Tomorrow Never Dies

Tomorrow Never Dies Movie poster Country United Kingdom United States Directed by Roger Spottiswoode Release Date 1997 Language English Distributor Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) Main Cast Character Actor James Bond Pierce Brosnan Elliot Carver Jonathan Pryce M. Judi Dench Q. Desmond Llewelyn Wai Lin Michelle Yeoh Miss Moneypenny Samantha Bond Stamper Götz Otto Henry Gupta Ricky Jay Jack Wade Joe Don Baker Charles Robinson Colin Salmon

Tomorrow Never Dies is the 18th entry in the official James Bond film series. Pierce Brosnan makes his second appearance as Agent 007, who is given the mission of recovering a piece of technology that has the potential of sparking tensions between British and Chinese military forces. His investigation leads to the possibility of a conspiracy involving a media mogul intent on creating a war in order to raise the profits to his media empire. The 1997 film was directed by Roger Spottiswoode and the cast includes Michelle Yeoh, Jonathan Pryce, and Teri Hatcher. This film also marked the debut of Bond's new sidearm, the Walther P99, which would be utilized in the series up until 2006's Casino Royale.

The following weapons were used in the film Tomorrow Never Dies:

WARNING! THIS PAGE CONTAINS SPOILERS!

Handguns

Walther PPK

For the majority of the film, James Bond (Pierce Brosnan) carries the Walther PPK as his long-standing personal sidearm. His PPK is most notably seen in the Tomorrow printing factory shootout and with its equally iconic suppressor attached when Paris Carver (Teri Hatcher) shows up to confront Bond.

Walther PPK without suppressor - 7.65x17mm (.32 ACP)

Walther PPK with suppressor - 7.65x17mm

Bond attaches a suppressor onto his PPK.

Bond draws his PPK in the Tomorrow printing factory.

Bond takes the PPK out of the hidden gun locker inside his BMW.

007 searches his hotel room for enemies.

Bond enters his hotel room, PPK ready.

A closer shot of the PPK.

The PPK seen in the opening titles.

Walther P99

Tomorrow Never Dies is the first film in which the Walther P99 replaces the older PPK as Bond's sidearm. In Saigon, Bond (Pierce Brosnan) picks out the P99 from Wai Lin's (Michelle Yeoh) hidden armory. He then uses the gun, with a suppressor attached, through a great deal of the movie's climax aboard the Stealth ship, losing it only when he runs dry during an intense period of gunfire. This is also the gun featured on many posters for the film.

Walther P99 - 9x19mm

A picture of the original Walther P99 prop used in the film as seen on Original Prop Blog

"Aaaaah the new Walther, I asked Q to get me one of these."

Bond checks the sights on his P99 before the mission.

Bond fires his suppressed P99 along with an MP5K.

Production still showing Pierce Brosnan putting a magazine into the P99.

Production still of Pierce Brosnan with the P99.

Beretta 92FS

In the opening sequence at the terrorist arms bazaar, Bond knocks out a terrorist pilot who has a Beretta 92FS (although the pistol is a Browning BDA in the next shot).

Beretta 92FS - 9x19mm

The pilot's Beretta is knocked out of his hand.

Browning HP-BDA

In a continuity error, the pilot's Beretta transforms into a double-action-only Browning BDA when Bond knocks it out of his hand.

Browning BDA - 9x19mm

The pilot loses his grip on his Browning BDA, which has replaced the Beretta 92FS he was using earlier.

SIG P210

One of Gupta's terrorists uses a SIG P210 to commandeer a Jeep when Bond begins shooting up the bazaar.

SIG-Sauer P210 - 9x19mm

The terrorist threatens the Jeep driver.

Heckler & Koch P7

Dr. Kaufman (Vincent Schiavelli) uses a Heckler & Koch P7 pistol to attempt to kill Bond. Kaufman is subsequently executed with it by Bond. It's distinguished as the P7 because it lacks the M8's plastic heat shield above the trigger, and has a flush firing pin bushing.

H&K P7 - 9x19mm

Dr. Kaufman, a self-proclaimed "outstanding pistol marksman" threatens James Bond with a Heckler & Koch P7.

James Bond threatens Dr. Kaufman with his own gun.

Type 59

This is the Chinese version of the Russian Makarov PM used by the the thugs who attack Wai Lin at her safe house. Bond later points it out after he incapacitates a thug with it.

Type 59 - 9x18mm

The thug reaches for his Type 59.

