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Is Florence Pugh set to star in James Bond spinoff? (Photo Credit – Instagram)

James Bond franchise is back, taking the overall franchise to another level. Ever since Amazon Prime struck a deal and took over the 007 rights, there has been a lot going on in the production department.

While reports claim that scripting, casting and work on the next film of the franchise is in the mud right now, there are other mediums being focused on. Florence Pugh is rumored to be cast as the leading star in the James Bond spin off television series and here’s what we know about the same.

Florence Pugh To Star In James Bond Spinoff Series?

According to The US Sun, Florence is slated to play Miss Moneypenny in the spinoff show which is tentatively titled The Moneypenny Diaries. It is expected to be the first of many dramas planned by Amazon Prime...

Expanding supporting characters like Q and Moneypenny gives depth to the Bond franchise. Films like "Casino Royale" and "Diamonds Are Forever" make changes to the source material for better storytelling. Bond films have evolved tone-wise, balancing humor and seriousness over different eras to maintain broad appeal.

The James Bond movies have never been afraid to make changes to the original 007 novels, some better than others. Every James Bond movie prior to 1989's License to Kill shares a title with one of Ian Fleming's works. While some serve as faithful adaptations that make only minor tweaks to the source material, others are unrecognizable from the original novels in almost every way but name. As time has gone on and as Fleming's material has run out, the films have increasingly chosen to tell original James Bond stories. Many of these, however, still take small fragments of inspiration from the books.

Pamela Salem, who portrayed Miss Moneypenny in the non-Eon James Bond movie Never Say Never Again, has passed away at the age of 80.

While Pamela Salem’s turn as Moneypenny was a one-off – and in a film that is widely not considered part of the 007 canon – her go at the beloved character can’t be ignored. Interestingly, despite how frequently the character appears in the Bond universe, she has only been played by a small selection of actresses: Lois Maxwell, Caroline Bliss, Samantha Bond, and Naomie Harris. But only Salem has the distinction of playing Miss Moneypenny just one time.

But not once was there any strange bad blood between Pamela Salem or her predecessors, particularly Maxwell. As per a 1984 interview (via The Hollywood Reporter), Salem said, “I had seen Moneypenny before, of course, in the earlier films played by Lois Maxwell…At first [the media] tried to stir things up between...

Moneypenny and 007 have a platonic relationship in the James Bond movies, despite their intimate connection and flirtatious edge. The relationship between Moneypenny and Bond is complex and never fully consummated, with evidence of deeper emotions but limited physical intimacy on screen. Both the James Bond films and Ian Fleming's books depict a professional and platonic relationship between Moneypenny and Bond, with her role evolving in different ways across different mediums.

James Bond's relationship with women is one of the most complex and essential aspects of his character, but his connection to one woman in particular has always remained somewhat enigmatic. Appearing in 23 movies since her debut in 1962's Dr. No, Miss Moneypenny is an MI6 stalwart, pivotal in both Ian Fleming's novels and the movies they subsequently inspired. However, for all her ubiquity, Moneypenny's relationship with Bond is relatively mysterious.

For the first 14 films in the James Bond franchise,...

Not all adaptations of Princess Diana's life and portrayal are on the same level, with some lacking truthful moments and depth. Kristen Stewart's portrayal of Diana in the film "Spencer" focused on her struggles with mental health and eating disorders, and while divisive, Stewart's performance was strong. Emma Corrin and Elizabeth Debicki delivered standout performances as Diana in "The Crown," capturing her younger years and maturing character, respectively.

Princess Diana was an internationally beloved figure, and her story has been told many times by different actors in movies, musicals, and TV shows like The Crown. The Princess came under intense public scrutiny while she was alive, and after her passing in 1997, many filmmakers took up the challenge of portraying her life with dignity and care. While this may be the case, not all adaptations of her experiences or portrayals of her as a person are on the same level.

Bond 26 will need to cast a new Moneypenny, a mainstay character of the franchise who has great chemistry with the next James Bond actor. Several young actors like Ivanna Sakhno, Claudia Doumit, and Mandip Gill could be the next actress to play Miss Moneypenny. Emilia Jones, Havana Rose Liu, and Jessica Henwick bring their unique talents and star power to the role of Moneypenny for Bond 26.

