Bond will be back

James Bond is back for his 23rd instalment - and this time he's bringing Sam Mendes!

Work on Bond 23 was suspended in April 2010, following MGM's financial woes. But now with Spyglass Entertainment at the helm of MGM, the third film starring Daniel Craig has got the greenlight and will be released on 9 November 2012.

So, who's Spyglass? Well, they brought you quality hits like The Sixth Sense, The Insider and JJ Abrams' Star Trek reboot.
Sam Mendes is, of course, the Oscar-winning director of American Beauty. This is a bold move: he's not known for action (although he handled Road To Perdition more than well enough), and, since his divorce, it's unlikely we'll see Kate Winslet as a Bond girl (although I can dream...). Whether he can handle a fast-paced script is open to question, and no 'arty' director has convinced as a Bond man (Marc Forster and Quantum of Solace anyone?).

And the script remains in the hands of Purvis & Wade and John 'Gladiator' Logan: another cause for concern. And who will perform the theme tune? Please make it Muse!!!!

Bond being back in 2012 means that year is pretty much geek heaven: The Avengers; Star Trek 2; the Spider-Man reboot; Christopher Nolan's Batman finale; the first part of The Hobbit; and the reboot of Superman...