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Casino Royale (2006)

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Casino Royale 2006 poster 11

Casino Royale is a 2006 spy film, the twenty-first in the Eon Productions James Bond series, and the third screen adaptation of Ian Fleming's 1953 novel of the same name. Directed by Martin Campbell from a screenplay by Neil Purvis, Robert Wade, and Paul Haggis, it stars Daniel Craig in his first appearance as Bond, alongside Eva Green, Mads Mikkelsen, Judi Dench, and Jeffrey Wright. In the film, Bond is on assignment to bankrupt terrorist financier Le Chiffre (Mikkelsen) in a high-stakes poker game at the Casino Royale in Montenegro.

Following Die Another Day (2002), Eon decided to reboot the franchise, attempting to counteract perceived unrealistic elements of previous entries and instead explore a less experienced, more vulnerable Bond. Casting involved a widespread search for a new actor to succeed Pierce Brosnan as Bond; the choice of Craig, announced in October 2005, proved controversial. Principal photography took place in the Bahamas, Italy, the United Kingdom, and the Czech Republic, with interior sets built at Pinewood Studios and Barrandov Studios. Casino Royale features primarily practical stuntwork as opposed to the computer-generated placements seen in other Bond films.

Casino Royale premiered at the Odeon Leicester Square on 14 November 2006, and was theatrically released first in the United Kingdom on 16 November, and in the United States a day later. The movie received critical acclaim, with praise for Craig's reinvention of the character and its departure from the tropes of previous Bond films. It grossed over $616 million worldwide, becoming the fourth highest-grossing film of 2006 and the highest-grossing James Bond film until the release of Skyfall (2012). The sequel, Quantum of Solace, was released in 2008.

Storyline[]

Plot[]

After receiving a license to kill, British Secret Service agent James Bond (Daniel Craig) heads to Madagascar, where he uncovers a link to Le Chiffre (Mads Mikkelsen), a man who finances terrorist organizations. Learning that Le Chiffre plans to raise money in a high-stakes poker game, MI6 sends Bond to play against him, gambling that their newest "00" operative will topple the man's organization.

Genres[]

  • Action
  • Spy
  • Adventure
  • Thriller
  • Mystery
  • Crime Fiction

Motion Picture Rating[]

  • 13 (Argentina)
  • M (Australia)
  • 14 (Austria)
  • KT/EA (Belgium)
  • 14 (Brazil)
  • 14A (Canada) (Alberta/British Columbia/Manitoba)
  • 14A (Canada) (Canadian Home Video rating)
  • PG (Canada) (Nova Scotia/Ontario)
  • 13+ (Canada) (Quebec)
  • TE (Chile)
  • 12 (Colombia)
  • 12 (Czechia) (HBO)
  • 11 (Denmark)
  • 12 (Ecuador) (self-applied)
  • PG-13 (Egypt) (self-applied)
  • K-15/13 (Finland)
  • K-16/13 (Finland)
  • Tous publics avec avertissement (France)
  • 12 (Germany)
  • K-13 (Greece)
  • IIA (Hong Kong)
  • 16 (Hungary)
  • 12 (Iceland)
  • UA (India)
  • U (India) (Tamil dubbed)
  • R (Indonesia) (self-applied)
  • 15A (Ireland)
  • 14 (Israel)
  • T (Italy)
  • G (Japan) (2015)
  • U (Malaysia)
  • P13 (Malaysia) (TV rating)
  • B (Mexico)
  • 12 (Netherlands)
  • M (New Zealand)
  • 15 (Norway)
  • 14 (Peru)
  • PG-13 (Philippines)
  • 12 (Poland) (self-applied)
  • M/12 (Portugal)
  • 12+ (Russia)
  • PG (Singapore)
  • PG13 (Singapore) (TV rating)
  • 13 (South Africa)
  • PG (South Africa) (video)
  • 15 (South Korea)
  • 13 (Spain)
  • 15 (Sweden)
  • 14 (Switzerland) (canton of Geneva)
  • 14 (Switzerland) (canton of Vaud)
  • 12+ (Taiwan)
  • 15 (Thailand)
  • 13A (Turkey) (self-applied)
  • 12A (UK)
  • 12 (UK) (DVD rating, cut theatrical version)
  • 12A (UK) (cut)
  • 15 (UK) (uncut version)
  • PG-13 (USA)
  • PG-15 (United Arab Emirates) (self-applied)

Images[]

Cast and Crew[]

Director[]

  • Martin Campbell

Writing Credits[]

  • Neal Purvis (screenplay) &
  • Robert Wade (screenplay) and
  • Paul Haggis (screenplay)
  • Ian Fleming (novel)

Cast[]

  • Daniel Craig - James Bond
  • Eva Green - Vesper Lynd
  • Mads Mikkelsen - Le Chiffre
  • Judi Dench - M
  • Jeffrey Wright - Felix Leiter
  • Giancarlo Giannini - Rene Mathis
  • Caterina Murino - Solange
  • Simon Abkarian - Alex Dimitrios
  • Isaach De Bankolé - Steven Obanno (as Isaach De Bankole)
  • Jesper Christensen - Mr. White
  • Ivana Milicevic - Valenka
  • Tobias Menzies - Villiers
  • Claudio Santamaria - Carlos
  • Sebastien Foucan - Mollaka (as Sébastien Foucan)
  • Malcolm Sinclair - Dryden
  • Richard Sammel - Adolph Gettler
  • Ludger Pistor - Mendel
  • Joseph Millson - Carter
  • Darwin Shaw - Fisher (as Daud Shah)
  • Clemens Schick - Kratt
  • Emmanuel Avena - Leo
  • Tom Chadbon - Stockbroker
  • Ade - Infante
  • Urbano Barberini - Tomelli
  • Tsai Chin - Madame Wu
  • Charlie Levi Leroy - Gallardo
  • Lazar Ristovski - Kaminofsky
  • Tom So - Fukutu
  • Veruschka von Lehndorff - Gräfin von Wallenstein (as Veruschka)
  • Andreas Daniel - Dealer (as Daniel Andreas)
  • Carlos Leal - Tournament Director
  • Christina Cole - Ocean Club Receptionist
  • Jürgen Tarrach - Schultz
  • John Gold - Card Players
  • Jerry Inzerillo - Card Players
  • Diane Hartford - Card Players
  • Jessica Miller - Dealer
  • Leo Stransky - Tall Man (as Leos Stránský)
  • Paul Bhattacharjee - Hot Room Doctors
  • Crispin Bonham-Carter - Hot Room Doctors
  • Simon Cox - Hot Room Technicians
  • Rebecca Gethings - Hot Room Technicians
  • Peter Notley - MI6 Technician
  • John Chancer - Police Commander
  • Peter Brooke - Airport Policemen
  • Jason Durran - Airport Policemen
  • Robert Jezek - Arresting Officer
  • Robert G. Slade - Pilot
  • Félicité Du Jeu - French News Reporter
  • Michaela Ochotská - Shop Assistant
  • Michael Offei - Obanno's Lieutenant
  • Makhoudia Diaw - Obanno's Liaison
  • Michael G. Wilson - Chief of Police
  • Martina Duravolá - Police Chief's Girlfriends
  • Marcela Martincáková - Police Chief's Girlfriends
  • Vladimír Kulhavý - Croatian General
  • Valentine Nonyela - Nambutu Embassy Official
  • Dusan Pelech - Bartender
  • Phil Meheux - Treasury Bureaucrat (as Phil Méheux)
  • Alessandra Ambrosio - Tennis Girls
  • Veronika Hladikova - Tennis Girls (as Veronika Hladíková)
  • Regina Gabajová - Hotel Splendide Clerk
  • Olutunji Ebun-Cole - Cola Kid
  • Martin Ucík - Barman
  • Vlastina Svátková - Waitress
  • Miroslav Simunek - Disapproving Man
  • Ivan G'Vera - Venice Hotel Concierge
  • Jirí Lenc - Hotel Splendide Limo Driver
  • Jaroslav Jankovsky - Hermitage Waiter

Other Cast (in alphabetical order)[]

