The 24th James Bond film Solo, is starting to emerge from chaos.

British novelist and screenwriter William Boyd (A Good Man In Africa, Any Human Heart), was hired to keep the Ian Fleming brand alive by penning the next James Bond novel, Solo, releasing in the UK September 26. According to Boyd, events conspire to propel Bond to go off on a mission of his own (solo), unannounced and without authorization. Bond is, of course, no stranger to acting on his own, particularly in the recent Daniel Craig incarnations. That said, Boyd, who grew up in Nigeria, promises to bring an authentic complexity to Solo‘s predominantly African setting.

Star Daniel Craig had announced on The Jay Leno Show that although he had wanted Skyfall to be his last Bond film, he has been convinced to sign on for a minimum of two more sequels. Skyfall was the first Bond film to gross over $1 billion world wide.

Skyfall director Sam Mendes had likewise proclaimed that he was through with Bond for good. Producers Barbara Broccolli and Michael Wilson were in talks with Christopher Nolan to helm Solo, but after some personal coaxing by Craig, Mendes has agreed to two more Bond films as well.

Rumor has it that Penelope Cruz is Mendes first choice to play the next Bond femme fatale.  “She looked so good visiting her husband Javier Bardem on the set of Skyfall, she just fit right in”, said Mendes. Cruz will have delivered her second child and celebrated her 4oth birthday by the time shooting begins in early fall, which would make her the oldest Bond “girl” ever.

Last week ContactMusic reported that Daniel Radcliffe is in talks to play the next Bond villain. Said Radcliffe, “Becoming a Bond nemesis would put an end to my Harry Potter image.”

Meanwhile, UK Pinewood Shepperton, the studio behind the Bond franchise, has revealed it will be expanding to the U.S. It is partnering with U.S. investment company River Rock to build a first class studio and several sound stages on 288 acres in Atlanta, Georgia.

We’ll keep you posted as Solo heats up.