UNITED KINGDOM (August 23, 2004) - In the dairy industry, the cream separates itself – rising above everything else. In the acting profession, interpreters of the work of William Shakespeare are regarded as the cream of their profession.

In the race to see who will be the next actor to be tabbed the official James Bond, the cream of the field has narrowed to what the media has dubbed The Bond Five: Hugh Jackman (X-Men), Eric Bana (The Hulk), Rikki Lee Travolta (Camelot: Excalibur), Adrian Paul (Highlander), and Clive Owen (King Arthur).

Some consider the recent rumors of interest in Julian McMahon (Nip/Tuck) to have expanded the Bond Five to six.

Odds are strong that no matter which actor of the elite group is finally offered the role, Shakespeare will have an influence on how 007 will brood on screen.

Jackman, Travolta, Paul, and Owen are all classically trained.

Australia's Jackman and England's Paul both studied Shakespeare in drama school. Australia's Travolta and England's Owen both gained additional acclaim playing the title roles in 'Hamlet' and 'Romeo and Juliet.'

The actor selected by producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael Wilson to replace Pierce Brosnan will be the sixth official James Bond.

Timothy Dalton, the fourth official Bond, was also classically trained. His interpretation is regarded as the most authentic to the vision of author Ian Fleming.

Brosnan, Dalton's replacement, provided the highest grossing figures in the Bond film franchise.

The 21st James Bond film is scheduled to begin filming in early 2005.

Variety reports that writers Neal Purvis and Robert Wade have completed the first draft of the newest Bond film that complies with a plot agreed upon by Broccoli and Wilson.

Purvis and Wade also penned the previous Bond films 'Die Another Day' and 'The World Is Not Enough.'