Cinematical is absolutely stoked to announce a very cool opportunity. In just a couple of weeks, we'll be heading to London to sit down with James Bond himself, Daniel Craig, and Quantum of Solace director Marc Forster. We'll also be taking part in some other super awesome secret activities, but we'll fill you in on all that as time goes on. First, however, we need your help. Yes, you! The dude (or dudette) reading this post, with one hand scratching that annoying mosquito bite while the other hand ...

... Anyway, we need your help with some questions. Basically we're sitting down with Bond and Forster, but the words that come out of our mouths will be from you. Is there anything you've always wanted to know about Daniel Craig, Marc Forster, James Bond or Quantum of Solace? Sure there is, so spit it out now or forever live with the fact that you had a chance to ask Craig where he buys his underwear and you passed it up! [Makes shape of an 'L' on my forehead, then sighs because it's so 2004 of me]

Submit any and all questions you have for these boys in the comments below. If you want to keep it private (those are my kind of questions!), then feel free to send an email to leads AT Cinematical DOT Com, and title it JAMES BOND QUESTION. We'll choose our favorites, chuck 'em out to Craig and Forster, then post their answers (with credit to the brilliant readers who asked said questions) when we get back from our trip across the pond. Quantum of Solace hits theaters on November 14.

Sound off below (and thanks for helping us out with this -- your next virtual martini is on us)!

In what appears to be part of a most thorough campaign to botch Entertainment Weekly's Fall Movie Preview, a recent press release wholly admits that the North American opening of the 22nd James Bond film, Quantum of Solace, back from November 7th to the 14th marks an effort to capitalize on last week's sudden Harry Potter shift.

Although the removal of the 007th from any coming marketing blitz sure is a shame, it does place this film closer to the release of its predecessor, Casino Royale, which opened on November 17, 2006 to the tune of almost $600 million worldwide. Solace will still premiere in the United Kingdom on October 31.

For those keeping track at home, this now leaves Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa and the just now shifted Paul Rudd comedy Role Models on November 7th, and the 14th is now between Bond, Baz Luhrmann's epic drama Australia, and Bernie Mac's final film, Soul Men.

Now, think fast! When does Something of Boris open again?!

So we already know that White Stripes' frontman Jack White and Alicia Keys are all set to record the latest Bond song, titled Another Way to Die, but what about those folks who missed the cut. Ya know, the songs that almost were ... or tried to be ... or pretended to care? Case in point: You simply have to check out Joe Cornish's proposed version of the Quantum of Solace theme song up above because it's just ... fabulous. Seriously, not only does he work in a number of plot points that bring us up to date on the story and the characters, but he also works in the title of the movie. I mean, sh*t, shouldn't the theme song for a movie include the title of the movie? If not, you might find people who like the name of the song (ie: Another Way to Die) better than the film's title (ie: Quantum of Solace).

But enough babbling from me -- check out the video above, listen real closely to those captivating lyrics and maybe we can get enough people together to convince Bond producers to use this somewhere in the sequel.

Further ensuring that the band Pulp should have new fans in the future, front man Jarvis Cocker continues to seek younger listeners. This time, in an interview with Time Out Chicago, he claims to have written a few tracks for Wes Anderson's stop-motion-animated film The Fantastic Mr. Fox, which is based on the novel by Roald Dahl. He says there are three or four songs and then some music that could become part of the film's score. Additionally, in response to questions regarding his solo track "Disney Time", he notes that writing music for a kid's movie is his chance to "do better" than Disney films, at least in terms of corrupting young minds.

A few years ago, Cocker contributed to the soundtrack for Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire and even appeared in the movie as a member of the fictional group The Weird Sisters, performing the songs he composed, "This is the Night", "Do the Hippogriff" and "Magic Works." Pulp has also written songs specifically for movies in the past, including a rejected theme song to the 007 movie Tomorrow Never Dies (both the original version of "Tomorrow Never Dies" and a retitled version called "Tomorrow Never Lies" were later released as a bonus track and a B-Side, respectively). In the interview, he suggests that Quantum of Solace could now use his solo effort "Quantum Theory", to which he'd change the lyrics appropriately.

When QOS arrives in theaters this fall, don't be surprised if Cocker's song isn't heard. As for Fantastic Mr. Fox, we'll have to wait until November 2009 to see if the man's music makes its way to impressionable ears.

[via I Watch Stuff]

This summer may be confusing to some less blog-literate moviegoers thanks to two recast roles. In both The Dark Knight and The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor, a prominent character is played by a new actress. In the former sequel, "Rachel Dawes" will be played by Maggie Gyllenhaal, replacing Katie Holmes, who had the role in Batman Begins. In the latter, "Eveyln Carnahan O'Connell" will be played by Maria Bello, subbing for Rachel Weisz, who appeared in both The Mummy and The Mummy Returns.

This certainly isn't the first time characters have been recast with different actors, and over at The Onion, the A.V. Club has listed 20 such memorably jarring switcheroos, which they're calling The Darrin Effect (after the famous character replacement on TV's Bewitched), in television and film. Surely everyone recalls when Sarah Chalke took over the part of "Becky" on Roseanne; the writers even occasionally even slipped in some reflexive jokes about it. And let's not forget the glaring problem of recasting Jodie Foster's Oscar-winning role of "Clarice Starling" -- Julianne Moore played the part in Hannibal. Or the tragic yet surprisingly respectable replacement of Michael Gambon for a deceased Richard Harris in the Harry Potter movies.

