James Bond, the nation's most famous fictional spy, is to return next year for a new mission - as a teenager.

Set in the 1930s, the books will tell the story of the future 007 and his schoolboy adventures at Eton, the Independent newspaper reports.

Actor and novelist Charlie Higson - best known for his work on TV's The Fast Show - has been commissioned by Penguin Books to write the prequels.

The first book is under way and is due to be published in March 2005.

Higson, 45, is reported to have described the chance to write about a teenage James Bond as "too good an opportunity to turn down".

He said: "I've grown up with Bond, and while I've had to finally accept that I'll never play him in the films, writing about him is even more exciting."

The first book will see the schoolboy Bond travel to a Scottish castle, where, according to Penguin, a wealthy American has been conducting "some very disturbing experiments".

It will also describe his struggle to come to terms with the deaths of his parents in a skiiing accident - an event often alluded to in Fleming's books.

Source

I assume he won't be getting his leg over, for once.

Hmmm....

Sounds naff. Do you think Jaws will be the school bully? And Mrs Moneypenny will be in the same class and have a crush on James? A bit like Smallville...

lol, I agree, it does sound daft

Experience tells us that prequals tend to be full of continuity errors, bad scripts, and usually butcher the original...we'll see how it goes I guess, but I can't say I'll be on the edge of my seat for this one.

It would be a bit of a let down seeing the super spy with acne and girl troubles. Plus Moneypenny would be arrested she gave the appearance of being a good 15 years his senior in most films.

If Fleming's heirs let this happen, they've lost their minds. Ian Fleming didn't want to give bond much of a backgroud to maintain some mystery about his character. I say 80 percent chance this is fake, or fans will hate it.

P.S. - In Goldeneye Alec Trevelyan says that bond's parents were killed in a CLIMBING accident, not skining.

I cant stand the james bond movies so i wont be seeing it.