Bond describes the gun to Wai Lin as "Makarov 59 (Referring to the Type 59 copy of the Makarov PM), standard issue, Chinese Army".

SIG-Sauer P229

Elliot Carver (Jonathan Pryce) uses a SIG-Sauer P229 when confronting Bond and Henry Gupta (Ricky Jay). Tomorrow Never Dies is one of the earliest films to feature the P229 (which had been introduced only a few years prior).

SIG-Sauer P229 - 9x19mm

Carver holds Wai Lin hostage with his SIG P229.

Carver advises his men to extinguish the fire on the stealth boat.

Glock 17

Carver's guards use Glock 17 pistols. Carver (Jonathan Pryce) himself uses one in the final scene.

Glock 17 (2nd Generation) - 9x19mm

Carver draws his Glock 17 on Bond.

Carver reveals his plan to Bond, unaware of the rotating saw behind him.

"If she blinks, kill her!"

The Captain (Mark Spalding) draws his Glock when he notices Bond, but is mowed down before he can use it.

Heckler & Koch P9S

Carver's guards in Hamburg are armed with Heckler & Koch P9S pistols.

Heckler & Koch P9S - 9x19mm

The guards try to stop Bond's BMW in the parking garage.

Browning BDM

Carver's guards in Saigon are armed with Browning BDMs as their sidearm.

Browning BDM - 9x19mm

Two guards with BDMs in their holsters. Their main weapon is a Calico M950.

James Bond knocks the guard out by kicking him, who had no real chance to draw his weapon.

Browning Hi-Power

Royal Military Police sentries at the Ministry of Defence have holstered Browning Hi-Powers.

Commercial Browning Hi-Power Mark III - 9x19mm

Unidentified Pistol

Several of Carver's men in Germany use unidentified pistols against Bond.

A guard fires at 007, but misses (nobody can shoot James Bond).

One of Carver's men runs through the Hamburg facility with his gun in his holster.

Submachine Guns

Heckler & Koch MP5A3

Many of Carver's henchmen, including Stamper (Götz Otto) carry Heckler & Koch MP5A3 submachine guns. In the final gunfight on Carver's ship, Wai Lin (Michelle Yeoh) dual-wields a pair of them. In a fantastic piece of accurate firearms technicality with regards to accounting for the round in the chamber, when Wai Lin checks the magazine of her remaining MP5 (the other one already having run empty) there is one single round left in the magazine, after which she proceeds to fire two shots.

Heckler & Koch MP5A3 - 9x19mm

The man in the middle and on the far left fire MP5A3s at Bond.

The man behind Stamper is armed with an MP5A3.

Carver's men guard Wai Lin as he explains his plan to her (The big mistake, every Bond villain does)

Three men guard Wai Lin as Elliot Carver enters the bridge.

Stamper and another man with MP5A3s.

Stamper fires his MP5A3 at Bond and Wai Lin.

Stamper reloads his MP5A3, three other men also carry MP5A3s.

Wai Lin with her MP5A3s stolen from Carver's men.

Wai Lin reloads one of her MP5A3s.

Carver's men while in a gunfight with James Bond.

Heckler & Koch MP5K

Many of Carver's henchmen carry Heckler & Koch MP5K submachine guns. Stamper (Götz Otto) has one briefly during the shootout with Bond on Carver's ship.

Heckler & Koch MP5K - 9x19mm

Carver's henchmen fire MP5s at Bond and Wai Lin.

One of Carver's men fires his MP5K at 007's BMW.

One of Carver's men in Saigon is killed while firing an MP5K.

Carver's man in the helicopter uses an MP5K throughout the bike chase.

Stamper fires an MP5K at Bond.

Heckler & Koch MP5K (with PDW folding stock)

Some of Carver's henchmen carry Heckler & Koch MP5K-PDW submachine guns. Bond (Pierce Brosnan) takes one from a stealth boat guard he killed (Curtis Rivers), using it along with his P99. Bond notably keeps the same MP5K for nearly the entire time he's on the stealth boat, having acquired it almost immediately and only losing it when ambushed by Carver near the very end of the battle. None of the MP5K-PDWs in this movie are factory MP5K-PDWs, they're just standard MP5Ks fitted with the PDW folding stock, which is actually not the same thing: The factory MP5K-PDW has a Navy trigger group and a threaded barrel to accept suppressors; the ones in the movie all have the SEF trigger group and no threaded barrel, which means the film's armorers just stuck the PDW stocks on regular MP5Ks.

