casino royale - CASINO ROYALE, the 21st James Bond adventure in the most successful franchise in film history, stars Daniel Craig in his debut as 007 and is based on Ian Fleming's first novel to feature the ultimate secret agent, which was published in 1953. CASINO ROYALE traces the early career of James Bond. His first '007' mission leads him to Le Chiffre (Mads Mikkelsen), banker to the world's terrorists. In order to stop him and bring down the terrorist network, Bond must beat Le Chiffre in a high-stakes poker game at Casino Royale. Bond is initially annoyed when a beautiful Treasury official, Vesper Lynd (Eva Green), is assigned to deliver his stake for the game and watch over the government's money. But as Bond and Vesper survive a series of lethal attacks by Le Chiffre and his henchmen, a mutual attraction develops, leading them both into further danger and events that will shape Bond's life forever. Albert R. Broccoli's EON Productions presents Daniel Craig as Ian Fleming's James Bond 007 in CASINO ROYALE. With a screenplay by Neal Purvis & Robert Wade and Oscar winner Paul Haggis, the film was directed by Martin Campbell and produced by Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli. A United Kingdom - Czech Republic - German - USA Co-Production, CASINO ROYALE was produced under the combined banners of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures and Columbia Pictures with filming in Prague and Karlovy Vary in the Czech Republic and on New Providence and Paradise Island in the Bahamas. Filming also took place at Lake Como and Venice in Italy before returning to the U.K. Back in the U.K., the production filmed at Dunsfold Airfield in Surrey, Buckinghamshire's Black Park and on the legendary 007 stage at Pinewood Studios. British actor Daniel Craig is introduced in the role of James Bond in CASINO ROYALE, supported by a strong international cast. Dame Judi Dench returns as M, the Head of the British Secret Service. Vesper Lynd, the first woman with whom James Bond falls in love, is played by French actress Eva Green, and Danish actor Mads Mikkelsen takes the role of Le Chiffre, international money launderer and Bond's rival in the highstakes poker game at the heart of the film. American actor Jeffrey Wright plays Felix Leiter, Bond's ally in the CIA, and distinguished Italian actor Giancarlo Giannini takes the role of Mathis, his MI6 contact. Caterina Murino, also Italian, plays Solange, the beautiful but unhappy wife of one of Le Chiffre's villainous associates, who succumbs to Bond's charms