Discussions around Jamaica being a location for the latest James Bond film are intensifying.

Tourism Minister, Edmund Bartlett has confirmed that he and Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport Minister Olivia “Babsy” Grange, will be travelling to Pinewood Studios in England this week to meet with Barbara Broccoli and Michael G Wilson, the producers of the 25th instalment of the James Bond film franchise.

The minister explained that the discussions with the producers are very advanced. The international media have reported that principal filming will take place in Jamaica and at studios in the United Kingdom.

Jamaica will feature as part of the yet-to-be-titled film, which is expected to be released on April 8, 2020.

It is not the first time that Jamaica has been featured in a James Bond flick. Bartlett said that showcasing Jamaica once more in such an iconic franchise as James Bond will have an impact on Jamaica’s tourism industry, providing “enormous eternal marketing” for the island.

The British media has been reporting that Bond is heading back to Jamaica in the new flick once they have completed shooting in Norway. The Daily Mail confirmed that “principal filming will take place in Jamaica and at studios in the UK”. While The Daily Mirror noted: “The 25th film in the James Bond series will feature the Caribbean Island of Jamaica, following on from scenes shot in Norway featuring a masked villain chasing a blonde young girl.”

The Mirror also pointed out that it will not be Bond’s first -trip to Jamaica, as the island featured heavily in the first ever Bond film, Dr No back in 1962 in which actress Ursula Andress famously emerged from the sear in her iconic bikini The island made a return appearance as the chief setting for the début outing of Roger Moore in the 1973 film Live and Let Die.

Jamaica is the genesis of James Bond, which was written by British novelist Ian Flemming, who was also a journalist and naval intelligence officer. He wrote the James Bond novels at his Jamaican retreat Golden Eye, located in St Mary on Jamaica’s north-east coast. That property is currently owned by music mogul Chris Blackwell who operates it as an exclusive, luxury resort. Jamaica again made the Bond script in the form of actress Grace Jones. She played May Day in 1985’s A View To A Kill.

It is also being reported that Academy Award-winner Rami Malek will play the role of the Bond villain.

This will be the fifth and final time Daniel Craig will play the role of the famous British spy. Also reprising their roles are Bond girl Lea Seydoux as Dr Madeleine Swann, Ralph Fiennes as M, Naomie Harris as Eve Moneypenny, and Ben Whishaw as Q.