  • Alexander Hathaway - British Ambassador
  • Lasco Atkins - Airport Staff (uncredited)
  • Greg Bennett - Airport Driver , Miami (uncredited)
  • Richard Branson - Man at Airport Security (uncredited)
  • Pete Britten - MI6 Technician (uncredited)
  • Adam Nicholas Brown - Main Valet At Ocean Club (uncredited)
  • Martin Campbell - Airport Worker (uncredited)
  • Tara Cardinal - Young Woman in Casino (uncredited)
  • Anthony Chisholm - Ugandan Rebel (uncredited)
  • Mahmud Chowdhury - Restaurant staff (uncredited)
  • Ben Cooke - MI6 Agent (uncredited)
  • Ross Donnelly - Miami Airport Passenger (uncredited)
  • Julie Eagleton - Cricket Match Attendee (uncredited)
  • Glenn Foster - Gettler's Man (uncredited)
  • Nina Aimer Fox - Eva Green Stand-in (uncredited)
  • Jan Loukota - Gallardo's Bodyguard (uncredited)
  • Arnold Montey - MI6 Agent (uncredited)
  • Mark O'Neal - Man in Museum (uncredited)
  • Raj Parmar - Extra (uncredited)
  • Nigel Pilkington - Croupier (uncredited)
  • Simona Roman - Dossier Girl (uncredited)
  • Sol E. Romero - Young Woman in Casino (uncredited)
  • Niki Simone - Women with Bond (uncredited)
  • Victor Sobchak - Barmen & Driver (uncredited)
  • Valarie Trapp - Self (uncredited)
  • Gunther von Hagens - Self (uncredited)

Producers[]

  • Barbara Broccoli (produced by)
  • Guido Cerasuolo (line producer: Italy)
  • Callum McDougall (executive producer)
  • David Minkowski (co-producer: Czech Republic)
  • Andrew Noakes (associate producer)
  • Matthew Stillman (co-producer: Czech Republic)
  • Anthony Waye (executive producer)
  • David G. Wilson (assistant producer)
  • Michael G. Wilson (produced by)
  • Charlie Woebcken (co-producer)

Details[]

Country[]

  • UK
  • USA

Language[]

  • English

Release Dates[]

  • November 14, 2006 (Kuwait)
  • November 15, 2006 (United Arab Emirates)
  • November 15, 2006 (Bahrain)
  • November 15, 2006 (Egypt)
  • November 15, 2006 (Indonesia)
  • November 15, 2006 (Jordan)
  • November 15, 2006 (Oman)
  • November 15, 2006 (Philippines)
  • November 16, 2006 (Czechia)
  • November 16, 2006 (UK)
  • November 16, 2006 (Greece)
  • November 16, 2006 (Ireland)
  • November 16, 2006 (Israel)
  • November 16, 2006 (Kazakhstan)
  • November 16, 2006 (Lebanon)
  • November 16, 2006 (Malaysia)
  • November 16, 2006 (Puerto Rico)
  • November 16, 2006 (Qatar)
  • November 16, 2006 (Russia)
  • November 16, 2006 (Singapore)
  • November 16, 2006 (Slovakia)
  • November 16, 2006 (Syria)
  • November 16, 2006 (Ukraine)
  • November 17, 2006 (Canada)
  • November 17, 2006 (Estonia)
  • November 17, 2006 (Iceland)
  • November 17, 2006 (Lithuania)
  • November 17, 2006 (Latvia)
  • November 17, 2006 (Poland)
  • November 17, 2006 (Turkey)
  • November 17, 2006 (Taiwan)
  • November 17, 2006 (USA)
  • November 22, 2006 (Belgium)
  • November 22, 2006 (Switzerland) (French speaking region)
  • November 22, 2006 (France)
  • November 23, 2006 (Bosnia & Herzegovina)
  • November 23, 2006 (Switzerland) (German speaking region)
  • November 23, 2006 (Germany)
  • November 23, 2006 (Croatia)
  • November 23, 2006 (Netherlands)
  • November 23, 2006 (Portugal)
  • November 23, 2006 (Serbia)
  • November 23, 2006 (Slovenia)
  • November 24, 2006 (Austria)
  • November 24, 2006 (Bulgaria)
  • November 24, 2006 (Denmark)
  • November 24, 2006 (Spain)
  • November 24, 2006 (Finland)
  • November 24, 2006 (Norway)
  • November 24, 2006 (Romania)
  • November 24, 2006 (Sweden)
  • December 1, 2006 (Cameroon)
  • December 1, 2006 (Japan)
  • December 1, 2006 (Kenya)
  • December 1, 2006 (Nigeria)
  • December 1, 2006 (South Africa)
  • December 7, 2006 (Argentina)
  • December 7, 2006 (Australia)
  • December 7, 2006 (Chile)
  • December 7, 2006 (Hungary)
  • December 7, 2006 (New Zealand)
  • December 7, 2006 (Peru)
  • December 7, 2006 (Thailand)
  • December 8, 2006 (Colombia)
  • December 8, 2006 (Ecuador)
  • December 8, 2006 (Mexico)
  • December 8, 2006 (Venezuela)
  • December 15, 2006 (Brazil)
  • December 15, 2006 (India)
  • December 15, 2006 (Pakistan)
  • December 15, 2006 (Uruguay)
  • December 20, 2006 (Hong Kong)
  • December 21, 2006 (South Korea)
  • December 22, 2006 (Panama)
  • December 25, 2006 (Bolivia)
  • December 29, 2006 (Vietnam)
  • January 5, 2007 (Italy)
  • January 30, 2007 (China)
  • November 3, 2008 (Netherlands) (re-release)
  • May 9, 2015 (Spain) (Barcelona) (re-release)
  • September 24, 2021 (Switzerland) (Zurich Film Festival)

Also Known As[]

  • Casino Royale (Argentina)
  • Casino Royale (Australia)
  • 007: Cassino Royale (Brazil)
  • Казино Pоял (Bulgaria) (Bulgarian title)
  • Casino Royale (Canada) (French title)
  • Casino Royale (Canada) (English title)
  • 007：大战皇家赌场 (China) (Mandarin title)
  • Casino Royale (Croatia)
  • Casino Royale (Czechia)
  • Casino Royale (Ecuador)
  • Casino Royale (Egypt) (English title)
  • 007: Casino Royale (Estonia)
  • Casino Royale (France)
  • James Bond 007: Casino Royale (Germany)
  • Casino Royale (Greece)
  • Casino Royale (Hong Kong) (English title)
  • Casino Royale (Hungary)
  • Prapanchaniki Okkadu (India) (Telugu title) (dubbed version)
  • कसिनो रोयाल (India) (Hindi title)
  • Casino Royale (India) (English title)
  • Casino Royale (Indonesia) (English title)
  • קזינו רויאל (Israel) (English title)
  • 007 - Casino Royale (Italy) (alternative title)
  • Casino Royale (Italy)
  • Agente 007 - Casinò Royale (Italy) (informal title)
  • 007: Kajino rowaiyaru (Japan)
  • 007 カジノ・ロワイヤル (Japan) (Japanese title)
  • Kazino Royale (Latvia)
  • Kazino Royale (Lithuania)
  • 007: Casino Royale (Mexico)
  • Casino Royale (Netherlands)
  • Casino Royale (Peru)
  • Casino Royale (Philippines) (English title)
  • Casino Royale (Poland)
  • 007: Casino Royale (Portugal)
  • Casino Royale (Romania)
  • Казино Рояль (Russia)
  • Казино ројал (Serbia)
  • Casino Royale (Singapore) (English title)
  • James Bond: Casino Royale (Slovakia)
  • 007 - Casino Royale (Slovenia)
  • Casino Royale (South Africa) (English title)
  • Casino Royale (South Korea)
  • 007: Casino Royale (Spain) (alternative title)
  • Casino Royale (Spain)
  • Casino Royale (Sweden)
  • 007首部曲：皇家夜總會 (Taiwan)
  • Casino Royale (Thailand) (English title)
  • Casino Royale (Turkey) (Turkish title)
  • 007: Казино Рояль (Ukraine)
  • Bond 21 (UK) (working title)
  • Bond XXI (UK) (working title)
  • Casino Royale (UK)
  • Bond Begins (USA) (fake working title)
  • James Bond 21 (USA) (working title)
  • Casino Royale 007 (USA) (alternative spelling)
  • Casino Royale (USA)
  • Casino Royale (Uruguay) (original subtitled version)
  • Royal kazinosi (Uzbekistan)
  • Casino Royale (Venezuela)
  • Sòng Bạc Hoàng Gia (Vietnam)

