Bond girl hunt as filming starts

Daniel Craig will be the sixth actor to play James Bond

Filming on the new James Bond film Casino Royale has begun in Prague, despite producers still needing to cast a leading lady and a villain.

The film, starring new 007 Daniel Craig, started shooting in the Czech capital last week.

But trade paper Hollywood Reporter said scenes involving Bond's love interest would not begin for more than a month.

Casino Royale writer Paul Haggis told the paper: "They're talking to three to four girls right now."

'Darker'

He added: "Every week I read there's a new Bond girl, and I call them and they say, 'No, you idiot'."

Craig, 37, who stars in Layer Cake and Munich, was cast as Bond in October.

Producer Michael G Wilson said the film-makers considered more than 200 actors from around the world over two years before settling on Craig.

He follows in the footsteps of previous Bond stars Pierce Brosnan, Sir Sean Connery, Sir Roger Moore, George Lazenby and Timothy Dalton.

Director Martin Campbell said the 21st Bond film would be "definitely darker, more character, less gadgets".

He added that the leading female star would have the "best Bond girl part" ever.