H&K MP5K with the PDW-style folding stock attached, commonly used in films to emulate the PDW. The real MP5K-PDW is distinctive in having the longer barrel and the newer trigger group.

The man on the right fires his MP5K.

One of Carver's men is killed by 007 while firing an MP5K.

The guard on the left holds an MP5K.

One of the weapons of the "pedestrians" is an MP5K.

The man who hides behind the grey Fiat on the left carries an MP5K.

The man on the passenger-seat of the blue Mercedes fires an MP5K.

The guard who just came through the door fires an MP5K.

While aboard the stealth boat, Bond blindly fires the MP5K at Stamper.

Bond holds his P99 to Gupta's head with his MP5K-PDW pointed at Carver.

Bond mows down Carver's henchmen with his MP5K-PDW.

Production still of Michelle Yeoh with an MP5K with PDW folding stock.

Calico M950A

In Vietnam, when Bond (Pierce Brosnan) and Wai Lin make their escape from Elliot Carver's penthouse room, Bond procures a Calico M950A from a disabled security guard, using the machine pistol to shoot out a nearby window. The pair then jump, avoiding gunfire from more of Carver's guards, some of whom are armed with M950s.

Calico M950A pistol - 9x19mm

The guard on the left holds a Calico.

Bond fires his Calico at the security guards.

A security guard accidentally fires some rounds into the floor when Bond knocks him out for a couple of seconds.

Two guards with Calicos fire at Bond, the man on the left gets shot by 007.

Carver's men prepare to chase Bond on the roof.

Carver tells his men to catch Bond and Wai Lin.

Carver's men run back to their car, after failing to kill Bond and Wai Lin.

During the bike chase, Carver's men in the two Range Rovers are armed with Calicos.

Two men fire their Calicos at Bond and Wai Lin.

Heckler & Koch MP5A2

One of Carver's men can be seen running through the stealth boat with a Heckler & Koch MP5A2.

Heckler & Koch MP5A2 with "tropical" wide handguard - 9x19mm

Heckler & Koch MP5SD3

One of Carver's men on the stealth boat can be seen firing what appears to be a Heckler & Koch MP5SD3.

Heckler & Koch MP5SD3 with S-E-F trigger group and stock extended - 9x19mm

The man on the left fires his MP5SD3 at James Bond.

FN P90

Several FN P90 can be seen in the safehouse.

FN P90 - left side view - 5.7x28mm

The P90s are located in the higher levels of the board.

Assault Rifles

ArmaLite AR-180 Carbine (heavily modified)

In the opening scene, James Bond (Pierce Brosnan) wields a heavily modified ArmaLite AR-180 Carbine as his primary weapon. The AR-180 Carbine was an incredibly rare variant of the ArmaLite AR-180 rifle, the semi-auto version of the AR-18 assault rifle. Though there are many (poorly documented) variations of the AR-180 Carbine, each featuring their own assortment of components, all AR-180 Carbines feature shortened barrels, and most feature a handguard-mounted foregrip and a short, straight charging handle.

According to ajb007.co.uk user and James Bond memorabilia collector ppw3o6r, this custom AR-180 was modified to become a folding assault rifle, functioning similarily to compact folding SMGs like the Hotchkiss "Type Universal"; in the movie's fiction, the AR-180 Carbine has been modified with a short hollow pistol grip that can be folded forwards, a top-folding stock with a custom rear sight accomodating it, and a spring-loaded stripped-down barrel/handguard section, able to be pushed into the gun and held by a slot on the stock plate when the stock is folded.

In actuality, there were three rifles that were used in the film's production to represent this weapon:

• A non-firing custom-built "Gadget Rifle" featuring the aformentioned moving parts used for folding scenes;
• A non-firing rubber stunt rifle, modeled with a 5-round short magazine;
• The original, fully functional donor rifle used in firing scenes; based on online sources, it was a British AR-180 manufactured by Sterling, with serial number SS273 (the second "S" is an indication that the original rifle was a Carbine AR-180, as the first "S" stood for "Semi-auto", while the second "S" stood for "Shorty"). In the film, it has been modified with the top folding stock, custom rear sight, and handguard + barrel configuration of the "Gadget Rifle" to match its appearance.