Production[]

Development[]

Casino Royale had been produced as a 1954 television episode starring Barry Nelson as Bond and Peter Lorre as the villain Le Chiffre, as well as a non-canonical 1967 ensemble satirical film starring David Niven, Peter Sellers and Woody Allen. Eon Productions gained the rights to Casino Royale in 1999 after Sony Pictures Entertainment exchanged them for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's rights to Spider-Man. In March 2004, Neal Purvis and Robert Wade began writing a screenplay for Pierce Brosnan as Bond, aiming to bring back the flavour of Ian Fleming's original Bond novels. An early draft featured Bond backpacking in Madagascar and playing chess with Lord Lucan. As the drafts got closer to the final storyline, the opening scene in which Bond earns his 00 license was originally going to consist of an adaptation of either the short stories "The Hildebrand Rarity" or "007 in New York." Rather than bombing the Skyfleet jet, there would have been a hijacking of a cruise ship in Cape Town. Paul Haggis' main contribution was to rewrite the climax of the film. He explained, "the draft that was there was very faithful to the book and there was a confession, so in the original draft, the character confessed and killed herself. She then sent Bond to chase after the villains; Bond chased the villains into the house. I don't know why but I thought that Vesper had to be in the sinking house and Bond has to want to kill her and then try and save her." Haggis also said they wanted "to do for Bond what Batman Begins did for Batman." Broccoli and Wilson were mindful that "Die Another Day had become too fantastical", feeling the next film should be more realistic.

Director Quentin Tarantino expressed interest in directing an adaptation of Casino Royale, but Eon was not interested. He claims to have worked behind the scenes with the Fleming family, and believed this was the reason why filmmakers finally went ahead with Casino Royale. Tarantino also said he would have set it in the 1960s and would have only made it with Pierce Brosnan as Bond. In February 2005, Martin Campbell, who previously directed GoldenEye (1995), was announced as the film's director. Later in 2005, Sony led a consortium that purchased MGM, allowing Sony to gain distribution rights starting with the film.

Eon believed that it had relied too heavily on computer-generated imagery effects in the more recent films, particularly Die Another Day, and was keen to accomplish the stunts in Casino Royale "the old fashioned way". In keeping with this drive for more realism, screenwriters Purvis, Wade and Haggis wanted the script to follow as closely as possible the original 1953 novel, keeping Fleming's darker storyline and characterization of Bond. Due to copyright issues related to the ownership of Thunderball, the organization of which Mr White is a part is not named Spectre.

Casting[]

Pierce Brosnan had signed a deal for four films when he was cast in the role of James Bond. This was fulfilled with the production of Die Another Day in 2002 and Brosnan officially announced he was stepping down in February 2004. At one point, producer Michael G. Wilson claimed over 200 names were being considered for his replacement. Croatian actor Goran Višnjić auditioned for the role the same day as Craig, but was reportedly unable to master an English accent. New Zealander Karl Urban was considered, but was unable to make the screen test due to filming commitments. According to Martin Campbell, Henry Cavill was the only other actor in serious contention for the role, but at 22 years old, he was considered too young. Cavill would later say that he was turned down by Campbell as he considered him out of shape for the part. Australian actor Sam Worthington and Scottish actor Dougray Scott were also considered. Scottish actor Sam Heughan also auditioned. Campbell and casting directors Janet Hirshenson and Jane Jenkins said Alex O'Loughlin, Julian McMahon, Ewan McGregor, Rupert Friend, and Antony Starr were screen-tested.

In May 2005, British actor Daniel Craig stated that MGM and producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli had assured him he would get the role of Bond, and Matthew Vaughn told reporters MGM offered him the opportunity to direct the new film, but Eon Productions at that point had not approached either of them. A year beforehand, Craig rejected the idea of starring, as he felt the series had descended into formula; only when he read the script did he become interested. Craig read all of Fleming's novels to prepare for the part, and cited Mossad and British Secret Service agents who served as advisers on the set of Munich as inspiring because, "Bond has just come out of the service and he's a killer. [...] You can see it in their eyes, you know immediately: oh, hello, he's a killer. There's a look. These guys walk into a room and very subtly they check the perimeters for an exit. That's the sort of thing I wanted."

On 14 October 2005, Eon Productions, Sony Pictures Entertainment, and MGM announced at a press conference in London that Craig would be the sixth actor to portray James Bond. Taking time off from reshoots for The Invasion, a business-suit clad, rather long-haired Craig boarded a Royal Marines Rigid Raider from HMS Belfast before travelling to HMS President, where he was introduced to the world's press. Controversy followed the decision, with some critics and fans expressing doubt the producers had made the right choice. Throughout the entire production period, Internet campaigns such as "danielcraigisnotbond.com" expressed their dissatisfaction and threatened to boycott the film in protest. Craig, unlike previous actors, was not considered by the protesters to fit the tall, dark, handsome and charismatic image of Bond to which viewers had been accustomed. The Daily Mirror ran a front-page news story critical of Craig, with the headline, The Name's Bland – James Bland.

The next important casting was that of the lead Bond girl, Vesper Lynd. Casting director Debbie McWilliams acknowledged Hollywood actresses Angelina Jolie and Charlize Theron were "strongly considered" for the role and Belgian actress Cécile de France had also auditioned, but her English accent "wasn't up to scratch." French actress Audrey Tautou was also considered, but not chosen because of her role in The Da Vinci Code, which was released in May 2006. Olivia Wilde was a finalist for the part. On 16 February 2006, French actress Eva Green was announced to play the part.

Filming[]

Principal photography for Casino Royale commenced on 3 January 2006 and concluded on 20 July 2006. The film was primarily shot at Barrandov Studios in Prague, with additional location shooting in the Bahamas, Italy, and the United Kingdom. The shoot concluded at Pinewood Studios. Michael G. Wilson had stated Casino Royale would either be filmed or take place in Prague and South Africa. However, Eon Productions encountered problems in securing film locations in South Africa. After no other locations became available, the producers had to reconsider their options. In September 2005, Martin Campbell and director of photography Phil Méheux were scouting Paradise Island in the Bahamas as a possible location for the film. On 6 October 2005, Martin Campbell confirmed Casino Royale would film in the Bahamas and "maybe Italy". In addition to the extensive location filming, studio work including choreography and stunt co-ordination practice was performed at the Barrandov Studios in Prague, and at Pinewood Studios, where the film used several stages, the paddock tank, and the 007 Stage. Further shooting in the UK was scheduled for Dunsfold Aerodrome in Surrey, the cricket pavilion at Eton College (although that scene was cut from the completed movie), and the Millbrook Vehicle Proving Ground in Bedfordshire.

After Prague, the production moved to the Bahamas. Several locations around New Providence were used for filming during February and March, particularly on Paradise Island. Footage set in Mbale, Uganda, was filmed at Black Park, a country park in Buckinghamshire, on 4 July 2006. Additional scenes took place at Albany House, an estate owned by golfers Ernie Els and Tiger Woods. The crew returned to the Czech Republic in April, and continued there, filming in Prague, Planá, and Loket, before completing in the town of Karlovy Vary in May. Karlovy Vary was used as the exterior of the Casino Royale, with the Grandhotel Pupp serving as "Hotel Splendide".

The main Italian location was Venice, where the majority of the film's ending is set. The scene with Bond on a sailboat was filmed aboard a 54-foot (16 m) yacht named Spirit. She was constructed by Spirit Yachts in Suffolk, England, and had to be demasted to fit under various Venetian bridges to reach the filming location. For this reason, SV Spirit "was the first sailing boat to go up the Grand Canal in Venice for 300 years".

