Entertainment Tonight video report from Casino Royale set

23-May-2006 • Casino Royale

New Bond Daniel Craig is dodging critical flak and charging forward with the all-new 'Casino Royale,' and ET's Mary Hart is on location in beautiful Prague to get the top-secret scoop from 007 himself!

Click here for the full ET! report and links to two video reports (top right of page).

"My job is not to repeat something that someone else has done," Daniel tells Mary. "I love Bond, and we all grew up with it, and it's very precious to me, so I'm trying to look after it -- and I'm trying to take it somewhere else so that, with or without me, it lasts another how many years. That's the deal here."

Set for release in November, 'Casino Royale' is based on Bond creator Ian Fleming's first 007 novel, published in 1953. The film marks a return to basics as Bond must match wits against a nefarious casino owner named Le Chiffre ('King Arthur' star Mads Mikkelsen), who uses his money to fund terrorism.

"It sets up Bond and who he is," explains Daniel, "and it sets up the man we discover in the later movies ... We find out how he becomes [007]."

"The 'Casino Royale' that was made [in '67] was a comedy," says the 38-year-old star. "It was based upon the book, but actually had very little to do with the book. It had about 10 directors, I think, and 10 writers and 10 James Bonds, and it's nothing to do with this. This [movie we're doing now] is Ian Fleming's Casino Royale. It's very close to the book."

The new film features plenty of death-defying stunts, gorgeous women and, of course, Bond's signature Aston Martin.

"There's a new Aston that hasn't been built yet," says Daniel of his new ride, the Aston Martin DBS. "In fact, we've got the only two DBS's in existence sitting outside. They're beautiful; they're incredible cars."

So, does he get one just for being Bond? "No," he laughs. "I wish!"

Thanks to `Pierce - Daniel` for the alert.