Jamaican government officials to travel to Pinewood to meet Bond 25 producers.
Back in early March Baz Bamigboye reported that Bond 25 would shoot in Jamaica. In doing so he added weight to a rumour already doing the rounds based on reports that Greg Wilson had been seen there scouting locations.
Jamaican daily The Gleaner yesterday said that negotiations to shoot in there were in advanced discussions and government officials will travel to Pinewood next week. The ministers for Tourism and for Culture and Entertainment, Edmund Bartlett and Olivia Grange will meet Barbara Broccoli and Michael G Wilson.
Given that shooting has already taken place in Norway and the film is supposed to start shooting at Pinewood on Friday it sounds like they must be ready to finalise a deal. It seems inconceivable that at this late stage the shoot in Jamaica won’t happen after all the delays production has experienced so far.
According to the Gleaner article:
Bartlett said that showcasing Jamaica once more in such an iconic franchise as James Bond will have an impact on Jamaica’s tourism industry, providing “enormous eternal marketing” for the island.
Given the timing they may also be involved in the press conference expected to coincide with the official start.
Jamaica has always had a strong connection with 007. Ian Fleming owned a house on the northern shore he named Goldeneye, where he would spend every winter. It was there that he conceived of James Bond and there he pounded out each of his novels.
The novels Live and Let Die, Dr No and The Man With the Golden Gun were all set there, as was part of the short story Octopussy and the films Dr No and Live and Let Die used locations there.
The source for this story is interesting has a Bond connection too. Fleming mentions The Gleaner several times throughout his books. Then known as The Daily Gleaner, it shortened its name in 1992.
Source: Gleaner