Other scenes in the latter half of the film were shot in late May and early June at the Villa del Balbianello on the shores of Lake Como. Further exterior shooting for the movie took place at properties such as the Villa La Gaeta, near the lakeside town of Menaggio.

A recreation of the Body Worlds exhibit provided a setting for one scene in the film. Among the Body Worlds plastinates featured in that scene were the Poker Playing Trio (which plays a key role in one scene) and Rearing Horse and Rider. The exhibition's developer and promoter, German anatomist Gunther von Hagens also has a cameo appearance in the film, although only his trademark hat is actually visible on screen.

Effects[]

In designing the credit sequence for the film, graphic designer Daniel Kleinman was inspired by the cover of the 1953 British first edition of Casino Royale, which featured Ian Fleming's original design of a playing card bordered by eight red hearts dripping with blood. Kleinman said, "The hearts not only represent cards but the tribulations of Bond's love story. So I took that as inspiration to use playing card graphics in different ways in the titles," like a club representing a puff of gun smoke, and slashed arteries spurting thousands of tiny hearts. In creating the shadow images of the sequence, Kleinman digitized the footage of Craig and the film's stuntmen on the Inferno visual effects system, at Framestore CFC in London; the actors' silhouettes were incorporated into more than 20 digitally animated scenes depicting intricate and innovative card patterns. Kleinman decided not to use the female silhouettes commonly seen throughout the Bond title sequences, considering that the women did not fit with both the film's spirit and the storyline following Bond falling in love.

For the rest of the film, Chris Corbould, the special effects and miniature effects supervisor, returned to a more realistic style of film making and significantly reduced digital effects. According to Corbould, "CGI is a great tool and can be very useful, but I will fight to the tooth and nail to do something for real. It's the best way to go". Three scenes involving primarily physical effects in the film were the chase at a building site in Madagascar, the Miami Airport chase sequence, and the sinking Venetian house, with sets located on the Grand Canal and in Pinewood Studios.

The first scenes shot were ones involving a Madagascar building site, shot in the Bahamas on the site of a derelict hotel with which Michael G. Wilson had become acquainted in 1977 during the filming of The Spy Who Loved Me. In the scene, Bond drives a digger towards the building, slamming into the concrete plinth on which Mollaka is running. The stunt team built a model and put forward several ways in which the digger could conceivably take out the concrete, including taking out the pillar underneath. A section of the concrete wall was removed to fit the digger and reinforced with steel.

The sequence at Miami International Airport was partly shot at the Dunsfold Aerodrome, in Surrey, which is known from British car show Top Gear, with some footage from the Prague and Miami airports. In filming the scene in which the engine thrust of the moving aircraft blows the police car high into the air, second unit directors Ian Lowe, Terry Madden, and Alex Witt used a crane with a strong lead cable attached to the rear bumper of the vehicle to move it up and backwards at the moment of full extension away from the plane.

The Skyfleet S570 aircraft in the film was an ex-British Airways 747-200B G-BDXJ, which had its engines removed and was modified for its appearance in the film. The modified aircraft had the outboard engines replaced by external fuel tanks, while the inboard engines were replaced by a mock-up pair of engines on each inboard pylon. The cockpit profile was altered to make the 747 look like a prototype of an advanced airliner.

The sinking of the Venetian house at the climax of the film featured the largest rig ever built for a Bond film, with tank consisting of a Venetian piazza and the interior of an abandoned house being constructed. The rig, weighing some 90 tons, incorporated electronics with hydraulic valves that were closely controlled by computer because of the dynamic movement within the system on its two axes. The same computer system also controlled the exterior model, which the effects team had built to one-third scale to film the building eventually collapsing into the Venetian canal. The model lift within the rig could be immersed in 19 feet (5.8 m) of water, and used banks of compressors to strictly regulate movement.

At the time of filming, Aston Martin was still in the final phases of designing the DBS. Aston Martin delivered two working 'hero' cars to the film. In addition to the two 'hero' cars, Aston Martin had to prepare, and reinforce to withstand impact, three former development DB9s for use as DBS look-a-like stunt cars for the scene involving the car crash. Also a white prototype DB9 manual was supplied to the film crew so that the stunt drivers had something to practice with. Owing to the low centre of gravity of the vehicle, an 18-inch (450 mm) ramp had to be implemented on the road tarmac at Millbrook Proving Grounds and Adam Kirley, the stunt driver who performed the stunt, had to use an air cannon located behind the driver's seat to propel the car into a roll at the precise moment of impact. At a speed exceeding 70 mph (113 km/h), the car rotated seven times while being filmed, and was confirmed by the Guinness Book of Records on 5 November 2006 as a new world record.

Music[]

Producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli announced on 26 July 2006 Chris Cornell had composed and would perform the title song, "You Know My Name". The song's main notes are played throughout the film as a substitute for the James Bond Theme, to represent Bond's youth and inexperience. The classic theme only plays during the end credits to signal the climax of his character arc.

Promotional marketers[]

In a reported £14 million deal between the film's production and car manufacturer Ford, Ford's 2007 model Mondeo would appear in the film and it being driven by the Bond character. Both Sony and Sony Ericsson also made deals, making prominent appearances of tech products in the film including a Blu-ray player, Vaio laptop, Cyber-shot camera, Walkman NW-HD5 digital music player, and a Sony Ericsson K800i handset.

Release[]

Casino Royale premiered at the Odeon Leicester Square, the Odeon West End and the Empire simultaneously in London on 14 November 2006. It marked the 60th Royal Film Performance and benefited the Cinema & Television Benevolent Fund (CTBF), whose patron, Queen Elizabeth II, was in attendance with the Duke of Edinburgh. Along with the cast and crew, numerous celebrities and 5,000 paying guests were also in attendance with half the proceeds benefiting the CTBF.

Only two days following the premiere, unlicensed copies appeared for sale in London. "The rapid appearance of this film on the streets shows the sophistication and organisation behind film piracy in the UK," said Kieron Sharp, from the Federation Against Copyright Theft. Infringing copies of the DVD were selling for less than £1.57. Craig himself was offered such a DVD while walking anonymously through the streets of Beijing wearing a hat and glasses to avoid being identified.

In January 2007, Casino Royale became the first Bond film ever to be shown in mainland Chinese cinemas. The Chinese version was edited before release, with the reference to the Cold War re-dubbed and new dialogue added during the poker scene explaining the process of Texas hold 'em, as the game is less familiar in China (this addition is reminiscent of dialogue that was added to the 1954 American TV adaptation to explain the rules of baccarat, the game featured in the original book). Casino Royale has earned approximately $11.7 million in China since its opening on 30 January on 468 screens, including a record opening weekend collection for a non-Chinese film, with $1.5 million.

After critics dubbed Die Another Day "Buy Another Day" because of around 20 product placement deals, Eon limited their promotions for Casino Royale. Partners included Ford, Heineken (which Eva Green starred in adverts for), Smirnoff, Omega SA, Virgin Atlantic and Sony Ericsson.

Home media[]

Casino Royale was simultaneously released on DVD, UMD and Blu-ray Disc on 16 March 2007. In the UK, Casino Royale was released on 16 March 2007 on DVD and Blu-ray Disc. The DVD and Blu-ray Disc releases broke sales records: the Region 1 Blu-ray Disc edition became the highest selling high-definition title to date, selling more than 100,000 copies since its release. The region 2 DVD edition achieved the record of fastest selling title for its first-week release. The UK DVD has continued to sell well, with 1,622,852 copies sold since 19 March. A copy of the Blu-ray Disc edition of Casino Royale was given out to the first 500,000 PAL PlayStation 3 owners who signed up to the PlayStation Network. The DVD was released in a separate two-disc widescreen and fullscreen editions, both of which includes the official music video for the film, and three documentaries detailing how Daniel Craig was chosen for the role of Bond, the filming, and an expanded version of the Bond Girls Are Forever documentary incorporating new interviews with Casino Royale cast members.

