Bond 24 'Set To Film In Rome With Iconic Villain'

SPOILERS AHOY: This story contains several reported plot details from the next Bond movie.

As production is about to get under way on the eagerly awaited follow-up to the smash hit James Bond movie Skyfall, it has emerged that Rome is set for a starring role.

The Sam Mendes-directed Bond 24 (as it is currently known) will begin shooting at Pinewood in London within a few weeks - but The Hollywood Reporter claims to have confirmed that scenes will also be filmed in "the eternal city".

THR said: "While details are still under wraps, a source confirmed that shooting was planned for Rome. Italian news agency ANSA reported that Rome will host no less than three key action scenes for the upcoming film.

"Several night-time high-speed car chases are planned through the historical centre's narrow, winding streets, as well as on main thoroughfare Corso Vittorio Emanuele II, with one car ending up in the Tibur river.

"Another high-speed car chase will reportedly result in an iconic Fiat 500 getting crushed in Borgo Vittorio, near the Vatican. And perhaps most memorably, Bond will parachute from a helicopter onto Ponte Sisto, a 15th century pedestrian bridge that connects Trastevere to the centre."

And if that's not enough spoilers for you, it's also been reported that an iconic Bond villain will be returning for the new movie.

Christoph Waltz will be playing Ernst Stavro Blofeld according to the Daily Mail.

The role was made famous by Donald Pleasence and by Telly Savalas in two previous Bond outings.

And the paper says the writers will "change the character to fit in with the new-look 007".