No Time to Die, Daniel Craig’s last James Bond movie left theaters lukewarm. The movie in itself wasn’t bad at all – yet it wasn’t able to compete with Craig’s first blockbuster. It was back in 2006, when the now-53-year-old made his James Bond debut with Casino Royale.
While James Blond [who had became a running joke] received the most attention from fans and critics in the months preceding up to the film’s release, many viewers were pleased when they watched it.
Casino Royale has become the most popular Bond picture. Therefore, we want to honor it presenting to you some unique and amazing information that you will certainly remember the next time you see this epic spy tale.
The Casino Estoril in Lisbon Served as Inspiration
As the title suggests, a casino – the mythical Casino Royale in Montenegro – plays a major role in the plot.
The book’s author, Ian Fleming, realized in 1953 that gambling and secret agents went well together. The Casino Estoril, located near the southern Portuguese coastal town of Cascais, inspired his first Bond novel, Casino Royale.
During World War II, German secret operatives regularly congregated in the casino, which is now one of the largest still running casinos in Europe. Fleming himself visited the casino several times but was never able to depart with any wins.
However, he most likely swiftly regained the sums with the Bond franchise – without having to learn how to overcome wagering requirements at online casinos!
Casino Royale Was Almost Done in Black & White
If you appreciate Casino Royale as is, it’s good to know that it wasn’t directed by Quentin Tarantino. The legendary director expressed early interest in directing Casino Royale.
He had a somewhat different view of how the Bond film should be. In addition to wanting Pierce Brosnan to reprise his role as the double agent, Tarantino intended to set the film in the 1960s and shoot it entirely in black and white. He was also dissatisfied with the casting of the new agent.
Fortunately, Martin Campbell was picked to direct Casino Royale. He made a fantastic decision by shooting the opening sequence entirely in black and white. In fact, parts of a Bond film had never previously been shot in black and white.
Baccarat Was Replaced by Poker
Not every James Bond fan has read the books. In fact, they’re quite different from the movies. The gambling that drives the storyline of Casino Royale changes as well. Baccarat was the game that Bond had to prove himself at in the novel.
Texas Hold’em, a far more recent poker version, was deemed more thrilling and contemporary by the film’s writers. Most non-gambling onlookers are likely to appreciate poker significantly more than baccarat.
A pair of two eights is referred to as an “octopussy” in poker. But this has nothing to do with the eponymous Bond film from 1983 or Ian Fleming’s 1966 Bond short story “Octopussy and the Living Daylights.”
The Crew Continued to Play Poker
The poker sequences in the film do not appear to have pleased the performers and staff on set. As a result, it is alleged that the poker game at the casino table continued long after the cameras had been turned off.
It’s quite unlikely that millions were thrown around like in the fictional game between James Bond and the bad guy Le Chiffre.
The Poker Chips Can Still Be Purchased Today
Naturally, the bundle only included the best playing cards and chips. Cartamundi, a well-known global maker of video games and accessories located in Belgium, provided these chips.
Even today, movie fans and collectors of explicit James Bond merchandise may obtain duplicates of the playing cards and chips designed specifically for the film.
However, because Cartamundi no longer sells the items, they have collector’s value, and interested parties must spend a little more time and money exploring the Internet for copies.
A Burning Set
Without a doubt, the film’s action-packed ending, in which the Venice structure collapses and disappears under the canal’s floods, is simply amazing. The retractable house may really be found in Pinewood Studios in England. The 90-ton building can be lowered six meters into the murky depths using hydraulics and electronics.
A week after Pinewood Studios’ 007 sector caught fire for an unexplained cause, the difficult scene was finished. Worse, this was not the first time a Bond film set had burned down. After filming “A View to a Kill” in 1985, a fire entirely destroyed the set.
Conclusion
Does this make you want to see the James Bond film Casino Royale again? With these fascinating details at your disposal, you’ll most likely see the film through slightly different eyes and score higher on the next James Bond ranking.
