Trades paper Variety, along with DarkHorizons.net and fellow Bond fansite CommanderBond.net, have reported that MGM has publicly confirmed James Bond's 21st adventure will not hit movie screens until at least 2006.

Much to the chagrin of Bond fans, MGM has yet to sign an actor for the role of 007 or a director for the film. Citing these reasons, Variety reported the delay in production. Rumored Brosnan replacements include Orlando Bloom, Colin Farrell, Hugh Jackman, Clive Owen and Eric Bana. With the actor saga comes the reported Bond "roots" campaign favored by Brosnan and others involved in the Bond project to shy away from flamboyant special effects and eye-rolling stunts to a movie more focused on plot and character development.

Another factor in MGM's decision for a Bond replacement actor is youth appeal. Rumors have surfaced that producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccolli are toying with the idea of a younger Bond, with the aforementioned names at the top of their list of contenders.

A release date in 2005 also seems out of reach as a result of the MGM/Sony merger that seems to add more chaos to the already chaotic Brosnan-Bond flip-flopping routine.

In place of the Bond 21 November 2005 release date, MGM plans on releasing the Steve Martin remake of The Pink Panther. The Bond 21 release date will most likely have a winter 2006 release date.

UPDATE! Fellow Bond fansite MI6.co.uk followed up on a Hollywood Reporter story that stated that production is lagging because of the lack of a producer.

Stay tuned to BM for Bond 21 news as it is revealed.