Despite being designed to be a folding rifle, the scenes showing the "Gadget Rifle" unfolding were completely cut from the final movie, leaving only the scenes with the stunt rifle and the practical rifle, and no explanation on the gun's unusual appearance. In the original cut, Bond would've been shown taking the folded rifle out of his jacket and unfolding it to full-size, unlocking the grip, stock, and barrel. In the final film, Bond enters combat with the rifle already unfolded; allegedly, this was because it was felt that the spring-loaded barrel was too far fetched even for a Bond film.

The folding rifle was designed to be used with an ultra-short 5-round magazine, as anything longer prevented the grip from fully folding. In the final movie, Bond is only seen using long 30-round magazines for the gun, and the 5-round magazine is only seen in a brief shot featuring the rubber stunt rifle; the filmmakers chose to use the 30-round magazine because the 5-round magazine emptied way too quickly, and was unsuitable for the firing scenes.

The rubber stunt version of the gun was put on auction at Propstore.

ArmaLite AR-18 Carbine (serial number AS033) – 5.56x45mm. This gun was manufactured by Sterling, and the original Sterling-made donor weapon used in Tomorrow Never Dies likely matched the appearance of this model before its modifications.

Folding prop of the modified Sterling Armalite AR-180 in Tomorrow Never Dies.

Folding prop of the modified Sterling Armalite AR-180 in Tomorrow Never Dies, unfolded.

Stunt prop of the modified Sterling Armalite AR-180 in Tomorrow Never Dies.

Bond takes cover with his AR-18. Note the AR-18 gas piston, indicating that this is a functional weapon (i.e. the practical rifle).

Bond watches an explosion with his AR-18.

Bond disarms a terrorist. Note the uneven shape of the grip, the short magazine (a visible continuity error), and the crudely attached sling, indicating that this is the stunt prop.

Bond runs through the bazaar with his AR-18.

Bond fires from the airplane.

Director Roger Spottiswoode gives the modified AR-180 to actor Pierce Brosnan.

Production image of Pierce Brosnan as James Bond holding the AR-180. Note the standard pistol grip, indicating that this is the practical rife.

Production image of Brosnan firing the AR-180.

Norinco Type 56-1

In the opening shootout at the bazaar some of the terrorists are seen shooting at Bond with Norinco Type 56-1 assault rifles with AK-74-style muzzle brakes installed, probably the exact same guns that were used previously in GoldenEye (which had the same armorers as this movie). Several can be seen in Wai Lin's safehouse as well.

Norinco Type 56-1 with AK-74 muzzle brake and bakelite plastic magazine - 7.62x39mm

A terrorist aims his AK at Bond.

Two terrorists take cover from Bond.

Bond grabs equipment with several weapons behind him.

M16A2

Several of Carver's men, including the team leader (Rocky Taylor) use M16A2 rifles in the parking garage scene, modified with Beta-C Magazines and M203 grenade launchers. M16A2s without M203s are used by all of the American airmen at the air base.

M16A2 (5.56x45mm) with M203 grenade launcher 40mm

The team leader inspects Bond's car with his M16 with M203 and Beta-C mag. A henchman behind him carries an MP5K-PDW.

One of Carver's henchman fires at Bond's BMW.

American airmen at an unnamed airbase armed with M16A2s.

A BTS picture shows one of the airmen's M16.

Colt Model 727

In the Atlantic Hotel parking garage, at least one of Carver's goons uses an Colt Model 727 carbine fitted with an M203 grenade launcher to fire at Bond's BMW. The M727 seen in the parking garage has an MWC 90-round drum. During the climax of the movie, Stamper (Gotz Otto) locates Wai Lin and holds her at gunpoint with the same M727/M203 combination, though in this scene, the rifle is fitted with a standard 30-round magazine instead of the 90-round drum.

Colt Model 727 - 5.56x45mm

One of Carver's men fires at 007's BMW, but destroys a parked Renault instead.

One of Carver's men fires a Colt M727 fitted with an M203 and an MWC 90-round drum at Bond (seen in the back).

The man on the left fires at Bond's BMW.

The same man allows us a perfect look at the drum magazine.

Stamper and several of Carver´s men fire at Bond. Stamper is using the same M727/M203 rifle/grenade launcher seen earlier in the film, though the 90-round drum has been replaced by a standard 30-round magazine.

Close shot of the weapon.

Stamper demonstrates his "German efficiency" to 007.

AKS-74U

Several AKS-74Us can be seen hung vertically on the right in Wai Lin's safehouse.

AKS-74U - 5.45x39mm

Bond grabs equipment with several weapons behind him.

FAMAS

Several FAMAS rifles are also visible in Wai Lin's safehouse.