Bond 26 is poised to reboot the iconic spy franchise once again, and therefore, it will need to cast a new Moneypenny. The history of Moneypenny in the James Bond franchise began with Lois Maxwell, the first actor to take on the role. She stayed on for 14 movies, but different versions of Moneypenny have come and gone since then. Caroline Bliss and Samantha Bond followed in her footsteps, with Naomie Harris the most recent actress to play the part opposite Daniel Craig. Casting Moneypenny is...

Movie franchises often recast characters due to reasons like actor availability, aging out of roles, or financial restrictions. Examples of recasted characters include War Machine in Marvel Cinematic Universe, James Bond in the James Bond franchise, and multiple actors playing Batman. Other franchises like X-Men, Back to the Future, Vacation, Atlas Shrugged, Scooby-Doo, The Wizarding World, and Frankenstein have also recast characters.

There are certain movie franchises that have become notorious for their tendency to recast characters. Recasting is a necessary phenomenon in some movies, required because of actors' availability or because they have aged out of the role. Other instances are driven by financial restrictions and the franchise's longevity.

There are countless examples movie franchises rebooting and hiring a fresh cast of actors to play familiar roles. On the other hand, some franchises recast characters midway through. These are typically attempts to maintain an overarching narrative or established film...

British comedy veteran John Cleese appeared in two James Bond movies, prompting some viewers to wonder why the actor never showed up in Daniel Craig’s 007 debut Casino Royale. The Bond series has been through various eras over the decades, but there are a few elements of the franchise that remain relatively consistent. Bond has a beautiful love interest in every movie, the suave super-spy is always seen driving fast cars (and frequently trashing them in high-speed chases), and he can always rely on his MI6 boss, M. However, his other colleagues have been less consistent throughout the years.

Miss Moneypenny and Q don’t appear in every James Bond movie, much like 007’s American friend Felix Leiter. Not only that but when they do appear, they are often recast. For decades, both Q and Miss Moneypenny were played by the same actors consistently, but Lois Maxwell’s...

In James Bond movies, the cinematic Miss Moneypenny was Flirtatious, efficient, and loyal. She has been a bespectacled girl-next-door (Caroline Bliss), an effervescent, pixie-cut attaché (Samantha Bond), and a feisty agent-in-training (Naomie Harris). But, above all, she’s been Lois Maxwell, the charming Canadian actress who established and then wholly embodied M’s secretary across fourteen films and three James Bond actors.

As 007 changed through the years, so has Miss Moneypenny, with subtle and obvious attempts to modernize or toughen her up. The most recent Moneypenny moved out of the office shadows and into a supporting role. This allowed Naomi Harris to portray the character in a much more active way, allowing her to get involved in the action and even almost kill Bond on one occasion. By No Time to Die, Miss Moneypenny proved she was a loyal and fierce friend and ally to 007, and she proved that she...

Goldeneye

Directed by Martin Campbell

Written by Jeffrey Caine and Bruce Feirsein

UK / USA

The Essence of Bond has been shaped and re-shaped constantly over its 50-year run and that has been due to its mostly successful ability to plug into popular zeitgeist and meld that aesthetic with what makes Bond, well, Bond: Q gadgets, adventure tourist locales, voluptuous ladies (assuming the role of both friend and foe) and a version of suave and sexist male masculinity first cultivated by Sean Connery in Bond’s first outing, Dr. No in 1962. In the the early nineties it was time again to re-invent Bond, or rather his universe as not only was Timothy Dalton moving on from the Bond Franchise but the politics on the international stage had changed drastically. It was time for Bond to integrate into a post-Cold War world and director Martin Campbell was brought on board, along with...

By Matthew Field

On Sunday 6th July BondStars held their annual summer barbeque at Pinewood Studios. This year the event was themed around Timothy Dalton’s debut as 007 in The Living Daylights (1987). Making his first BondStars appearance was Dutch actor Jeroen Krabbé who played Kgb baddie General Georgi Koskov. He was joined by fellow cast members Maryam d’Abo, Thomas Wheatley and Caroline Bliss.

