Yahoo Movies Tabloid scalded over Bond 25 'fake news'
UK tabloid the Mirror has come under fire from James Bond fans after it published a ‘Bond 25’ rumour that experts insist is “completely false”. The rumour was subsequently republished on a number of other websites.
The original story, published on 29 July by Sunday Mirror’s Showbiz Editor Halina Watts, claimed that the recently announced ‘Bond 25’ would be based on the 2001 James Bond novel ‘Never Dream of Dying’, written by Raymond Benson.
The article, which has since been amended, also claimed to have spoken to Mr. Benson, which he emphatically disputes.
“Author Mr Benson said the film would hit cinemas in November 2019, with the film taking inspiration from 1960s 007 outings You Only Live Twice and On Her Majesty’s Secret Service.” – Mirror, 29 July.
Benson, in a statement on Facebook (via MI6-HQ.com), responded saying: “Some of you may have seen an article published by U.K.’s The Mirror yesterday that claims that the next Bond movie will be based on my novel Never Dream of Dying. I know nothing of this, but as I have not spoken with any Mirror journalists at all, I can only assume that the article is a piece of fabrication. It would, of course, be wonderful if it were true.”
.@HalinaWatts86 your Bond 25 story is completely false, and saying you spoke to the author is a total lie: https://t.co/iQKjI40h6Y
— James Bond (@jamesbondlive) July 31, 2017
The article also claimed the film has the working title of ‘Shatterhand’, an alias used by Blofeld in Ian Fleming’s novel ‘You Only Live Twice’, and that ‘Bond 25’ – due in cinemas in 2019 – would shoot in Croatia. The Croatia rumour has been kicking about online since February this year when the city’s mayor, Andro Vlahušić, told local press “James Bond is in an advanced stage of negotiations” for shooting in his city.
After contacting the Mirror about inaccuracies in the story, Watts issued a statement to MIQ-HQ.com saying: “This story was not fabricated. What was published in the paper was the correct article and somehow it got changed online – it is being corrected now! …It’s from a very good source. That the producers are very inspired and taken by Benson’s books as well as the previous films mentioned in my piece.”
‘Bond 25’ was recently announced by Eon Productions for release in November 2019. It’s still not clear yet who will play James Bond, but Daniel Craig has been rumoured to be returning for his fifth James Bond outing.
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