Names and faces
James Bond is back, in a new film with a retro title that evokes the series’ past. The next 007 adventure starring Daniel Craig will be called SPECTRE, the dastardly fictional terrorist organization featured in Dr. No and other early Bond films. Director Sam Mendes announced the name of the 24th official Bond movie Thursday at Pinewood Studios near London, along with the identity of several new cast members and a new version of Bond’s iconic Aston Martin car. Academy Award-winning Austrian actor Christoph Waltz and wrestling star David Bautista are joining the cast, while Andrew Scott — master criminal Moriarty in BBC series Sherlock — will play an MI6 officer. Monica Bellucci and Lea Seydoux are the new “Bond girls,” Lucia Sciarra and Madeleine Swann. Mendes, who directed the previous Bond installment, Skyfall, said the movie would have “everything you would expect from a Bond movie,” with “a little more variety … maybe a little more mischief.” SPECTRE will be Craig’s fourth film as the suave spy. Returning cast members include Ralph Fiennes as spy chief M, Ben Whishaw as gadget-master Q and Naomi Harris as secretary Miss Moneypenny. SPECTRE is due for release late next year.
AC/DC drummer Phil Rudd was detained by New Zealand police Thursday after getting into a scuffle with a witness in his pending court case but was released again on bail without facing further charges. Rudd’s lawyer Paul Mabey said Rudd appeared in court in his hometown of Tauranga, accused of breaching his bail conditions by associating with a witness. Mabey said it was a “chance meeting” that developed into a scuffle. Last month, police charged the 60-year-old drummer with threatening to kill, which comes with a maximum prison sentence of seven years, as well as possessing methamphetamine and marijuana. He has pleaded innocent and faces a judge-only trial early next year. Columbus Coffee cafe owner Leo Rojas said Thursday that he witnessed Rudd curse and try to punch a larger man on the sidewalk outside the cafe. He said Rudd was much shorter and skinnier than the larger man, who twice pushed Rudd to the ground. Rudd’s future with AC/DC remains uncertain. The band this week released its new album, Rock or Bust.