New James Bond movie packs spectacular stunt sequences

For all the fans of the world's least secret 'secret agent', and the cars and bikes he uses, there is still some time before the next 007 film, to hit the screens. The 25th James Bond film No Time To Die is to be released in April 2020, and it promises to offer more thrills on wheels than ever before. 

UPDATE: March 5, 2020: Due to the ongoing disruption caused by the Coronavirus, which originated in China and is now spreading across the world, the producers of the latyest 007 movie have postponed the release of the movie by over seven months. Originally planned to be released in London on April 2, the new release date for London is November 12, 2020.  

Special effects supervisor Chris Corbould, stunt coordinator Lee Morrison and stunt driver Mark Higgins have given some insight into what went into creating the spectacular stunt sequences in No Time To Die .

Chris Corbould, Special Effects & Action Vehicles Supervisor
No Time To Die is Chris Corbould’s 15th James Bond film and his ninth as special effects supervisor.

“The action vehicles team consisted of approximately 20 technicians working in conjunction with numerous engineers from Aston Martin and Jaguar Land Rover.

“Initial talks with Aston Martin and Jaguar Land Rover commenced in October 2018, and many detailed conversations were held to discuss the film’s requirements. Aston Martin built eight bespoke DB5s along with an extensive spares package capable of completing the rapidly evolving action sequence in Matera. They also supplied three Aston Martin V8s as used in The Living Daylights and two of the latest DBS Superleggera.

“At the same time discussions were being held with Jaguar Land Rover to produce the first batch of eight New Land Rover Defenders, a mission shrouded in secrecy as the world had no idea at this stage of the design.

“A number of the DB5s and the Defenders were fitted out with complete roll cages, safety fuel cells, fire extinguisher systems, hydraulic hand brakes, battery isolators, rally seats and five-point harnesses. Q Branch gadgets on the DB5 include revolving M134 mini-guns appearing from the drop-down headlights, traditional smoke screen, mines dropping from under the rear bumper and an LED numberplate creating a modern take on the Goldfinger (1964) revolving version.

“Other vehicles that played special roles in the film include Bond’s Land Rover Series 111, a Royal Alloy GT125 scooter used in Jamaica, and a Triumph Scrambler motorbike (1200 XE) used in Matera.

“I think the audience will be thrilled to see the DB5 in full battle mode driving at speed through the streets of historic Matera in Italy. As the city is built on the side of a hillside, the balconies, roofs and gardens created a natural amphitheatre, and the public clapped and applauded whenever the iconic Bond car was in action.”

Lee Morrison, Stunt Coordinator
“I’m the No Time To Die stunt coordinator, responsible for a team of 100 professional stunt people. It’s my fifth Bond film, and the stunts get bigger and more ambitious every time.

“All the vehicles we used in the film performed brilliantly. We knew we wanted to achieve something off-road and the New Defender didn’t disappoint. We put the vehicles through the most extreme conditions in a chase sequence, and they were unstoppable.

“The three Triumph scramblers and the Tiger 900 we used were specially modified to handle the rigours of the action sequences in Norway and Italy, part of which can be seen in the first trailer. I’m really proud of the stunts we created, and I’m excited to see the audience reaction when the film is released.”

Mark Higgins, Stunt Driver
“I drove the DB5s in No Time To Die. Eight stunt replica cars were designed and built for the film, they all had a role to play in different configurations and were fantastic and rewarding to drive, it’s a very special car.

“We filmed in Italy for seven weeks in the summer. Matera is an incredible city, but a challenging environment for a car chase with its narrow cobbled streets, low grip and lots of people around.

“No Time To Die is my fourth Bond film. It was a great job to work on, and I can't wait to see the finished sequence in April.”

Action vehicles from No Time To Die are now on show at 'Bond In Motion', at London Film Museum, Covent Garden, which is the largest official collection of original James Bond vehicles in the world. Bond In Motion, in association with EON Productions, has over 100 individual original items on display from the James Bond film series including concept drawings, storyboards, scripts, model miniatures, costumes and full-size cars, boats, and motorbikes. It is open seven days a week. Tickets are available at the box office daily or in advance from www.londonfilmmuseum.com
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