A three-disc edition of Casino Royale on DVD was released in the United Kingdom on 31 October 2008, coinciding with the cinema release of the sequel, Quantum of Solace (the following week in the United States). As well as features present from the 2007 release, the collector's edition contains an audio commentary, deleted scenes, featurettes and a storyboard-to-film comparison. A two-disc Blu-ray version also followed in late 2008, featuring additional supplementary materials, enhanced interactivity through BD-Live, and the previous version's 5.1 PCM soundtrack was replaced with a similar 5.1 Dolby TrueHD soundtrack.

Casino Royale was released a third time on Blu-ray in 2012 with DTS audio and deleted scenes, but it had fewer special features than the 2008 edition. It was released on 4K UHD Blu-ray on 25 February 2020.

Cuts and censorship[]

Casino Royale was censored for its release in Britain, the United States, Germany and China.

In Britain, by omitting some of Le Chiffre's sadism and James Bond's reactions in the torture scene, the film received the desired BBFC 12A rating. In the United States, two fight scenes were censored to achieve a PG-13 rating: the fight between Bond and the traitorous MI6 agent's contact Fisher, and the fight between Bond and Obanno in the stairway at the Casino Royale.

The German edit of the film cuts a sequence where the bomb-planter at the airport breaks a man's neck, instead replacing it with an alternative take. The mainland Chinese cut of the film also trims the torture scene and the stairway fight, as well as a shot of Bond cleaning his wound at the hotel, and a boat scene.

The fully uncensored version can be found on the Australian, Dutch, French, Hong Kong, Japanese, and Scandinavian Blu-ray and DVD releases, on UK Blu-ray releases from 2012 onwards (rated 15), and on the 4K UHD Blu-ray release (branded as an unrated "extended" cut).

Reception[]

Box office[]

The film has earned $606,099,584 worldwide. Casino Royale was the fourth-highest-grossing film of 2006, and was the highest-grossing installment of the James Bond series until Skyfall surpassed it in November 2012.

Upon its release in the United Kingdom, Casino Royale broke series records on both opening day—£1.7 million—and opening weekend—£13,370,969. At the end of its box-office run, the film had grossed £55.4 million, making it the most successful film of the year in the UK, and, as of 2011, the tenth-highest-grossing film of all time in the country.

On its US opening day, Casino Royale was on top with $14,741,135, and throughout the weekend grossed a total of $40,833,156, placing it second in the ranking behind Happy Feet ($41.5 million). However, Casino Royale was playing in 370 fewer cinemas and had a better average ($11,890 per cinema, against $10,918 for Happy Feet). It earned $167,445,960 by the end of its run in North America, marking what was at the time the highest-grossing film of the series, before being surpassed by Quantum of Solace's $168.4 million.

On 18 November 2006, Casino Royale opened at the first position in 27 countries, with a weekend gross of $43,407,886 in the non-UK, Irish, US and Canada markets. The film retained the top spot at the worldwide box office for four weeks.

Critical response[]

On review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film received an approval rating of 94% based on 263 reviews, with an average rating of 7.9/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "Casino Royale disposes of the silliness and gadgetry that plagued recent James Bond outings, and Daniel Craig delivers what fans and critics have been waiting for: a caustic, haunted, intense reinvention of 007." On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 80 out of 100 based on 46 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews". Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A−" on an A+ to F scale.

Craig's performance and credibility were particularly praised. During production, Craig had been subject to debate by the media and the public, as he did not appear to fit Ian Fleming's original portrait of the character as tall, dark and suave. The Daily Telegraph compared the quality of Craig's characterization of Bond to Sean Connery's and praised the script as smartly written, noting how the film departed from the series' conventions. The Times compared Craig's portrayal of the character to that of Timothy Dalton, and praised the action as "edgy", with another reviewer citing in particular the action sequence involving the cranes in Madagascar. Critics Paul Arendt of BBC Films, Kim Newman of Empire, and Todd McCarthy of Variety all described Craig as the first actor to truly embody Ian Fleming's James Bond from the original novel: ironic, brutal and cold. Arendt commented, "Craig is the first actor to really nail 007's defining characteristic: he's an absolute swine".

The film was similarly well received in North America. MSNBC gave the movie a perfect 5 star rating. The film was described as taking James Bond "back to his roots", similar to From Russia with Love, where the focus was on character and plot rather than the high-tech gadgets and visual effects that were strongly criticized in Die Another Day. Entertainment Weekly named the film as the fifth best of the series, and chose Vesper Lynd as the fourth best Bond girl in the series. Some newspaper columnists and critics were impressed enough by Craig's performance to consider him a viable candidate for an Academy Award nomination.

Roger Ebert gave the film a four out of four star rating, and wrote that "Craig makes a superb Bond ... who gives the sense of a hard man, wounded by life and his job, who nevertheless cares about people and right and wrong," and that the film "has the answers to all my complaints about the 45-year-old James Bond series," specifically "why nobody in a Bond movie ever seems to have any real emotions." Time Out New York's Joshua Rothkopf called Craig "the best Bond in the franchise's history," citing the actor's "crisp, hateful, Mamet-worthy snarl ... This is a screwed-up Bond, a rogue Bond, a bounder, a scrapper and, in the movie's astoundingly bleak coda, an openhearted lover."

Vicky Allan of the Sunday Herald noted Bond himself, and not his love interests, was sexually objectified in this film: A moment where he rises from the sea is reminiscent of Ursula Andress in Dr. No; he feels "skewered" by Vesper Lynd's criticism of him; "and though it would be almost unthinkable now have a female character in a mainstream film stripped naked and threatened with genital mutilation, that is exactly what happens to Bond in [the film]." So although the film backed off from past criticism of Bond girls being sex objects, "the once invincible James Bond becomes just another joint at the meat market." This sentiment is shared by the University of Leicester's James Chapman, author of Licence to Thrill, who also notes Craig's Bond is "not yet the polished article"; he felt his incarnation of Bond is close to Fleming's because he is "humourless," but is also different because "Fleming's Bond did not enjoy killing; Craig's Bond seems almost to relish it." Andrew Sarris of The New York Observer wrote that this particular Bond film is "the very first that I would seriously consider placing on my own yearly 10-best list. Furthermore, I consider Daniel Craig to be the most effective and appealing of the six actors who have played 007, and that includes even Sean Connery."

Roger Moore wrote, "Daniel Craig impressed me so greatly in his debut outing, Casino Royale, by introducing a more gritty, unrefined edge to the character that I thought Sean [Connery] might just have to move over. Craig's interpretation was like nothing we'd seen on screen before; Jimmy Bond was earning his stripes and making mistakes. It was intriguing to see him being castigated by M, just like a naughty schoolboy would be by his headmaster. The script showed him as a vulnerable, troubled, and flawed character. Quite the opposite to my Bond! Craig was, and is, very much the Bond Ian Fleming had described in the books – a ruthless killing machine. It was a Bond that the public wanted." Moore also quipped that his praise was "not heaped lightly," because he had to purchase the DVD himself. Raymond Benson, the author of nine Bond novels, called Casino Royale "a perfect Bond film."

The film met with mixed reactions from other critics. John Beifuss of The Commercial Appeal said, "Who wants to see Bond learn a lesson about ego, as if he were Greg Brady in his 'Johnny Bravo' phase?" Anthony Lane of The New Yorker criticized the more imperfect and self-aware depiction of the character, saying, "Even James Bond, in other words, wants to be 007."

Though American radio personality Michael Medved gave the film three stars out of four, describing it as "intriguing, audacious and very original ... more believable and less cartoonish, than previous 007 extravaganzas"; he commented further that the "sometimes sluggish pacing will frustrate some Bond fanatics." Commentators such as Emanuel Levy concurred, feeling the ending was too long, and that the film's terrorist villains lacked depth, although he praised Craig and gave the film a B+ overall. Other reviewers responded negatively, including Tim Adams of The Observer, who felt the film came off uncomfortably in an attempt to make the series grittier.

In December 2006, Casino Royale was named the best film of the year by viewers of Film 2006. In 2009, UK ice cream company Del Monte Superfruit Smoothies launched an ice lolly moulded to resemble Craig emerging from the sea. In 2008, Entertainment Weekly named Casino Royale the 19th-best film of the past 25 years.