The day kicked off with a screening of The Living Daylights in Pinewood’s theatre, which has recently been re-named The John Barry Theatre. Director John Glen and members of cast and crew were on hand to introduce the film.

Following the screening, guests signed autographs and chatted with fans. Cinematographer Alec Mills launched and signed copies of his new autobiography ‘Shooting 007 and other Celluloid Adventures.’

Maryam d'Abo

Also returning to Pinewood for the first time in 27 years was the soft-top Aston Martin as driven by...

Naomie Harris has spoken to Digital Spy about becoming the new Miss Moneypenny in Skyfall.

The British actress, whose big screen credits include 28 Days Later and Pirates of the Caribbean, leapt into the James Bond franchise as MI6 field agent Eve, a role shrouded in secrecy by the film's production team.

After multiple auditions, Harris was told by director Sam Mendes and producer Barbara Broccoli that Skyfall would reintroduce several key characters from the series' past, and she would step into a role previously played by Lois Maxwell, Caroline Bliss and Samantha Bond.

"I had to keep everything a secret for ages," Harris told Digital Spy during the inaugural East Coast Trains journey from London to Edinburgh.

"Even when I'd just got given the role I was told that I couldn't tell anyone, so it's nice now to be free of all [the secrecy] and just say, 'Yes, I am Miss Moneypenny!

Goldeneye

Directed by Martin Campbell

Written by Jeffrey Caine and Bruce Feirsein

UK / USA

The Essence of Bond has been shaped and re-shaped constantly over its 50-year run and that has been due to its mostly successful ability to plug into popular zeitgeist and meld that aesthetic with what makes Bond, well, Bond: Q gadgets, adventure tourist locales, voluptuous ladies (assuming the role of both friend and foe) and a version of suave and sexist male masculinity first cultivated by Sean Connery in Bond’s first outing, Dr. No in 1962. In the the early nineties it was time again to re-invent Bond, or rather his universe as not only was Timothy Dalton moving on from the Bond Franchise but the politics on the international stage had changed drastically. It was time for Bond to integrate into a post-Cold War world and director Martin Campbell was brought on board, along with...

Goldeneye

Directed by Martin Campbell

Written by Jeffrey Caine and Bruce Feirsein

UK / USA

The Essence of Bond has been shaped and re-shaped constantly over its 50-year run and that has been due to its mostly successful ability to plug into popular zeitgeist and meld that aesthetic with what makes Bond, well, Bond: Q gadgets, adventure tourist locales, voluptuous ladies (assuming the role of both friend and foe) and a version of suave and sexist male masculinity first cultivated by Sean Connery in Bond’s first outing, Dr. No in 1962. In the the early nineties it was time again to re-invent Bond, or rather his universe as not only was Timothy Dalton moving on from the Bond Franchise but the politics on the international stage had changed drastically. It was time for Bond to integrate into a post-Cold War world and director Martin Campbell was brought on board, along with...

To mark the 50th Anniversary of one of the most successful movie franchises of all time and with filming now complete on James Bond’s 23rd official outing in Skyfall due for release later this year, I have been tasked with taking a retrospective look at the films that turned author Ian Fleming’s creation into one of the most recognised and iconic characters in film history.

Following Roger Moore’s departure from the lead role after starring in the previous seven films, the fifteenth James Bond film, The Living Daylights, was seized upon as an opportunity to reboot the series with not only a new Bond but a new approach to the franchise that had become rather formulaic over the past 25 years. Taking the title from one of Fleming’s short stories, writers Richard Maibaum and Michael G. Wilson took the character back to his roots making a conscious...

James Bond fans will be thrilled to learn that director Sam Mendes is re-introducing Miss Moneypenny to the franchise after a ten-year absence, with Naomie Harris vying for the part.

The Daily Mail reports that Harris, who rose to fame in 28 Days Later and Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest, is in the final stages of signing for the role.

She will be the fourth actress to play the quick-witted secretary, made famous by Lois Maxwell in fourteen films from 1962 to 1985. Caroline Bliss stepped in to star alongside Timothy Dalton in the late 1980s, before Samantha Bond took over for the Pierce Brosnan era from 1995 to 2002.

