net reported this week.
The website further reported that the film’s director Martin Campbell and director of photography Phil Meheux are currently on Paradise Island scouting for suitable shooting locations.
James Bond is no stranger to the Bahamas, and Casino Royale would be the franchise’s sixth visit to the country.
In 1965, the film crew of Thunderball, including the first actor to play 007, Sean Connery, visited the Bahamas where they filmed scenes in various locations in New Providence and the Exumas.
Key underwater scenes featured in The Spy Who Loved Me and For Your Eyes Only were also filmed in Bahamian waters, and the 1983 `unofficial’ Bond movie Never Say Never Again was extensively shot here.
The last Bond film to be shot in the Bahamas was A Licence to Kill in 1989.
Casino Royale is slated for a late 2006 release.
Source: The Tribune – Nassau, Bahamas
