Nigel Small-Fawcett Reborn!
First Trailer For Johnny English Sequel

Here's our first real look at Rowan Atkinson's eight-years-after-the-fact spy parody sequel, Johnny English Reborn... and I like what I see!  I was a big fan of the first film, which I enjoy more than any of the Austin Powers movies as far as spy spoofs go.  Bond regulars Neal Purvis and Robert Wade co-wrote that one.  They're not back for Reborn (though their original collaborator William Davies is), but there are still plenty of Bond alumni involved.  Die Another Day's Rosamund Pike goes from Bond Girl to English Girl, and various websites (including the IMDb) list Pierce Brosnan as cameoing as a character named "Ambrose" (though there's been no official announcement to that effect).  He doesn't turn up in the trailer, but it has plenty of other things to offer (I love that gag with the chair in the briefing!) including our first glimpse at Johnny English's new wheels.  He kept up with 007 in the first movie by driving an Aston Martin; this time he's got a Rolls Royce.  Johnny English Reborn opens in Britain on October 7.  As far as I know the US release date hasn't been announced yet, but hopefully we won't have to wait too long... 

Tradecraft: Brosnan's Salvation Boulevard To Premiere At Sundance

The 2011 Sundance Film Festival has announced its out-of-competition premiere line-up—and a former Bond star's latest indie offering is among the titles. The Vulture reports that Salvation Boulevard, which reteams Pierce Brosnan with his Matador co-star, Greg Kinnear, will play Park City.  Here's the official festival description:

Salvation Boulevard / U.S.A. (Director: George Ratliff; Screenwriters: Doug Max Stone and George Ratliff, based on the novel by Larry Beinhart) — An evangelical preacher who has captivated a city with his charm frames an ex-hippie for a crime he did not commit. Cast: Pierce Brosnan, Jennifer Connelly, Ed Harris, Greg Kinnear, Marisa Tomei.

Brosnan plays the captivating megachurch preacher.  (Yes, that's him on the sign!)  The actor recently spoke very positively about his experience filming this movie when he appeared at the Aero Theatre last month.

Reminder: Pierce Brosnan In Person Tonight In Santa Monica
Also: Upcoming April Dancer Appearance!

Tonight (Saturday, November 20) is the previously reported screening of The Ghost Writer (review here) and The Matador with Pierce Brosnan in person at the Aero Theatre in Santa Monica.  The films start at 7:30 and Brosnan speaks between the two movies.  The American Cinematheque, who runs the theater, bills the event as "an in person tribute that includes two of Brosnan's finest performances." This event is positioned to raise Brosnan's profile with Academy voters in hopes of well-deserved Best Supporting Actor consideration for his standout work in The Ghost Writer, but it also provides fans with a great opportunity to see the former James Bond in person. Tickets are sold out through Fandango, but a few were still available at the theater's box office as of yesterday.

The Aero continues its proud tradition of hosting spy stars in person next month when The Girl From U.N.C.L.E. herself, Stefanie Powers, stops by to attend a screening of her Hammer movie Die! Die! My Darling and Blake Edwards' Experiment in Terror on Thursday, December 2.

Tradecraft: Pierce Brosnan Returns To Television

The spy news just keeps flying today! Deadline reports that Pierce Brosnan is plotting a return to television, where he got his start as Remington Steele more nearly three decades ago.  The untitled show, from Sony Pictures Television and JAG and ER writer-producer Jack Orman, has a very ITC ring to it, which I like.  It's about an international private investigator.  Put "international" before "private investigator" and you've almost got "spy!"  The premise, according to the trade blog, "centers on a 'fixer,' [a] private investigator specializing in international crisis intervention who is called in to help solve homicides, abductions, financial schemes and other crimes anywhere in the world."  Sounds a lot like it could be an ITC series out of Sixties Britain, doesn't it?  I love that!  (In fact, it sounds very much like Strange Report with a more global scope.) Deadline goes on to reveal that the series "is largely based on the real-life experiences of international PI Logan Clarke, head of the Los Angeles-based Clarke International Investigations."  Now here's the catch: "Brosnan won't play the lead, but is expected to have a smaller role on the show in the vein of Hugh Jackman's involvement on Viva Laughlin, which also was  produced by Sony TV." D'oh.  That's a bit disappointing, because, seriously, how awesome would Brosnan be as an international troubleshooter?  I don't want to see him as the guy stuck behind a desk who sends a younger hero off on his assignments!  Hopefully his role will be more substantial than that.  Still, the man's got a film career to think about.  (Very possibly fuelled by an Oscar nomination this winter!)  He probably can't commit to star on a TV series.  Instead he's producing, through his Irish DreamTime company, and lending his celebrity in whatever capacity it ends up being to make the series more appealing.  The strategy seems to be working.  Owing to Brosnan's star presence, the trade blog reports that the project is likely to go directly to series, bypassing the usual pilot process.  Sony is currently shopping it to international broadcasters with the goal of landing pre-sales overseas before taking it to U.S. networks.

