James Bond's 'Skyfall' lands in Beijing

By Zhang Rui: 0 Comment(s)Print E-mail China.org.cn, January 17, 2013

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"I have been to Shanghai and Beijing in the past," he said, "but in this movie, because of the way the movie is shot, I didn't actually go to Shanghai or to Macao. We faked it. I shot most of my stuff in London. But I enjoyed my time in both Beijing and Shanghai."

"Skyfall" hit screens just as the Bond series celebrates its 50th anniversary. It was positively received by both critics and the box office since its release, becoming the 14th film as well as the first Bond film to cross the US$1 billion mark worldwide.

It is thus far the 11th highest grossing film of all time and has become the highest-grossing film in the UK, the highest-grossing film in the 007 series, the highest-grossing film worldwide for both Sony Pictures and MGM and the third highest-grossing film of 2012. The film is nominated for five Academy Awards, eight British Academy Film Awards and won the Golden Globe for Best Original Song for Adele's theme song of the same title.

A movie poster is seen during the premiere of James Bond film Skyfall in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 16, 2013. Skyfall is the 23rd James Bond film and will be screened on the Chinese mainland on Jan. 21. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai)

"I hope the Bond series will last for another 50 years... not with me," Craig said at Beijing premiere, "I hope it will last for a long time. I think the truth is the movies have always been event movies, exciting, fun to watch and always been about the audiences, more than anything else, and I think that gives them longevity."

"James Bond is, we try to remain firmly in the world of fantasy, a character that doesn't really exist in the real world," he added, "but I think for all of us having the idea that there's a hero who can save us all, it's a universal feeling. James Bond has an individuality that we filmmakers try to bring back to this movie."

When Silva asks Bond what his hobby is, Bond replies, "Resurrection." Bond rises at last. The newly introduced roles such as Q, played by Ben Whishaw, Eve Moneypenny, played by Naomie Harris, and Gareth Mallory, 007's new boss played by Ralph Fiennes, indicate the film franchise will enter a new era and witness the return of recurring characters to the series after an absence in the past two films.

"Skyfall" will be widely released in China on Jan. 21, and the added box office income from China will surely help its total global earnings further surpass those of the currently second highest-grossing film of 2012, "The Dark Knight Rises," which grossed US$1.08 billion.