Sir Sean Connery’s impact on the history of James Bond movies cannot be understated. The late actor originated the role of 007 himself, and to some, the Connery era of Bond is still the best incarnation of Ian Fleming’s character. It’s because of this contribution that the late actor has just received a massive James Bond honor, just in time for his birthday.
Celebrating what would have been Sir Sean Connery’s 92nd birthday, it’s been unveiled that the Sean Connery Stage is being build over at Pinewood Studios. The announcement was reported through the 007 website, where news was unveiled that five new soundstages are being constructed on the studio’s lot. On hand to comment were two of Sean Connery’s children: his son, Jason, and his stepson, Stephane. Their statement read as follows:
Our family consider it a great honour to have a stage named after Sean. It is fitting, considering the amount of time Sean spent at Pinewood, and we know that he would have been very touched by this privilege.
A legendary fixture in the James Bond legacy, Pinewood Studios was where Sean Connery shot all six of his outings as the suave spy. In addition to that location housing the 007 Stage that once held the record for the largest soundstage ever, almost all of the films in the franchise have filmed at one point or another at the studio. Just as Connery is an identifiable figure in the history of James Bond, Pinewood Studios is just as important when it comes to crafting those very films.
Several key moments, like Sean Connery’s nerve-wracking introduction as James Bond in Dr. No, were committed to film on this very backlot. However, in the more modern era of 007 filmmaking, there have been incidents where the 007 stage has been damaged. One of the most recent cases happened when No Time To Die’s laboratory explosion left a crew member injured, in addition to the property damage.
Whether these new soundstages are being built merely to add capacity to the lot or in a bid to perhaps give the 007 Stage some time to be refurbished before Bond 26’s 2024 shoot is unclear. No matter the reason, having a permanent fixture on the Pinewood Studios lot that honors Sir Sean Connery is something to celebrate. Many will surely be excited to see what film is the first to use this space to its advantage, whenever construction is complete.
In the meantime, you can revisit all six of Sean Connery’s James Bond adventures, if you’re an Amazon Prime subscriber. Not only that, but almost all of the 007 films are available for streaming as well, should the mood strike you to enjoy even more of Commander Bond’s adventures.