• M’s house in the film is the former home of legendary bond composer John Barry. The film-makers thought it would be a fitting tribute to the musician, who died last year.
  • For the motorbike chase scene early in the film, Bond’s tie had to be weighted so it didn’t flap around as he drove at high speeds.
  • l Two stars from the Harry Potter movies appear in Skyfall – Ralph Fiennes, who was Harry’s nemesis Voldemort, plays government official Mallory; Helen McCrory, mother of Draco Malfoy in the Potter films, appears in Skyfall as an MP chairing a committee investigating MI6.
  • It took nine weeks and 250 crew to build the underground MI6 HQ on the 007 stage at Pinewood studios.
  • Coca Cola was sprayed on the tarmac of the streets in Istanbul to keep the motorbikes in the chase sequence from sliding.
  • l Ola Rapace, who plays villain Patrice, appeared as tragic detective Stefan Lindberg in the Swedish crime series Wallander. He is the ex-husband of Noomi Rapace, star of the Girl With The Dragon Tattoo and its sequels.
  • There were 750 extras, 100 background vehicles and 300 film crew for a chase sequence through Whitehall in London.
  • Naomie Harris, who plays Bond’s colleague Eve, worked with Oscar-winning director Danny Boyle as the lead in 28 Days Later. She also appeared for him on stage last year in the acclaimed production of Frankenstein.
  • Q makes a welcome return to the series, played in Skyfall by Ben Whishaw, who is soon to return to TV screens as a TV journalist in the drama The Hour.
  • The cast went through 200,000 rounds of ammunition during weapons training.