IGN Has Seen the Skyfall

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Then what exactly IS Skyfall about? That's a very good question we never really got answered. Unlike during our Quantum of Solace set visit in 2008, where Bond producer Michael G. Wilson pretty much spilled all the beans about the film on the record, the cast and filmmakers this time around were more tight-lipped than Christopher Nolan on a wiretapped phone. (That's probably why Wilson wasn't on set this time!)

So what do we know about the movie? Well, we now know that the "government official" played by Ralph Fiennes is named Mallory and that he has oversight over M and MI6 and, judging from the first photo of him, he's also handy with a gun. Mallory is also said to have a contentious relationship with M. "Yes, we do lock horns in this, but then I think I lock horns with nearly everybody this time," said Dench, who wrapped on the film the previous week.

"There's more to it [this time]," said Dench of how M and Bond's relationship is different in this film than in the prior two entries. "By nature of the fact that she has more to do and I think you see that she's an altered person a bit. ... There's more of her and she's not being kept in that shed in the back." (Dench also certainly wouldn't comment on those rumors making the rounds online.)

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We know Naomie Harris plays an MI6 field agent named Eve who has a relationship with Bond. He also romances the morally ambiguous Severine (Berenice Marlohe), a character who the actress said also has a few scenes with Silva. "The terms we use to describe her are glamorous and enigmatic," said Marlohe during a roundtable chat. "Enigmatic is important because you can't really put her in one of the classic categories of good or a villain. This is very interesting and it is also what Daniel did with James Bond. His colors are not that obvious. So I like this word enigmatic. I like to give her the most complexity of a human being and not determine color."

Likewise, Oscar winner Javier Bardem enjoyed the opportunities presented by the role of Silva. "It's always about the material and when I read it, it was very strong, very well put together and very powerful in many ways and that the character that they were offering me had a lot of different possibilities to have fun doing it and also create a person," he recalled. "I didn't see a reason to say no to this and I'm glad I didn't because I'm having a lot of fun."

We also learned during our chat with the film's armorer Joss Skottowe that Bond not only fires his usual Walther PPK as well as a machine gun during the film, but also antique English flintlock pistols and one hell of an old school elephant gun. Pity the poor bastard who buys it from that beast! (And, yes, we got to hold Bond's Walther PPK and, no, that's not a euphemism.)

The film's title certainly has a doomsday-esque connotation to it with the idea of the sky falling. "We think it sounds like a Fleming title for that very reason, Skyfall. His titles always had many meanings. And when you see the movie, you'll understand," said producer Barbara Broccoli coyly.

And you can see Skyfall when it opens this fall, but look for more from our set visit in the weeks ahead!


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