Spectre Daniel Craig
Daniel Craig in Spectre. Sony

James Bond producers finally announced a follow-up to 2015's Spectre last month, confirming that the 25th official 007 film will be released in November 2019. Apart from that, very little was revealed.

It didn't take long for reports to surface claiming with authority that Daniel Craig will indeed be returning to the role for a fifth time, ending months of speculation about actors who could have potentially replaced the star.

The rumour mill continues to churn, with The Mirror reporting that it believes the film will be an adaptation of Raymond Benson's 2001 Bond novel Never Dream Of Dying.

Benson's seventh Bond book (including novelisations of the Pierce Brosnan era films) sees the spy take on a villainous organisation called the Union and become entwined with a Hollywood actress called Tylyn Mignonne.

"Bond scriptwriters feel it could be the perfect follow-up to Spectre," a source told The Mirror. "They are hoping to film in Croatia next year." The report also states that the film will see Bond clash with a blind villain.

It's said that Bond regulars Robert Wade and Neal Purvis, who will return to write the script, will take inspiration from 1960s outings You Only Live Twice and On Her Majesty's Secret Service, which starred Sean Connery and George Lazenby.

It's not clear how closely the film will adhere to the book. The Union group could be changed to become Spectre, the organisation introduced in 2015's film and headed up by Christoph Waltz's Ernst Stavro Blofeld.

Both Waltz and David Bautista, who played henchman Hinx in the same film, are rumoured to return for Bond 25.

As well as Croatia, Japan and the south of France are rumoured locations for the film's shoot. Locations in the book including Nice, Paris, Cannes, Monte Carlo and Los Angeles.

According to paper, Bond 25's production will use the working title Shatterhand.

If Craig is to return, it's likely Ralph Fiennes will also return as M, alongside Naomie Harris as Moneypenny, Ben Whishaw as Q and Rory Kinnear as Tanner.

Three directors are reportedly in contention to lead the project. According to Deadline, these are Yann Demange (71), Denis Villeneuve (Arrival, Blade Runner 2049) and David Mackenzie (Hell or High Water).

Prior to Bond 25's announcement, it was reported that producer Barbara Broccoli is determined to bring back Adele to sing the film's title track, after her enormous, Oscar-winning success with 2012's Skyfall.