The last four instalments have seen Daniel Craig take on the mantle of 007, and now it's been confirmed that he will return for a fifth. Still no word on a director though certainly Skyfall and Spectre director Sam Mendes has said he won't be returning.

News is rather scarce right now, but here's everything we know about Bond 25 (so far...)

Bond 25 release date

this image is not availablepinterest
Bear Grylls//Digital Spy

Release has been set for November 8 in the US. Traditional Bond premieres and opens first in the UK though and this is usually October so we'd expect the same deal with Bond 25. This will be four years after the release of Spectre.

Who's playing 007?

this image is not availablepinterest
Bear Grylls//Digital Spy

The subject of whether Daniel Craig would return was wildly debated for what feels like FOREVER. But finally in August he announced on the late show that yes, he would be returning, saying, "We've been discussing it. We've just been trying to figure things out. I always wanted to, I needed a break."

Suggesting that Bond 25 may be his 007 swansong, he added: "I just want to go out on a high note, and I can't wait."

We're glad he's back but we must confess we hope this will be his last for various very good reasons.

For the sack of posterity, the scale of speculation began after the release of Spectre, in particular because of the slightly frazzled and much-reported comment from Daniel Craig that he'd "rather slash his wrists" than do another Bond and that it would "only be for the money".

To be fair to Craig, that was in October 2015 (and no-one is going to let him forget it). Since then he attempted to smoothed the waters a little – a year later in October 2016 he said he has "the best job in the world".

"It was the day after filming [stopped]," he explained. "I'd been away from home for a year.

"As far as I'm concerned, I've got the best job in the world. I'll keep doing it as long as I still get a kick out of it."

Other names bandied about were Idris Elba, though he kind of ruled himself out saying "I'm too old for that" (we're pretty sure he was joking, though). Tom Hiddleston, Aidan Turner, Damien Lewis and Tom Hardy.

this image is not availablepinterest
Bear Grylls//Digital Spy

Bond 25 locations

The 007 franchise is well known for its international locations so there's almost as much excitement about where it'll be shot as who'll be in it.

Early rumours have suggested that there'll be a portion in Dubrovnik, Croatia – according to Portaloko (via MI6 HQ), the mayor of Dubrovnik said, "James Bond is in an advanced stage of negotiations".

There will of course almost certainly be production at Pinewood studios, the home of James Bond.

Bond 25 writers

Apparently Neil Purvis and Robert Wade will return as writers. This was announced on Twitter by Daily Mail critic Baz Bamigboye.

xView full post on X

Purvis and Wade have been writers on the Bond franchise since The World is Not Enough, also penning Die Another Day, Casino Royale, Quantum of Solace, Skyfall and Spectre.

Bond 25 plot

Ok we don't know what the plot is going to involve right now. But Associate producer Gregg Wilson has teased a little bit about how they might begin shaping the story.

"We've just begun to doodle with ideas for the next movie," he told FilmWeb (via Birth Movies Death).

"Each script process begins when we ask ourselves the question: 'What is the world afraid of now?'

"In the case of Spectre the theme was global monitoring and utilization of information. So now we are trying to find out what will be relevant in the coming years."

this image is not availablepinterest
Bear Grylls//Digital Spy

Although Wilson did not give any details as to what sort of new modern threats they were looking at, he did say they were planning to be more original with the character.

"We always want to do something new with the Bond character and see him in situations we have not seen him in the past," he continued.

"We must give the audience something new every time... often it helps to go back to Ian Fleming's novels for inspiration, whether you're talking about grades or mood."

Cast

this image is not availablepinterest
Bear Grylls//Digital Spy

To be fair, nothing's been officially announced so it's all rather up in the air who exactly will and won't return. Given the Craig is returning though, we'd expect him to be joined by regulars Naomie Harris as Moneypenny, Ralph Fiennes as M, Ben Whishaw as Q and Rory Kinnear as Tanner.

In theory Blofeld (Christoph Waltz) and a variety of Bond girls such as Lea Seydoux's Madeleine could return, but we wouldn't bank on it. Likely casting will begin to flood now we know Craig is back.

From: Digital Spy