So MGM – the film studio that had the nice roaring lion at the beginning – is in bankruptcy. But, the studio says it will still own 50% of the next James Bond film, ‘Bond 23′ and that that film will come out in autumn 2012. And after that, a NEW James Bond film every two years.

It’ll be like the 60s all over again, when there would be a new exciting sexy Bond film every year which was the cinematic event of the summer. (‘Goldfinger’ is why my brothers spray-painted the lawnmower gold, and their bikes. Dad stopped them before they got to the car.)

With sexy excitement like this, you can’t blame them.

Meanwhile, a new writer of Bond novels has been chosen. Champion dog breeder and author Jeffrey Deaver is best known for his thrillers featuring a quadriplegic criminalist. So far, his new Bond novel ‘Project X’ – and how Cold War exciting is THAT title, eh? – will be published by Ian Fleming Publications Ltd.

Deaver caught this ripe plum by winning the U.K.’s Crime Writers’ Association’s Ian Fleming Steel Dagger Award. And natch, in his acceptance speech, he said, “Ian Fleming is God” in so many words.

“The novel,” Deaver said to USA Today (I can’t believe I’m linking to that awful paper), “is set in the present day, in 2011. Bond is a young agent for the British secret service. He’s 29 or 30 years old, and he’s an Afghan war vet.” After all, the first appearance of Bond was in 1953, so that makes him… old.

Deaver, a gun held to his head, reveals that the new James Bond will sing.

I’ll give you a moment to take that in.

After all, he is an Afghan war veteran, he doesn’t smoke and he could be flirting with a new Moneypenny all over again… so, why not sing?

He will drink too. Martinis. Teeny tiny martoonis.

So no wonder the German manufacturers were worried about the licensing of the Walther handgun, eh wot?