Craig has already signed up to make his third appearance as the popular agent, while Judi Dench will make her seventh appearance as boss M.

Producers have also finally confirmed the signings of Javier Bardem and Ralph Fiennes as the film's villains after months of speculation.

Star of 28 Days Later is reportedly in final talks with Sam Mendes to play M's flirtatious secretary in next Bond film

Bond producers have met with Naomie Harris with a view to engaging her services as the new Miss Moneypenny in Sam Mendes's forthcoming James Bond film, reports the Daily Mail.

Harris, best known for her turns in 28 Days Later and the Pirates of the Caribbean films, has not yet been confirmed in the role. Moneypenny is the flirtatious secretary to Bond's secret services boss M in Ian Fleming's stories. She has not yet appeared in the latest Daniel Craig-led iteration of the long-running spy saga, and her entry might signal the start of a return to the series' roots.

Craig himself has said that the leaner, darker Bond introduced by Martin Campbell with 2006's Casino Royale might slowly morph into a more familiar figure over the next few films.

We've known for some time that Naomie Harris has been in talks to play a Bond girl in the the next 007 movie. Now, according to a report by the Daily Mail's Baz Bamigboye, we hear she's set to play M's secretary (and James Bond's flirt-object) Moneypenny. The iconic character has been played by five actresses since Dr No in 1962, if you include appearances in unofficial Bond movies Casino Royale (1967) and Never Say Never Again. Lois Maxwell played the character across 14 movies, before Caroline Bliss took over for the Timothy Dalton films....

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London, July 09: Actress Naomie Harris is all set to star as Miss Moneypenny in the next Bond film.

Harris, 34, who starred in '28 Days Later', is reportedly in the final stages of talks to play M's saucy secretary who once told Bond: "You always were a cunning linguist, James."

She takes over an iconic role made famous by Lois Maxwell and later played by Caroline Bliss and.

According to the Daily Mail, Pirates of the Caribeann and Miami Vice star Naomie Harris is in final negotiations to play the flirtatious, Ian Fleming created MI6 secretary Miss. Moneypenny in the upcoming 23rd James Bond movie, which is as of yet still untitled.

The actress recently confirmed that she auditioned for a role but never went into any detail. If indeed she is set to play Moneypenny, it would make her the 4th actress in the series to do so (officially at least as Barbara Bouchet and Pamela Salem played the character in non-canon Bond films Casino Royale [1967] and Never Say Never Again [1983]) and the first black woman to take on the character.

Lois Maxwell originally portrayed the role from 1962′s Dr No up until 1985′s A View To A Kill….

Caroline Bliss played the part for both Timothy Dalton’s 007 movies…

and was followed by Samantha Bond for Pierce Brosnan’s era…...

She's fought zombies in "28 Days Later" and pirates in "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest," but Naomie Harris' latest role pits her against her greatest opponent yet: seduction.

The 34-year-old actress has been cast as M's assistant, Moneypenny, the object of Bond's flirtatious advances,  in Sam Mendes' upcoming "Bond 23" (via IndieWire).

The iconic character, which has appeared in 20 previous Bond films and two TV specials, has been played in the past by actresses Lois Maxwell, Caroline Bliss, Samantha Bond, Barbara Bouchet, and Pamela Salem.

While Moneypenny has not appeared in "Casino Royale," or "Quantum of Solace,"  the two most recent Bond films starring Daniel Craig as 007, she won't be the only new addition to the cast; Ralph Fiennes has reportedly signed on as a "darkly complex" character, while Javier Bardem tackles the role of the film's villain.

While Moneypenny's role as a true "Bond Girl" has...

We already know that Daniel Craig will re-team with his Road to Perdition director Sam Mendes for the next entry into the James Bond series, unofficially going under Bond 23. After both rumors of Javier Bardem and Ralph Fiennes joining the cast, Baz Bamigboye of Daily Mail reports that they are locked into the cast.

Bardem’s role is rumored to be the villain, while Fiennes part is said to be “one of extreme complexity and only an actor of great ability and dexterity can take it on.” It has also been said the “revolutionary” project will feature an ensemble cast in “the first of a new generation of Bond films, and the ideas Mendes has push the film into darker territory where the characters are modern, mature and challenging.”