Company Credits[]

Production Companies[]

  • Columbia Pictures (copyright holder)
  • Eon Productions (presents) (as Albert R. Broccoli's Eon Productions Limited)
  • Casino Royale Productions
  • Stillking Films
  • Casino Royale
  • Studio Babelsberg (as Babelsberg Film)
  • Government of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas (produced with the support of)
  • Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)
  • Danjaq (copyright holder)
  • United Artists (copyright holder)

Distributors[]

Special Effects[]

  • AVC Productions (computer and video effects)
  • Peerless Camera Company (visual effects)
  • Double Negative (DNEG) (visual effects)
  • Baseblack (additional visual effects)
  • Fuzzygoat (additional visual effects) (as Fuzzy Goat)
  • Cinesite (additional visual effects) (as Cinesite Europe)
  • Moving Picture Company (MPC) (additional visual effects)
  • Blind (computer graphics and animation)
  • KNB EFX Group
  • Plowman Craven & Associates (3D Cyber scanning and digital modelling)

Technical Specs[]

Runtime[]

  • 144 mins

Color[]

  • Color
  • Black and White (opening sequence)

Sound Mix[]

  • DTS
  • Dolby Digital
  • SDDS

Aspect Ratio[]

  • 2.39:1
  • 1.78:1 (16:9 Widescreen & IMAX prints)
  • 1.33:1 (4:3 fullscreen prints)

Trivia[]

