The new James Bond film, Casino Royale, premiered Tuesday in London to screaming fans and one particularly special lady – Queen Elizabeth II.  The screening took place at the annual Royal Film Performance, a fundraiser for performers’ charity the Cinema and Television Benevolent Fund, and an honor bestowed on only one other Bond film.  Based on Ian Fleming’s first Bond novel, Casino Royale will be the 21st film in the series and chronicles the life of James Bond before he became the dark, dashing, smooth-talking secret agent movie-goers know him to be.  This, of course, means that fans may have to get on without some of the high-tech gadgets and futuristic locales – this Bond will be beating bad guys in a world closer to our own.  This won’t be the first incarnation of the film, either: Casino Royale aired as a poorly received television adaptation in 1954, and later as a full-length comedy, spoofing Fleming’s novel and the Bond character in 1967. 

Daniel Craig (Munich, The Jacket) will be the sixth man to fill the giant shoes and, while he may not seem perfect (a blond Bond?), some are calling him the best since Sean Connery.  Still, others are upset with the new choice, even going so far as to start an anti–Daniel Craig website.  We here at FilmCrunch think he’ll be just fine.  We certainly aren’t going to speculate about where he’ll sit with respect to the mighty Connery, but Craig looks like he can sturdily hold his own against any other Bond.  The only question now: can he hold his own against critics and hardcore fans?  Give him a chance – he may surprise you.  Look for Casino Royale in theaters November 17th.