The outlet also confirms Naomie Harris‘ (28 Days Later, Miami Vice, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest) involvement, but...

Baz Bamigboye's new column indicates that Javier Bardem, Ralph Fiennes and Naomie Harris are all pretty much set to star in the next James Bond film as previously rumored.

The big news is that "Pirates of the Caribbean" and "Miami Vice" actress Harris will Not be playing a Bond girl, rather she's in the final stages of talks to take on the role of one of the series most iconic characters - Miss Moneypenny.

M's flirtatious secretary has been around since the very first Bond film "Dr. No" in 1962 and was memorably played by Lois Maxwell through until 1985's "A View to a Kill". Caroline Bliss delivered a very dull interpretation of her for Timothy Dalton's two outings, Pamela Salem played her in the unofficial "Never Say Never Again", while Samantha Bond had some good fun playing her in Pierce Brosnan's four outings.

The character has been...

British actress Naomie Harris has reportedly been lined up for an iconic role in the upcoming James Bond movie as a revamped Miss Moneypenny.

Last month, it emerged the 28 Days Later star had held talks with bosses of the franchise, sparking speculation she will be the superspy's love interest in the next Daniel Craig movie.

It has now been claimed producers are keen to bring back M's flirtatious secretary - and Harris is in the running for the role, according to Britain's Daily Mail newspaper.

Miss Moneypenny became a regular character in the Bond films but has not appeared onscreen since 2002's Die Another Day, in which she was played by Samantha Bond. She has previously been portrayed by actresses including Lois Maxwell and Caroline Bliss.

Cinema Retro has received the following press release:

- For Immediate Release -

MI6 Confidential – Bond Girls Special

Issue #9 Out Now

(London, UK, March 14, 2011)

MI6 Confidential, the full-colour magazine celebrating the world of James Bond 007, returns with a special edition for its ninth issue.

From Pussy Galore to Strawberry Fields, MI6 Confidential delves into the rich legacy of the Bond Girls, with over a dozen exclusive interviews, rare photography and a raft of features dedicated to the ladies of the James Bond films.

In addition to all the glamorous girls: author Jeffery Deaver reports for duty in Dubai and lifts the lid on the upcoming 007 novel ‘Carte Blanche’, Jaws’ original steel dentistry is tracked down, and MI6 grills the designers of ‘Blood Stone’. With rarely seen photography and anecdotes from cast and crew, MI6 Confidential #9 is not to be missed!

Featured in this special edition issue:

 Strawberry Fields Forever -...

Despite Daniel Craig successfully taking over the role of James Bond in Casino Royale (2006), Eon Productions has now put the immortal series on a backburner because of a potential take-over of MGM. Whether another Bond film will be produced under the partnership remains to be seen, and even if the series kick-starts once more, there’s no guarantee that Craig will return as the world’s most famous secret agent.

The past 40 years has seen a number of actors who have contributed to more than one film. So with this imposed hiatus, it's worth taking a look at those performers who have been in the most 007 movies.

Making her debut in the first 007 outing Dr No (1962), the durable Canadian actress Lois Maxwell made 14 appearances as Secretary Jane Moneypenny, forever flirting with 007 when he returns home from another world-saving assignment. Ian Fleming always regarded Maxwell, who died in 2007, as the perfect Moneypenny because,...

He’s certainly the most metallic of all past Bond characters and according to a new survey he’s also the most popular. Stand up and take a bow Jaws, as played by Richard Kiel. The hulking henchman (Kiel stands a whopping 7-foot, 6-inches tall!) stars in both The Spy Who Loved Me and Moonraker and earned such a loyal fan following in these two outings that he scored 30 per cent of votes in the poll conducted by HMV.com and social networking site GetCloser.com to celebrate the DVD release of 007’s 22nd film, Quantum of Solace. Naturally the poll omitted the big guy himself, but it’s interesting to see which characters left a mark on the long-running film franchise. Click over to see who Jaws beat…

Coming in second place with 16 per cent of the 4,900 votes cast is Q, the head of the Armourer division of Her Majesty’s Secret Service,...