  • Richard Branson makes an appearance in the airport going through security.
  • In 2004, American Quentin Tarantino was said to have lobbied EON Productions to let him do a "proper" film adaptation of Fleming's novel, based on a screenplay he had written that would have starred Pierce Brosnan as James Bond and Uma Thurman as Vesper Lynd. Ultimately, the company assigned the film to someone else, and Tarantino claims his pursuit ended when he learned that Brosnan would not be playing Bond. Tarantino's proposed version would have been set immediately after the death of Bond's wife Tracy in On Her Majesty's Secret Service. However, since Tarantino does not belong to the Directors Guild of America he is unable to work with Sony or UA/MGM, so many see this as a publicity stunt on Tarantino's part.
  • Ever since the rights to Casino Royale were purchased by MGM, it was often speculated that a serious adaptation of the book could now be considered. At one point, Die Another Day was rumored to be an adaptation of Casino Royale.
  • According to a September 2003 article in the Daily Record, the title of Bond 21 was at one point going to be The Man with the Red Tattoo and be based upon Raymond Benson's final Bond novel from 2002. It is not known whether EON ever seriously considered this.
  • Notable as the first EON Bond film to not open with the standard gunbarrel sequence. A stylized version appears leading into the opening credits. The next two film would feature the gunbarrel sequence at the end, leading into the closing credits. Not until Spectre would the gunbarrel opening be featured again.
  • Casino Royale is the only Daniel Craig-era Bond film to not feature Rory Kinnear as Bill Tanner.
  • This was the first Bond movie since GoldenEye not to open the same year as an Austin Powers movie, a 3-movie franchise that was a James Bond spoof.
  • In the shower scene, Vesper (Eva Green) was originally scripted to be wearing nothing but her underwear. Daniel Craig argued that Vesper would not have stopped to take her clothes off, and the scene was changed.
  • For Daniel Craig's now iconic scene where he rises out of the sea in a pair of Speedos, many of the crew were out of camera range in boats fending off the paparazzi.
  • This is the first movie in the forty-four years of James Bond where it rains.
  • First James Bond movie to be based on a full-length Ian Fleming novel since Moonraker (1979). Until 2019, it remains as the last James Bond movie based directly on an Ian Fleming novel.
  • Daniel Craig became the first actor to be nominated for a BAFTA (British Academy) Award for playing James Bond.
  • According to the book "Bond on Bond" (2015) by Sir Roger Moore, producer Kevin McClory (who previously owned the movie rights to S.P.E.C.T.R.E., the character Ernst Stavro Blofeld, any Thunderball (1965) remake, and other various outlines, scripts, and treatments) "had been a long-time pain in EON's behind, and they couldn't use the Blofeld character or his organization (S.P.E.C.T.R.E.) for fear of litigation, which is how the Quantum idea came about, as originally the producers had hoped to introduce Spectre as the villains in Casino Royale (2006) and Quantum of Solace (2008), but now (in 2013), seven years after McClory's death (when a settlement was made by MGM and EON Productions with McClory's estate), they could finally bring everything back under one roof."
  • One week after filming was completed, the 007 Stage at Pinewood Studios burned down on July 30, 2006. This was the second time this had happened, the first being before filming A View to a Kill (1985). The filmmakers had just finished using the stage for filming interiors set in Venice for the movie.
  • In one scene, James Bond was supposed to be swimming at the beach when he sees Solange (the wife of the villain, played by Caterina Murino) riding on a horse and the two make eye contact. Craig says that while shooting the scene, he accidentally hit an awkwardly situated sandbank that forced him to stand up and walk out of the water, instead of just floating off as the script said. The image of Craig stepping out of the water ended up being plastered all over the promotional material for this movie, with many people assuming that it was a nod to Ursula Andress emerging from the beach in the first Bond movie, Dr. No (1962). The perceived homage to Bond's legacy likely helped win over many reluctant fans, many of whom were leery when it was announced that an unknown actor was taking over the helm of the franchise. It also helped launch James Bond as a more modern and rugged 007. But the main effect was on Daniel Craig's career: The scene single-handedly turned him into an international sex symbol. Craig said he realized right away that the moment would draw comparisons to Andress, but he didn't think that he "would be haunted by it for the rest of my life."
  • The location used in the Bahamas as the Madagascar Construction site was an abandoned hotel site at Coral Harbour that was under construction thirty years ago. It was used to film hotel rooms for the James Bond movie Thunderball (1965), and it was also used for the Bond movie The Spy Who Loved Me (1977) as a camera platform with models and workshops. It is now part of a military base.
  • Unlike previous Bond films, images of semi-nude girls were omitted from the opening titles, as Bond is finally becoming current with the times, as the "Playboy era" had long past. An example of the earlier mentality was seen in On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969) in which Bond not only reads the magazine but he steals the centerfold. While romance continues to be a major Bond theme, the objectification of women is definitely out.
  • This is the first movie since Dr. No (1962) where there were no nude dancing females during the opening title sequence.
  • Product placement was deliberately scaled back following the criticism levelled at Die Another Day (2002), which earned itself the nickname "Buy Another Day".
  • This is the first time that Felix Leiter returned to the James Bond films since Licence to Kill (1989), the second being Quantum of Solace (2008), and the third being No Time to Die (2021).
  • As of 2020, this was highest-grossing Bond film, until Skyfall (2012) surpassed it.
  • Quentin Tarantino showed interest in adapting Ian Fleming's novel "Casino Royale" with an "out of continuity" universe that would feature Pierce Brosnan as James Bond. He claimed his treatment for the Bond movie was different, shooting the movie in black and white, with no classic John Barry theme, no opening title credits, or the familiar one-liners, and using voice-over narration in order to incorporate Fleming's text. The movie would have been more film noir, set firmly in the cold war era, about which time Ian Fleming wrote, and would have been set immediately after the death of Bond's wife Tracy in On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969). It's frequently reported that EON rejected his offer. The truth is, EON would not have been able to hire Tarantino, as he refuses to join the Directors Guild, and it's doubtful the Directors Guild would be willing to grant a waiver. Tarantino would not be able to develop a Bond project on his own, as he does not have rights to the character.
  • The three-piece navy blue suit worn by Daniel Craig at the end of this movie resembles the gray suit worn by Sir Sean Connery in Goldfinger (1964). The Goldfinger suit has lapels on the waistcoat and other distinct differences appropriate for the different era and Connery's height.
  • This marks the second time there is a foot chase in a James Bond movie, the first being the foot chase through the parade in Thunderball (1965).
  • Daniel Craig is the first James Bond not to act with Desmond Llewelyn, who played Q in seventeen of the previous twenty movies, and died in 1999.
  • In the opening sequence, the shape into which clubs symbol "grows" is called a Mandelbrot Set in chaos theory, and has infinite complexity.
  • The black-and-white opening of this movie was an idea of director of photography Phil Meheux, who conceived it so as to give a surprise to viewers, as well as a nod to The Spy Who Came in from the Cold (1965) and Reflections in a Golden Eye (1967). The opening sequence required six thousand feet (one hour and six minute's worth, at twenty-four frames per second) of Eastman Double-X 5222 black-and-white negative film. At the time of its release, this movie is the only film in the official series to have a significant sequence filmed in black-and-white. However, some of the shots of James Bond in the gun barrel sequences in the early movies were in black and white. Also, Climax! (1954) season one, episode three, "Casino Royale", was completely in black-and-white.
  • "Casino Royale" was the first James Bond novel written by Ian Fleming, and is the last of the original Fleming novels to be filmed by EON Productions. The shooting of this movie now means EON Productions has filmed the entire canon of Fleming James Bond novels, although some just in title (for example: The Spy Who Loved Me (1977), Moonraker (1979), and You Only Live Twice (1967)).
  • The supposed homage to Honey Ryder's famous entrance in Dr. No (1962) occurred because Daniel Craig hit a sandbar while swimming, forcing him to stand up and walk to shore.
  • Marks the first time since The Living Daylights (1987) that a James Bond movie has used an original Ian Fleming short story or novel title.
  • The final two contenders for the role of James Bond were Daniel Craig and Henry Cavill. However, at 22, Cavill was deemed too young for the role, so Craig got the part. Cavill, who was 32 as of the release of Spectre (2015), (the same that Sir Sean Connery was when he took on the role), is now a fan favorite to take on the role once Craig steps aside.
  • Daniel Craig's role in Layer Cake (2004) clinched the role of James Bond for him over the other competing rival actors. DVD and video rentals of the movie went up after the announcement Daniel Craig would be the new James Bond. The Layer Cake (2004) end-of-movie Bondesque line has Craig say "My name? If you knew that, you'd be as clever as me", evoking the famous catchphrase "The name is Bond, James Bond".
  • During the black-and-white sequence at the beginning, Dryden goes up in an elevator, showing the floor indicator. The scene cuts before the elevator goes higher than six, because Bond has not yet earned his "double-0" status, 007.
  • The first EON Productions James Bond movie to feature the Columbia Pictures logo. Columbia Pictures produced the James Bond spoof Casino Royale (1967), and was attempting to make a second adaptation of the novel, before it bought MGM.
  • "Q" does not appear in this movie. The last time this happened was in Live and Let Die (1973), which was Sir Roger Moore's debut as Bond. (It is possible however that the unnamed MI6 Technician who implants a tracking device in Bond's is, if not the current Q, at least someone who works in Q Branch.)
  • This is the first EON Productions film to feature ally Rene Mathis. Mathis appeared in the original Ian Fleming novel, but not the movie From Russia with Love (1963), and variations of this character's name have appeared in Climax! (1954) season one, episode three, "Casino Royale" (as Valerie Mathis) and Casino Royale (1967) (as Inspector Mathis). Rene Mathis returned in Quantum of Solace (2008).
  • First EON Productions James Bond film to mark many firsts: First to have a major black and white sequence, first not to feature Miss Moneypenny, nor the gun barrel walk, and first to have the gun barrel sequence start after the opening sequence. It was also the first to have an animated opening sequence since Dr. No (1962), and the first for any Bond film since Casino Royale (1967). First EON Productions James Bond movie not to feature "Q" since Live and Let Die (1973). First Bond movie to feature a Casino Royale casino building since the unofficial Never Say Never Again (1983), the first to have a noticeably different opening gun barrel sequence (the graphics of the gun barrel view are markedly different), and the first EON Productions Bond film to be released in a year ending in 6.
  • The free running (parkour) sequence was inspired by an edited-out roof-top chase sequence from On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969). Quantum of Solace (2008) contains a real roof-top chase sequence. As such, now both movies reference On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969).
  • This is only the second time that M's house has been shown in an official EON Productions movie. The first was in On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969). The unofficial Casino Royale (1967) also showed M's house.
  • In designing the credit sequence for this movie, graphic designer Daniel Kleinman was inspired by the cover of the 1953 British first edition of the novel, which featured Ian Fleming's original design of a playing card bordered by eight red hearts dripping with blood. Kleinman said, "The hearts not only represent cards, but the tribulations of Bond's love story. So I took that as inspiration to use playing card graphics in different ways in the titles", like a club representing a puff of gun smoke, and slashed arteries spurting thousands of tiny hearts. In creating the shadow images of the sequence, Kleinman digitized the footage of Daniel Craig and the stuntmen on the Inferno visual effects system at Framestore CFC in London. The actors' silhouettes were incorporated into more than twenty digitally animated scenes depicting intricate and innovative card patterns. Kleinman decided not to use the female silhouettes commonly seen throughout the James Bond title sequences, considering that the women did not fit with this movie's spirit and the storyline following Bond falling in love.
  • This is the only James Bond movie where you see M in bed, and with someone.
  • The three piece suit worn by Daniel Craig at the end of this movie is a navy version of the gray suit worn by Sir Sean Connery in Goldfinger (1964).
  • Adjusted for inflation, this is the fifth most financially successful of the James Bond movies, behind Thunderball (1965), Goldfinger (1964), You Only Live Twice (1967), and The Spy Who Loved Me (1977).
  • The first official James Bond movie to start without the famous gun barrel introduction, which is shown just before the opening titles. It is also a distinctly different style to any previous movie. It is rendered in black-and-white, the blood falls in fast rivulets, the rifling of the barrel is markedly changed, Bond is dressed more casually (not in a tuxedo nor suit and tie) and for the first time in the franchise, the viewer has seen the person Bond shoots. Additionally, this is the first gun barrel sequence without some variation of the "James Bond theme", as it is accompanied by the opening bars of the theme song, "You Know My Name", sung by Chris Cornell. A more traditional gun barrel was included in Quantum of Solace (2008), but it is not shown until right before the closing credits.
  • Daniel Craig's now infamous swimming trunks are made by La Perla.
  • This movie takes place from July to August 2006.
  • Chris Cornell's performance of the opening credits song, "You Know My Name", makes him the first American male to perform a James Bond opening credits song. Louis Armstrong's "We Have All The Time In The World", from On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969) was a closing theme.
  • Daniel Craig is the first actor to be under the age of forty to play James Bond since Sir Sean Connery in Dr. No (1962), and George Lazenby in On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969).
  • To prepare for the filming of the Texas Hold 'Em poker card games, including the main card game at the Casino Royale, for homework, director Martin Campbell watched such classic card games movies as The Sting (1973), Maverick (1994), and The Cincinnati Kid (1965).
  • Ian Fleming received three offers for the film rights to his novel during 1954. Producer and director Gregory Ratoff bought the rights to the novel in May 1954 for $600. It was a six month option, and Ratoff took this to CBS, which produced and broadcast this one hour episode for Climax! (1954). CBS purchased the rights to the novel for $1,000. John Shepridge negotiated the sale of the film and television rights in 1954. Before the sale, the novel had not been successful, and was retitled and Americanized for its paperback issue. Fleming also needed money. Twelve months later, and after the television screening, Ratoff bought "Casino Royale" outright in perpetuity for an additional $6,000. Both sales, including the option and the buy-out, are considered to have been sold too cheaply and were two sales that Ian Fleming later regretted. With the money from the larger sale, Ian Fleming bought a Ford Thunderbird, at the cost of £3,000. Gregory Ratoff passed away on December 14, 1960. His widow, in 1961, sold the rights to Charles K. Feldman for $75,000. Feldman went on to make Casino Royale (1967), and it would not be made as an EON Productions movie for another thirty-nine years.
  • First James Bond movie since Moonraker (1979) to use a villain from the Bond novels.
  • Daniel Craig and Eva Green appeared in The Golden Compass (2007).
  • During the opening credits animation, sniper crosshairs morph into roulette wheels. These wheels have the usual red and black numbers, but just a green single zero on them, and not the more common ones that have both a single zero and a double zero. This is because James Bond hadn't quite yet been given his "Double-0" status.
  • This is the first EON Productions official James Bond movie to pretty much utilize all of the main characters from an original Ian Fleming James Bond novel since Live and Let Die (1973).
  • First James Bond movie in the EON Productions series not to have a major pre-credits action stunt sequence since The Man with the Golden Gun (1974).
  • Venice is a major setting in this movie, and it's the third time in the EON Productions official James Bond series. The others being From Russia with Love (1963) and Moonraker (1979).
  • Ernst Stavro Blofeld, portrayed in Spectre (2015) and No Time to Die (2020) by Christoph Waltz, is one of three recurring villains in the official James Bond film franchise. The other two are henchmen Jaws (Richard Kiel), from Moonraker (1979) and The Spy Who Loved Me (1977), and Mr. White (Jesper Christiansen), from Spectre (2015), this movie, and Quantum of Solace (2008). Of these three recurring villains, two, Mr. White and Ernst Stavro Blofeld, appeared in one of the same movies, which is Spectre (2015). Of the three villains, only two, Jaws and Mr. White, are the only ones who have always been portrayed by the same actor.
  • The interior of the sinking house was based on the interior of the Hotel Danieli, Venice, Italy which appeared in Moonraker (1979).
  • First significant animated opening title sequence in a James Bond movie since the 1960s.
  • This is the first official James Bond movie to be co-produced by Columbia Pictures, owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment. This is a result of Sony's acquisition of MGM, along with Bond rights co-owner United Artists. Columbia Pictures had originally co-produced and distributed Casino Royale (1967).
  • The license plate number of James Bond's silver birch Aston Martin DB5 is 56526. It's the same model as used in Goldfinger (1964) and Thunderball (1965).
  • Second official EON Productions James Bond movie to feature a casino in the Bahamas. The first was Thunderball (1965).
  • Final James Bond movie to use the Walther P99 as Bond's main gun. This was the last movie to feature that gun as part of the four-movie deal, which started with Tomorrow Never Dies (1997). Bond's original main gun, the Walther PPK, was re-used in Quantum of Solace (2008).
  • Daniel Craig and Mads Mikkelsen later both appeared in the Star Wars film franchise: Craig made a cameo as a First Order storm-trooper in Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens (2015), and Mikkelsen portrayed Galen Erso in Rogue One (2016).
  • The license plate number of James Bond's silver birch 1964 Aston Martin DB5 is 56526. The car from Goldfinger (1964) and Thunderball (1965) had the steering wheel on the right side, and in this movie, its on the left side.
  • The first James Bond movie since Licence to Kill (1989) to be based on a story or have story elements written by Ian Fleming.
  • First James Bond movie since GoldenEye (1995) not to be released in the same year as an Austin Powers movie, the series that spoofed the Bond movies.
  • This is the fifth EON Productions James Bond movie not to mention the movie's name in a song during the opening title sequence. The others being Dr. No (1962), From Russia with Love (1963), On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969), and Octopussy (1983) ("All Time High"). Note that the lyrics "From Russia With Love" are not heard during the opening titles of that movie, as the instrumental, not vocal version, of the song is heard.
  • Britney Spears revealed in a 2004 interview that she met with the film's producers in London regarding a potential role in the film.
  • Alessandra Ambrosio's debut.
  • As of May 2017, Chris Cornell is the only lead vocalist of a Bond opening theme who is no longer alive. Composer Chris Cornell died in 2017; Matt Monro (d. 1985) and Louis Armstrong (d. 1971) sang closing themes to From Russia with Love (1963) and On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969), respectively. Linda McCartney (d. 1998) sang backing vocals on Live and Let Die (1973).
  • Daniel Craig and Jeffrey Wright appeared in The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles (1992), The Invasion (2007), Quantum of Solace (2008), and No Time to Die (2020).
  • The license plate numbers of the Aston Martin DB5 in the Daniel Craig James Bond movies are as follows: In No Time to Die (2021) it is A 4269 00 whereas in Casino Royale (2006) it had been 56526 whilst in Skyfall (2012) and Spectre (2015) it was BMT 216A - the same as it had been in both Goldfinger (1964) and Thunderball (1965). The Aston Martin DB5 did not appear in Quantum of Solace (2008). In the two Pierce Brosnan Bond films, GoldenEye (1995) and Tomorrow Never Dies (1997), the license plate number of the Aston Martin was BMT 214A.

