Casts For New James Bond Movie “SPECTRE”

Actors from left, Ben Whishaw, Naomie Harris, Daniel Craig and Ralph Fiennes pose for photographers at the announcement for the new Bond film, the 24th in the series, at Pinewood Studios in west London, Thursday, Dec. 4, 2014. (AP)

Jill Lawless | The Associated Press The next James Bond film will have a title that nods to the series’ past: “SPECTRE.”

Director Sam Mendes announced the title Thursday, along with the identity of several new cast members and a new version of Bond’s iconic Aston Martin car.

SPECTRE was the terrorist organization headed by Ernst Blofeld in early Bond films starting with “Dr. No.”

Academy Award-winning Austrian actor Christoph Waltz is joining the cast, while Andrew Scott — Moriarty from BBC series “Sherlock” — will play a government official. Lea Seydoux and Monica Bellucci are the new “Bond girls.”

Daniel Craig will play Bond for a fourth time, and Mendes returns as director after 2012’s “Skyfall.”

Returning cast members include Ralph Fiennes as spy chief M, Ben Whishaw as gadget-master Q and Naomi Harris as Miss Moneypenny.

“Skyfall” was the most successful Bond film yet, taking more than $1.1 billion at the global box office.

Waltz said his character was called Oberhauser, but many fans will hope he is really Blofeld, one of the most enduring Bond villains.

Principal photography on the new film begins Monday. Filming will take place at Pinewood Studios near London and on location in Morocco, Mexico and Austria.

The movie is due for release late next year.