The yet-to-be-named 25th installment of the James Bond franchise is said to have been dealt with another blow, as Grace Jones has reportedly quit her role. Photo / Getty Images
The yet-to-be-named 25th installment of the James Bond franchise is said to have been dealt with another blow, as Grace Jones has reportedly quit her role. Photo / Getty Images
Bond 25 has been hit by several setbacks since production started, with injuries, crew reshuffles and even explosions marring work on the film.
Now the yet-to-be-named 25th installment of the James Bond franchise is said to have been dealt with another blow, as Grace Jones has reportedly quit her role.
Grace, 71, was believed to be making a cameo in the upcoming film, 34 years after starring alongside Roger Moore in A View To A Kill, but is said to have pulled out in a dispute over her camera time, the Daily Mail reports.
Grace, 71, was believed to be making a cameo in the upcoming film, 34 years after starring alongside Roger Moore in A View To A Kill. Photo / Getty Images
A source told The Sun: "Bosses were really excited about landing her. Of course, she comes with a reputation, so they organised premium accommodation and rolled out the red carpet on set to make her feel welcome.
"But it turns out Grace was expecting to play a bigger role in the movie and took her brief cameo as a slight.
"She was out of there quicker than it takes to rustle up a martini."
MailOnline has contacted Grace's representatives and a Bond 25 spokesperson for comment.
Rumours that Grace would be returning to the Bond franchise began circulating in May, with a source telling The Mail On Sunday: "Word is that Grace is coming in to film a scene with Daniel Craig.
"There is a lot of excitement as it is a tip of the hat to past Bonds and Roger Moore's era. Fans will have to wait until next year to know if it makes the cut."
The latest film in the franchise sees Daniel Craig (pictured here showing Prince Charles around the Bond 25 set last month) reprising his role as James Bond. Photo / Getty Images
In her 1985 adventure with 007, Jones played an assassin called May Day who went on to betray the villainous Max Zorin after being bedded by Bond.
The latest film in the franchise sees Bond living a tranquil live in Jamaica after leaving active service before Felix turns up asking for help in a mission to rescue a kidnapped scientist.
Daniel underwent an operation as a result of tweaking his ankle ligaments after falling during filming for a high-octane scene in Jamaica back in May.
The operation, followed by two weeks of rehabilitation last month, caused delays to filming the upcoming flick.
The official Twitter account for Bond 25 released a statement concerning his injuries at the time, writing: "Daniel Craig will be undergoing minor ankle surgery resulting from an injury sustained during filming in Jamaica.
"Production will continue whilst Craig is rehabilitating for two weeks post-surgery. The film remains on track for the same release date in April 2020."
In her 1985 adventure with 007, Jones (pictured here with actors Tanya Roberts and Roger Moore) played an assassin called May Day. Photo / Getty Images
Bond 25 has been blighted by drama from the beginning, with Daniel's involvement in the film initially thrown into question when he claimed that he would rather "slash his wrists than reprise the role", before making a complete U-turn and signing up for the movie.
Meanwhile over at the UK's Pinewood Studios three explosions went off on set after a stunt went wrong during filming earlier this month.
Health and Safety officials arrived on the set of the beleaguered movie after an explosion ripped a hole in a sound stage and injured a member of the crew.
Filming for the movie began several weeks ago, four years after the previous Bond film, Spectre, was released.
Yet it has been claimed the screenplay for the film is being endlessly re-written by a committee consisting of director Cary Joji Fukunaga, Phoebe Waller-Bridge and 007 himself, Daniel.
"She's writing a re-write of a re-write," a source told the Daily Mail's Baz Bamigboye of Waller-Bridge's recent involvement in the project. "Daniel's writing. Cary's writing. The crew reckon they're working on a well-polished s**t show.
"They have an outline of plot, but dialogue is all last-minute. It's not the way to make a movie. I would imagine they'll sort it out in the cutting room. That's where most movies get made anyway. But you'd think the Bond lot would be more together."
The cast, led by Craig, Naomie Harris, Lea Seydoux, Lashana Lynch and Ana de Armas, began shooting on location in Jamaica but have returned to the UK and Europe to link up with fellow stars Rami Malek, Ralph Fiennes and Ben Whishaw
Several titles have been named as possible contenders for the picture including Shatterhand and more recently Eclipse and A Reason To Die.
The film — scheduled for release on April 8, 2020 — is slated to be Daniel's fifth and final film in the franchise, with speculation rife over who will next step into the Secret Service agent's suit.
The film - scheduled for release on April 8, 2020 - is slated to be Daniel's fifth and final film in the franchise (pictured on set for the 2015 film Spectre). Photo / Getty Images
The curse of Bond 25: String of bad luck that has hit filming
Today's blasts are the latest mishap in a string of bad luck for the 25th film chronicling 007's adventures.
The first blow came when director Danny Boyle (Trainspotting, Slumdog Millionaire) quit in August last year.
He argued with Daniel Craig over creative differences over casting for the lead villain.
Since then writing trouble has abounded as the screenplay is constantly re-written by director Cary Joji Fukunaga, Phoebe Waller-Bridge and Craig himself.
In April, producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson said at the film's launch that the blockbuster still doesn't have title.
