“Bond 24” – Holding our breath for the next 007 feature

James Bond fans are always grasping on to any rumour that surfaces about the movie franchise, especially when it comes to the next release in the 007 series. This time around, it’s no different as we all await the next Bond release in 2015 which has just started to generate talk and speculation about the plot and, more intriguingly, who will star in it.

   Any 007 release is exciting; it becomes an event for the entire world to reminisce over the Bond collection. Since 1962, there have been 23 Bond films released and in 2015 we’re set to see the next one aptly dubbed “Bond 24”. Producers of the Bond film franchise were aiming at a new Bond flick every two years but when “Bond 24” releases in November 2015, it will have been 3 years since the last release in 2012 which was “Skyfall”. But these spectacular films have always proven to be worth the wait.

Daniel Craig will be returning to star in the 007 instalment, playing James Bond for the fourth time. His “Skyfall” stars are also rumoured to join him again, with Naomie Harris as Miss Moneypenny, Ben Whishaw as Q and (POSSIBLE SPOILER ALERT!) remarkable Ralph Fiennes, who was fantastic in Wes Anderson’s “The Grand Budapest Hotel” this year, as the new M. “Skyfall” director, Sam Mendes, is also geared up to direct. This certainly whets our appetite.

But that’s not all. “12 Years a Slave” star Chiwetel Ejiofor is being sought to play the Bond villain. After he garnered much praise and critical acclaim for the multi Oscar-winning film, he has caught the attention of many filmmakers. The producers' decision to target Ejiofor is said to have been motivated by the winning recruitment of Oscar-winner Javier Bardem to play Silva, the villain of “Skyfall”. If Ejiofor’s performance in Steve McQueen’s “12 Years a Slave” is anything to go by, we know that he has the ability to step up to the role of even a villain.

Filming on “Bond 24” is soon to be underway after Craig and his significant other, Academy Award-winning actress Rachel Weisz, have just performed on Broadway. “Skyfall” was the most successful James Bond movie so far, breaking the $1 billion mark at the box office, which means it will be even more demanding to top that with the next film. But with a clever release date set for November 2015, wisely avoiding the crazy summer period as well as “Star Wars” Month; who knows the heights that “Bond 24” could scale to.