The first in a series of videoblogs to roll out for Skyfall was released February 22, with director Sam Mendes reporting from the production of the 23rd James Bond film. The updates on Skyfall, like Peter Jackson’s vlogs for The Hobbit, will provide fans with behind-the-scenes footage and details about the much-anticipated sequel in cinema’s longest-running franchise. Mendes, who has made films including Revolutionary Road, starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet (his ex-wife), and the Oscar winning American Beauty with Kevin Spacey and Annette Bening, explains that this is the first film the Englishman has made in the UK. Interspersed with behind-the-scenes footage from the film, Mendes reveals that it’s possible to make a big, fabulous, glamorous, escapist movie about this famed Ian Fleming 007 character and at the same time, say something about the world we live in. In this adventure, Bond’s loyalty to M is tested as her past comes back to haunt her. As MI6 is under attack, the legendary spy must track down and destroy the threat despite the personal cost. The film stars Daniel Craig as Bond, Judi Dench as M and Javier Bardem as the villain, as well as Albert Finney, Ralph Fiennes, Naomie Harris, Berenice Marlohe, Helen McCroy, and Ben Whishaw as the new Q. Skyfall opens October 24-26 in France, the UK, Sweden and Norway, followed on October 31 – November 2 in select European and Asian markets, in North America on November 9, Australia on November 22 and Japan on December 1.
