Moonraker – Craig wants Italian star back for super tech Bond

Daniel Craig wants italian screen goddess Monica Bellucci back for the next 007 film.

The actress caused a stir as the oldest ever Bond girl when she appeared, aged 51, as Lucia Sciarra in 2015’s Spectre.

Now planning is under way for the next film in the series that has produced thrillers such as Dr No, Thunderball, Moonraker and Skyfall.

And sources say Craig, 49, has made clear his choice of leading lady.

With Bond 25 set for release in November 2019, an insider told us: “He wants Monica Bellucci back, that’s for sure.” She will be 55 when the next Bond film comes out.

Sources say the plot idea came from a project dreamed up by billionaire Tesla entrepreneur Elon Musk, 46, who bought Bond’s Lotus Esprit submarine car from The Spy Who Loved Me.

He is said to have plans for craft to take passengers straight up into space then back down to their destination elsewhere in the world.

Film insiders confirm the latest instalment of the franchise will tap into all the newest technology.

A source said: “Bond needs to keep up with the times and will be looking into Elon Musk’s world, spacecrafts, planes that can fly across the earth in an hour, cars turning into submarines. That’s what we need to include now. Daniel’s stunts are going to move to a new level and have to include things that were shown in space movies like Interstellar.

“He’s involved every step of the way, as he always is, and he’s bursting with enthusiasm and excitement.”

The source hinted that North Korea and a nuclear threat will be part of the script.

Filming will once again include scenes with thousands of extras, incredible costumes and grand spectacles, this time thought to be set in South Africa.

It has also been reported that Craig wants highly regarded Denis Villeneuve, who was behind thriller Sicario and sci-fi hit Arrival, to direct it.