The Insider.com

Production on the new James Bond movie Skyfall is well underway, and the first video blog from director Sam Mendes has been released.

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Mendes says he has always been a fan of the Bond films, so it was a no-brainer for him to take on the newest installment of the phenomenal franchise: "I, like everybody else, have my own personal relationship with Bond, which began I suppose when I was about nine or ten years old."

007 is Back: 'Skyfall' is Announced to the World

But what truly brought him on board for the 23rd Bond film was Daniel Craig, now reprising 007 for the third time following his debut in 2006's Casino Royale and the subsequent Quantum of Solace.

"I was genuinely blown away by Casino Royale," says Mendes. "I thought [director] Martin Campbell did a brilliant job, but also because of Daniel. I felt like he was a real man in a real situation again, and reminded me of the way I felt when I watched the Sean Connery movies."

First Look: Bond is Back!

The one real insight Mendes provides in the vlog about what kind of Bond movie Skyfall may well be is when he explains, "It struck me that it is still possible to make a big, fabulous, glamorous, escapist movie, and yet at the same time to say something about the world that we're living in."

Although devoid of any plot details, what's remarkable about this first vlog from the production is that this represents the first time a Bond film has officially gone the Peter Jackson route with the promise of regular production nuggets for fans as cameras roll. Jackson has been known to be generous with sharing his behind-the-scenes flourishes, and it looks like EON Productions (which stands for "Everything or Nothing") may takings its cue from the Lord of the Rings/Hobbit maestro.

Daniel Craig (Swim)Suits Up For 'Skyfall'

Up until now, the Skyfall production has released two images from the film (one of a stubbly Craig holding Bond's signature Walther PPK in front of blurred-out Asian neon, and one behind-the-scenes shot with Judi Dench as M), and the 007.com site has only teased us with a bevy of pics of Skyfall production slates, charting the film's progress and strategically blocking any discernible set or location.

Skyfall explodes in to theaters November 9.