It's official: more actors need to die. Debra Winger figuratively kicking the bucket in Terms of Endearment, or Jimmy Durante literally kicking the bucket in It's A Mad Mad Mad Mad World ... Harold Sakata reaching for his unfortunately uninsulated derby in Goldfinger, Bugs Bunny grabbing for Oscar gold after being mortally wounded by Elmer Fudd in Tex Avery's short "The Wild Hare" ("It's gettin' dark, Doc ... gasp, choke"). One of my favorites: James Mason making it until daybreak during an entire movie-long death scene in Odd Man Out, or the death by, eh, inspiration in Hot Fuzz.

The list goes on at Gawker.com, where a poll got a lot of people talking. Male posters aired out plenty of excuses for crying in movie theaters like whipped little girls. One correspondent has a likely explanation for shedding his unmanly tears at the end of Armageddon: "a piece of meteorite got in my eye." I know how he felt. Ambient radiation made my eyes run when Spock got broiled at the end of The Wrath of Khan. And all that Middle Earth pollen played hell with my sinuses right when Boromir keeled over, begging apology with his last breath. What's your own favorite demise? Cinematical's Monika Bartyzel lists her 7 best here, from an '07 column, mentioning one time Steven Seagal didn't pull through. Incidentally an outfit called movie deaths.com insists on that the one 100 percent rating is the demise of the pugnacious black knight (above) in Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Get out the kleenex and weigh in ...

Okay everybody, gird your loins. MGM is unveiling the theatrical trailer for Quantum of Solace -- a.k.a. James Bond 22, if this is your first time on the internet -- at 9 a.m. Pacific on Monday, June 30th. The trailer will be attached to Hancock, which comes out a mere two days later, but you'll be able to see it early over at Moviefone on this page. Of course, we'll let you know as soon as it's up.

I remember that the start of the good buzz on Casino Royale roughly coincided with the release of its terrific teaser trailer -- the one that began in black and white, with a Judi Dench voiceover -- so I trust they're putting a lot of love and effort into this one in the hopes of having another runaway hit on their hands. The project has taken a bit of a beating in the press, what with the on-set tragedies and much-ridiculed title, but I suspect once people see footage, they'll come around. The blogosphere's love affair with Daniel Craig is far from over.

Now, if only they can get this business about the song sorted out. I say they throw caution to the wind and go with Meat Loaf.

I'm just kidding. Or am I?

The producers of the latest Bond movie, Quantum of Solace, may want to just pack it up and give us what they've got, whether or not the thing will make any sense. First they lost an Aston Martin. Then a stuntman was seriously injured during a crash. Then another. Last week, Daniel Craig (aka 007) was treated for a facial injury (requiring stitches). Over the past weekend, there may or may not have been a fire at Pinewood Studios, where the film is currently shooting. And finally (let's hope), on Tuesday, Craig went to the hospital after cutting his hand. Who knows what else will go wrong before principal shooting finishes next weekend? Oh, and there's always a chance that accidents can happen during post-production, too.

According to the BBC, Craig's hand injury was minor enough that he returned to the set Tuesday afternoon, and he only received medical treatment "as a precautionary measure." Other reports claim that he actually sliced off the tip of his finger, which probably sounds worse than it actually is. Regardless of how serious, this incident is being viewed as just the latest evidence that the film is cursed. Some of the stories coming out that I hadn't previously read about include Craig suffering a rib injury in Panama and a technician being stabbed by a woman at a bar in Austria. Wow.

As long as nothing too serious prevents its scheduled release, Quantum of Solace hits theaters November 7.

Would you like that shaken or stirred, Leo? Writing in Los Angeles Times, Jay A. Fernandez reports that Leonardo DiCaprio's Appian Way company recently came on board to produce a biopic about Ian Fleming, the creator of James Bond, based on an original script by Damian Stevenson. Fernandez speculates that DiCaprio might play Fleming: "During the writers' strike, DiCaprio showed interest in Fleming and his world, but he's looking to take the script in a different direction with a new writer."

Leo has produced other films in which he did not appear (The Assassination of Richard Nixon, Gardener of Eden) and already has a very full plate of upcoming projects. Still, it's fun to speculate because Fleming was such a fascinating character.
According to Wikipedia, Fleming was a journalist first, including time in Moscow in 1933, then a stockbroker, before working in Naval Intelligence for Britain during World War II. He personally directed an intelligence-gathering unit that employed "lock-picking, safe-cracking, forms of unarmed combat, and other techniques and skills." He published his first Bond novel, Casino Royale, in 1953. Stevenson's script started on the eve of Fleming's wedding in 1952 before flashing back to his years as a journalist, playboy and spy planner.

Fleming sounds like it could be a good, thrilling drama. What do you think? Could Leo pull off the part? If not, who would you like to see as Ian Fleming?

• Ted Key (1912-2008) - Cartoonist and Screenwriter - Wrote the screenplay for Disney's The Cat from Outer Space and the stories for Gus and The Million Dollar Duck. He also created the characters "Sherman" and "Peabody" for The Bullwinkle Show. He died of bladder cancer May 3, in Tredyffrin Township, Pennsylvania. (News From Me)

• Henry Brant (1913-2008) - Composer - As an orchestrator, he worked on Cleopatra, Cheyenne Autumn, The Devil's Brigade, Carny, Good Morning, Vietnam and Pare Lorentz' The River and The Plow That Broke the Plains. He also wrote additional music for Carny and was a music technical assistant on Robert J. Flaherty's Louisiana Story. More recently he won the Pulitzer Prize for Music in 2002 for his 20-minute organ concerto "Ice Field." He died April 26 in Santa Barbara, California. (Washington Post)
• Alvin Colt (1915-2008) - Costume Designer - Created costumes for the original stage production of Li'l Abner, which were later used in the 1959 screen adaptation. He also designed costumes for the 1954 comedy Top Banana and the 1969 hitman movie Stiletto. He won a Tony Award in 1956 for the costumes for Broadway's Pipe Dream. He died May 4, in New York City. (Playbill)