Blogs buzz with 'Skyfall' rumours on plot and Ralph Fiennes

03-Jan-2012 • Skyfall

Although the first unit have been enjoying a short break from filming over the Christmas holidays, that hasn't stopped the movie blogs from pumping out "Skyfall" rumours.

First up, AICN ran a brief plot synopsis of the 23rd James Bond film and added a few lines of their own the scant official information:

The story - about a downed intel satellite and the scrambling of various government agencies to retrieve it - seems genuinely different than the plots we're used to.

If true, it flies in the face of what Daniel Craig said about the title "Skyfall", and how it had geographic significance (a popular theory being the 'Scottish castle' would be called Skyfall).

Secondly, it would be a riff on an existing Bond plot, that of Raymond Benson's 1999 official continuation novel 'High Time To Kill', when "information vital to Britain's national security is stolen, both M and Bond suspect that the Union is behind it." The book sees Bond race against competing forces to find the illusive Skin 17 microdot, lost after a plane crash, to a breathtaking showdown eight thousand metres above the world on a peak in the Himalayas.

The second rumour doing the rounds is that Ralph Fiennes will be taking over as M in the Bond series after Dame Judi Dench departs during "Skyfall". This theory, put forward by Movieweb just a day after a Ralph Fiennes interview revealed he was playing a 'government agent', claims to have an inside source on the production (who apparently wasn't too busy on New Year's Day to contact the blog):

"Ralph Fiennes play's a government agent, which we never get a name on, because he is set to play the new M. Skyfall centers around M (Judi Dench) where her past forces her to leave as head of MI6, and find a new M. The board of MI6 then turns to a government agent (Ralph Fiennes) to take over. M (Dame Judi) is now forced to train the new head of MI6."

The site claims this is from a 'reliable source inside the studio'.

Initial reaction from the fan base has been highly suspect, especially given the timing.

Furthermore, there is no 'board' of MI6. The head of the Secret Service is appointed by the Prime Minister.

Thanks to `Risico007 ` and `tqb` for the alerts.