The production on the new Bond movie, according to reports, has been delayed on account of the impending sale of MGM Studios as well as producer Michael Wilson’s decision to shoot the next Bond film in stereoscopic 3D.

Sam Mendes, the Oscar-winning British director, is reportedly in negotiations to direct the next Bond film – which will be the 23rd in the immensely successful James Bond franchise series. Sam Mendes had won an Oscar for his debut film tilted American Beauty (1999).

If the deal goes through, the production for the next James Bond spy movie will start this June 2010, and will possibly be released in 2011, according to the publication The Hollywood Reporter.

In a statement, Sara Keene, the British publicist for director Sam Mendes, said Mendes did have a meeting regarding the new James Bond film, but he “always has a lot of projects on the table that he might direct next.”

It was after the enormous success of James Cameron’s movie Avatar that the trend of shooting in stereoscopic 3D gained traction. Related story: Avatar 3D movie DVD to have deleted sex scene

Other films in 3D slated for release in 2010 are Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland, and DreamWorks Animation’s Shrek Forever After and How to Train Your Dragon.

Richard Gere pounces on Shilpa Shetty at an AIDS program in India

Then there was the British media rushing to her defence, when Jade Goody and the others ganged up on her in Big Brother indulging in racist comments.

And now the latest Bond, Daniel Craig, has said that Shilpa would make the perfect Bond girl, thanks to her awesome figure. He said in an interview that Shilpa has a killing figure just right for a Bond girl.

Shilpa Shetty

Well, she does have an awesome figure but, lordy, her face! She used to be quite sweet looking once, artless and unsophisticated perhaps, but her mile-wide smile made her look innocent and sensual at the same time.

Shilpa Shetty at the start of her career

And look at her now. All that hacking and sculpting on her face makes her look so unreal. Those of you who like their movie stars to have the sculpted-by-the-same-plastic-surgeon look will, of course, never agree.

Shilpa Shetty: Behold the reworked nose

But still, if Bond doesn’t mind, so be it.

Bond girl or Bond shrew?

Though Shilpa has no international movies on her hands, she still manages to capture interest overseas.

Since the Big Brother debacle, Shilpa Shetty has attended a reception at the House of Commons to meet with then-British prime minister Tony Blair. Sky One made a documentary on her called The Real Shilpa Shetty, produced by Twofour, and she was on the cover of the first OK! magazine launched in India.

On November 14, 2008, Telegraph carried an interview with Shilpa about how she manages her money.

She was asked about the reasons for the current financial crisis, in spiritual terms.!!??!

To which, Shilpa said “If you keep a clean heart with your money you will have a clean karmic cycle, but the day you do something negative to another person that karmic circle will start to bring you down.” That is the most profound and compelling analysis of the current financial situation that I have come across yet. I am lovin’ it!

She also said that she is part of the Oneness University movement, which believes that the financial climate will worsen before 2012, because the the world is overpopulated and we suffer things like global warming and poverty as a result. “The only way to achieve balance is to let nature take its course through natural calamities.” Sorted!