The veteran Dame, who celebrates her 72nd birthday on 9th December, may well be the only major Bond cast member retained fromthe Brosnan years in this week’s Casino Royale, but let’s face it, she’s been a star for so long that she’d hardly be fussed even if they had decided to drop her.
Other than the next film in the series, the as-yet untitled Bond 22, she will be returning to work with Iris director Richard Eyre for Notes on a Scandal, set for release in the UK on 7th February 2007. Dench plays a teacher drawn to the new Art mistress at her school, played by the excellent Cate Blanchett, who gets swiftly entrapped in a web of illicit love, lies and deceit. She is also rumoured to be appearing in the next film from Shanghai Knights and The Wedding Crashers director David Dobkin, Fred Claus – unsurprisingly due Christmas 2007. Starring Paul Giamatti as Santa Claus and Vince Vaughan as his good-for-nothing brother Joe, it could well turn out to be a fun festive treat – though quite what part Dame judi will have in the proceedings is anyone’s guess.
Pocket Films Blog 