Watch a Behind-the-Scenes Look at the Action Scenes from James Bond’s Spectre

The new 007 film is going to be quite the ride. 

Daniel Craig’s tenure as James Bond has yielded a darker, more complex look 007 than we’ve seen in recent years, but his performance aside, there are three reasons we return to theaters for the latest installment in the Bond franchise: the girls, the gadgets, and the action. We go to see Bond narrowly escape being sliced in half by lasers, or flying nuclear missiles away from arms dealers, or race speedboats through the canals of Venice.


Sam Mendes, the renowned director behind the lens for 2016’s Spectre, gets this, which is probably why he released a video on Wednesday giving Bond fans a behind-the-scenes look at some of the action sequences in the upcoming film. 

The footage also came with some plot reveals! I’d stop reading now if you’re spoiler-averse:

A cryptic message from the past sends James Bond (Daniel Craig) on a rogue mission to Mexico City and eventually Rome, where he meets Lucia Sciarra (Monica Bellucci), the beautiful and forbidden widow of an infamous criminal. Bond infiltrates a secret meeting and uncovers the existence of the sinister organisation known as SPECTRE.

Meanwhile back in London, Max Denbigh (Andrew Scott), the new head of the Centre for National Security, questions Bond’s actions and challenges the relevance of MI6, led by M (Ralph Fiennes). Bond covertly enlists Moneypenny (Naomie Harris) and Q (Ben Whishaw) to help him seek out Madeleine Swann (Léa Seydoux), the daughter of his old nemesis Mr White (Jesper Christensen), who may hold the clue to untangling the web of SPECTRE. As the daughter of an assassin, she understands Bond in a way most others cannot. 

As Bond ventures towards the heart of SPECTRE, he learns of a chilling connection between himself and the enemy he seeks, played by Christoph Waltz.

Exciting! Spectre hits theaters on November 6th. If you’re a Bond fan like I am, I’d start rewatching the entire franchise (and maybe dust off your N64 for some Goldeneye) in preparation.  Or just watch the clip above. Either way.