Connections[]

Follows[]

Followed by[]

Edited into[]

  • Omega 'Casino Royale' Television Commercial (2006) (Video) - The Omega TV advert is edited from the trailer/feature film.
  • Sony Vaio Laptop 'Casino Royale' Television Commercial (2006) (Video) - This Sony Vaio Laptop TV advert is edited from the trailer/feature film.
  • Sony Ericsson 'Casino Royale' Television Commercial (2006) (Video) - This Sony Ericsson TV advert is edited from the trailer/feature film.
  • Sony Vaio Laptop 'Casino Royale' Television Commercial (2006) (Video) - This Sony Vaio Laptop promo is edited from the trailer/feature film.
  • James Bond 007 Vs. The Joker (2013) (Short) - "The Name's Bond...James Bond" theme is played during the end credits.

References[]

  • Goldfinger (1964) - Bond wins a 1964 Aston Martin DB5 from Dimitrios during the first poker match at the Ocean Club. This is a left-hand drive version of the car featured in Goldfinger.
  • Casino Royale (1967) - Mathis tells him if he gets in trouble "don't expect the cavalry to ride in and save you", a reference to the madcap ending of the original Casino Royale, in which the US Cavalry attacks Casino Royale to save Bond.
  • The Bourne Identity (2002) - The producers were reported as wanting to reshape the franchise in the style of this series.

Referenced in[]

  • Marks and Spencer James Bond 'Die Another Day' Television Commercial (2006) (Video) - This James Bond themed television commercial world premiered on 6 November 2006 which was just under a week or six days prior to the UK world premiere of the then new James Bond film 'Casino Royale' (2006) starring Daniel Craig as James Bond for the first time.
  • Omega 'Casino Royale' Television Commercial (2006) (Video) - Promotional tie-in television commercial with the movie. The picture's title logo is seen at the end of the commercial.
  • Sony Vaio Laptop 'Casino Royale' Television Commercial (2006) (Video) - Promotional tie-in advertisement with the movie. The picture's title logo is seen at the end of the commercial.
  • Sony Ericsson 'Casino Royale' Television Commercial (2006) (Video) - Promotional tie-in advertisement with the movie. The picture's title logo is seen at the end of the commercial.
  • Sony Vaio Laptop 'Casino Royale' Television Commercial (2006) (Video) - Promotional tie-in video with the movie. The picture's title logo is seen at the end of the promo.
  • Cars 2 (2011) - A bathroom fight scene in the film, references Casino Royale's pre-credits sequence.
  • Skyfall (2012) - Bond tells Eve not to put her hand up to her ear which is a reference to when an agent places his hand on his earpiece at the beginning of Casino Royale thereby exposing himself as a spy.
  • Kingsman: The Secret Service (2014) - The soundtrack for "Kingsman" has lots of musical references to the minor/major transgression in "You know my name", the theme song from "Casino Royale", and the soundtrack for the same movie.
  • Spectre (2015) - Mr White character returns; Le Chiffre and Vesper Lynd characters referenced in film and seen during opening titles; Collapsing buildings in London (MI6) & Mexico City like one in Venice
  • The LEGO Movie 2 (2019) - Daniel Craig as the best James Bond mentioned in a fight. This was his first appearance in the role.
  • No Time to Die (2021) - Bond visits the grave of Vesper Lynd.

Featured in[]

  • Chris Cornell: You Know My Name (2006) (Music Video) - Clips shown.
  • Omega 'Casino Royale' Television Commercial (2006) (Video) - Clips and footage.
  • Sony Vaio Laptop 'Casino Royale' Television Commercial (2006) (Video) - Clips and footage.
  • Sony Ericsson 'Casino Royale' Television Commercial (2006) (Video) - Clips and footage.
  • Sony Vaio Laptop 'Casino Royale' Television Commercial (2006) (Video) - Clips and footage.
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