4 Nov 2011

New Bond film title announced

1:12 pm on 4 November 2011

The title of the 23rd James Bond film has been confirmed as Skyfall.

The latest 007 adventure will star Daniel Craig for the third time. Leading ladies have been confirmed as French actress Berenice Marlohe and Naomie Harris.

Skyfall is being directed by Sam Mendes, who won an Oscar for American Beauty (1999).

Mendes said the storyline will take Bond to London, China, Turkey and Scotland.

It will see the agent's loyalty tested to 'M', his superior, while MI6 headquarters faces an attack.

The movie, which sees the return of Dame Judi Dench as 'M', will also star Ralph Fiennes, Albert Finney and Javier Bardem as the villain. It will be released in Britain on 26 October 2012.

Next year marks the 50th anniversary of the first Bond movie, Dr No in 1962.

The BBC reports James Bond is one of the longest-running franchises in film history, but Bond 23 will mark the end of a four year gap.

The last film was Quantum of Solace (2008), directed by Marc Forster.

Work on the 23rd film was suspended in April 2010 because of uncertainty over the company's future.