Skyfall marks Daniel Craig’s third appearance as a James Bond (following a lengthy break since Quantum Of Solace), and he’s reuniting with Road To Perdition director Sam Mendes.

The title was announced at a November 2011 press conference, during which Mendes confirmed that Skyfall “has all the elements of a classic Bond movie including, to quell any rumours, a lot of action”.

Craig is backed up by formidable cast. As well as series stalwart Judi Dench, he’s joined by franchise newcomers Ralph Fiennes, Naomie Harris, and Ben Whishaw, who has been confirmed as a playing a young iteration of gadget-master Q.

Oh, and Javier Bardem is on brooding villain duties as Silva, a character shrouded in mystery (although a couple of unofficial on-set images have been released).

In fact, plot-specific details have been sparse all-round. Craig has suggest that Bond will be ‘funny as hell’ this time, and Harris has admitted that she won’t be revealing all as a Bond girl. Video blogs have provided tantalising nuggets of info, but the bulk of what we know of the plot is that Bond will face his most personal mission ever, when a sensitive MI6 file slips out of M’s grasp.

The Skyfall poster drips with old-school class, and the trailer teased with a combo of grit and glamour (although it did leave us with a few questions of our own...)

As Skyfall, or Bond 23, as it was once known, marks the 50th anniversary of the release of Dr No, expect 2012 to be a year of 007 celebrations. Things we’re kicked off in style at Danny Boyle’s Olympic opening ceremony, as Bond guided Her Majesty to the stadium by helicopter, before revealing a Skyfall TV spot in the US.

Fed up of sequels claiming to be the biggest in the series so far? Well this time it’s true, as Bond gets his first ever IMAX outing.

Skyfall will open in the UK on 26 October 2012. Stick here for everything you need to know about Bond 23, and leave your comments in the handy section below…