FAMAS - 5.56x45mm NATO

Machine Guns

M60E3

After the HMS Devonshire is sunk in the beginning of the film, the survivors are approached by the Stealth Boat that discreetly tore a hole in it with a remote-controlled sea drill. As they plead for help, Stamper (Götz Otto) emerges with an M60E3 machine gun and fires it on the crowd of survivors, killing all of them.

N.B. Carver tells Stamper to "use the right kind of ammunition" as the machine-gunning is meant to frame the Chinese air force for the murders, simulating fire from a Chinese aircraft on a strafing run. As a frame-up, this is hugely improbable for at least three reasons:
(1) no Chinese military weapon uses the 7.62x51mm NATO rounds used by the M60E3, let alone the cannon(s) mounted on the Nanchang Q-5 Fantan aircraft blamed for the sinking (then again there are several other issues with this specific aircraft being present for the frame-up, specifically that the Q-5 cannot carry torpedoes);
(2) the strike marks on cartridges fired from a man-portable machine gun would be sharply different from those of any vehicle-mounted cannon;
(3) the only man-portable weapon that could even potentially mimic fire from the Q-5's Norinco Type 23-2K 23mm cannons (a derivative of the Soviet Nudelman-Rikhter NR-23) would be the KS-23 shotgun firing slugs, and even then only if the investigators did not look very hard.

M60E3 machine gun - 7.62x51mm NATO

Stamper (Götz Otto) fires his M60E3 at the HMS Devonshire survivors.

GE M134 Minigun

A hand-held GE M134 Minigun can be seen in Wai Lin's safehouse.

General Electric M134 - 7.62x51mm NATO

Bond grabs equipment with several weapons behind him. Note the Hand-Held GE M134 Minigun beneath the assault rifles.

PKM

The PKM is one of the heavy weapons displayed at the arms bazaar in Russia in the film's opening.

PKM with classic (most seen) version of the flash hider - 7.62x54mm R

DShK

What appears to be a DShK heavy machine gun can be seen at the arms bazaar.

DShK machine gun - 12.7x108mm

On the right, what appears to be a DShK machine gun can be seen at the arms bazaar.

Gatling Guns (mockup)

What appear to be twin Gatling-style guns are seen mounted on a truck during the opening shootout at the arms bazaar. These appear to mocking rotating barrels built around a blank-firing machine gun, perhaps a Browning M1919.

Twin Gatling-style guns are seen firing at 007. Note that that the barrel flashes appear to coming from the middle of the gun on the right, indicating mockup barrels built around a real blank-firing weapon.

Shotguns

Armsel Striker

One of Carver's men in Germany has an Armsel Striker, but he does not use it.

Armsel Striker Shotgun - 12 Gauge.

The weapon sits on the Ford F-Series tow truck, with the bald man.

Other

M203 grenade launcher

Several of Carver's henchmen use Colt Model 727 carbines and M16A2 assault rifles fitted with M203 grenade launchers throughout the movie, particularly during the shootout at the Atlantic Hotel parking garage. An M727/M203 combination is used by Stamper (Gotz Otto) in the climax of the movie; he uses the M203 to rapid-fire multiple grenades at Bond.

M203 grenade launcher - 40x46mm

The man on the left with the grenade launcher mounted underneath the rifle.

M79 grenade launcher

One of Carver's men uses an M79 grenade launcher during the parking garage scene.

M79 grenade launcher - 40x46mm

The man on the right with the M79 grenade launcher.

The man on the right with the grenade launcher, covered by dust

LAW 80

One of Carver's henchmen (Curtis Rivers) uses what appears to be a rocket launcher that resembles an LAW 80 when trying to stop Bond's BMW in the hotel parking garage.

LAW 80 - 94mm

Carver's henchman aims his missile launcher.

Spear Gun

Wai Lin (Michelle Yeoh) uses a spear gun inside the sunken HMS Devonshire. Stamper (Götz Otto) later kills a fisherman with a spear gun.

Stamper, after murdering the fisherman.

The Gunbarrel

The opening gunbarrel sequence is reused from GoldenEye.

Pierce Brosnan as James Bond fires the Walther in the gunbarrel for the film.

Trivia

• The 'Stealth Boat' was modelled after a SeaCat ferry, but modified to look like the real life Lockheed Sea Shadow stealth boat used by the US Navy. The Lockheed Sea Shadow is much smaller in size and was used as a test platform for Navy trials.