According to the trade press, the British director Sam Mendes is in talks to direct the 23rd James Bond film.

This is the behind some big blockbusters including Jarhead, Revolutionary Road, American Beauty and Road to Perdition and now he is reported to be behind the lens of  James Bond 23.

The news is being brought to us by The Hollywood Reporter who, contrary to panic-stricken reports from the British press this week, predict that pre-production is being ‘fast tracked’ and EON Productions could be filming their new James Bond movie by June 2010.

If the deals goes ahead, this will be the second time Mendes and Craig (James Bond) have worked together – the first being on the set of Road to Perdition.

Plans for the production of the newest 007 adventure seem to be full steam ahead, despite the rumors we have been hearing this week, with producers not waiting for the MGM sale before proceeding with pre-production.

About Skyfall – James Bond 23 (2012)

The new Bond movie will star Daniel Craig, Javier Bardem, Ralph Fiennes, Naomie Harris, Berenice Marlohe, Albert Finney and Judi Dench, produced by Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli. The 007 screenplay will be written by regular James Bond scribes Neal Purvis and Robert Wade, working with John Logan (Gladiator & The Last Samurai). Director of American Beauty and Road To Perdition, Sam Mendes will be directing the new James Bond movie. MGM and Sony Pictures Entertainment in a joint statement on 2nd June 2011 announced that “Bond 23″ will go on release in the UK on Friday, 26th October, 2012 and in the USA on 9th November 2012. The first major announcement from EON Productions and Sony Pictures came on 3rd November 2011 in London when the principle cast was announced, along with a rough plot line. In Skyfall, Bond’s loyalty to M is tested as her past comes back to haunt her. As MI6 comes under attack, 007 must track down and destroy the threat, no matter how personal the cost.