007: From China with Love

Thu., Nov. 16, 2006 2:25 PM PST by Josh Grossberg

He has battled everything from SPECTRE to Soviet operatives to Hervé Villechaize, but never in his 40-plus years has 007 been able to crack such an implacable foe as China—until now.

Chinese censors have approved the release of Casino Royale, the 21st film based on Ian Fleming's famed superspy, marking the first time a James Bond adventure will unspool in mainland theaters.

According to producers and distributor Sony Pictures, Casino will premiere Jan. 30 in Chinese theaters.

China's Film Censorship Board has traditionally enforced a strict policy regarding what foreign flicks Chinese citizens watch. The board attempts to maintain national unity and avoid what it considers "cultural pollution" from Western-made movies, especially violent or politically or sexually charged fare.

Before now, the closest Bond ever came to the mainland was when he visited Hong Kong, then a British colony, in such films as 1967's You Only Live Twice, 1974's The Man with the Golden Gun and 2002's Die Another Day, as well as a quick splash in the South China Sea in 1999's Tomorrow Never Dies.

Casino Royale, however, figures to change all that. The latest 007 entry is fronted by blond Bond Daniel Craig and seeks to redefine one of cinema's most bankable heroes.

Based on the first 007 novel from Fleming, the film follows Bond's early years, updating the book's Baccarat for a game of high-stakes poker between Bond and terrorist banker Le Chiffre (Mads Mikkelsen) at the titular gambling mecca. French beauty Eva Green stars as the requisite Bond babe.

Unlike its predecessors, Casino Royale jettisons the campy humor and goofy gadgets to focus more on character and plot, showing how a suave British secret agent came to be on Her Majesty's Secret Service.

Sony reps were looking to roll out Casino in China on Friday, the same day it opens in other parts of the globe, to prevent piracy. But the studio was forced to postpone the Chinese release until January due to a national blackout, a period that occurs two or three times a year when the Chinese government temporarily blocks foreign releases to screen domestic flicks.

Casino Royale held its gala world premiere Wednesday in London, an event that was attended by Queen Elizabeth II. Early reviews have been glowing, with the film scoring a 93-percent "fresh" rating on rottentomatoes.com.