You know, with Brosnan doing television again (and speaking of shows that are sold to international markets before going to American networks), I can't help but wish he were doing the new Saint series that Roger Moore and Co. are producing.  I know, I know; Brosnan's way too old to be Simon Templar nowadays... but he's just so right for the role, I'd love to see it anyway! 

Upcoming Spy Screenings: Pierce Brosnan In Person In Los Angeles

The Aero Theatre in Santa Monica hosted George Lazenby last month; next month they will play host to another James Bond: Pierce Brosnan.  Brosnan will appear in person to conduct a Q&A between screenings of his two best post-007 films on November 20.  The Ghost Writer (review here) screens at 7:30 followed by Brosnan's Q&A and then a screening of The Matador.  The American Cinematheque, who runs the theater, bills the event as "an in person tribute that includes two of Brosnan's finest performances," and they're certainly not wrong.  Picking his top two, however, I personally would have substituted John Boorman's The Tailor of Panama for Roman Polanski's The Ghost Writer, but since the event is probably intended to raise Brosnan's profile with Academy voters for well-deserved Best Supporting Actor consideration for this year's The Ghost Writer, that wouldn't make a lot of sense.  It should be a great night nonetheless. Tickets should be available soon through Fandango if they're not already.

New Spy DVDs Out This Week: Ghosts And Just Men

The big domestic release this week comes from Summit Entertainment, who offer Roman Polanski's superb Pierce Brosnan thriller The Ghost Writer in both DVD and Blu-ray/DVD combo formats.  Thankfully, both versions include the same special features: "The Cast of The Ghost Writer" (cast interviews), "The Ghost Writer: Fiction or Reality?" (an interview with Robert Harris, screenwriter and author of the novel the film is adapted from) and "An Interview With Roman Polanski" (self-explanatory–and presumably conducted in Switzerland!).  Retail is $40.99 for the Blu-ray and $26.99 for the DVD, but of course if you know where to shop you won't have to pay anything like that.  Amazon's currently got them for $26.99 and $16.99 respectively. (Just follow the links above.)  Read my full review of The Ghost Writer here.

Meanwhile, in the UK we have yet another ITC spy release from Network.  (Another week, another awesome Network release!)  This time it's one of the studio's earliest efforts at a contemporary adventure series, The 4 Just Men: The Complete Series.  Jack Hawkins, Richard Conte, Vittorio de Sica (yes, that Vittorio de Sica) and Dan Dailey play four WWII veterans in disparate professions and geographic locations who make a pact to fight injustice.  Each half-hour episode (after the pilot) focuses on just one of the just men at a time (though another generally pops up in a cameo to maintain continuity), giving the show an interesting, if uneven, feel.  Their professions include the likes of lawyer, crusading reporter and even member of Parliament, but their actual business (as usual for ITC) generally entails exposing traitors and busting up spy rings.  Each just man has his own supporting cast, and for Dan Dailey that means a very young Honor Blackman playing his French secretary.  Her character is certainly not as liberated as Cathy Gale, but she does get a surprising amount to do and isn't just the typical Fifties secreteary.  The plots are predictable and the action is fairly staid as ITC finds its feet for this sort of thing, but the half-hour run time goes by quickly and ITC fans will definitely want to take a look.  The 4 Just Men, a PAL Region 2 five-disc set, is currently available only as a Network Exclusive from the company's website for £39.99. Watch this space for a full review coming soon!