Video: 'Die Another Day' trailer

(Monday, November 18, 2002, 8:00 p.m. GMT) — Die Another Day, the twentieth spy film in the James Bond series produced by Eon Productions, premiered tonight at the 56th Royal Film Performance, a fundraising event held in aid of The Film and TV Charity.

The event took place at the Royal Albert Hall in London and Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip were guests of honor. The Royal Albert Hall had a makeover for the screening and had been transformed into an ice palace. Proceeds from the premiere, about £500,000, were donated to The Film and Television Charity, of which the Queen was a patron.

Video: 'Die Another Day (2002) - Movie' (10 clips)

Directed by Lee Tamahori, the film stars Pierce Brosnan (in his fourth and last film as James Bond), Halle Berry, Toby Stephens, Rick Yune, Rosamund Pike, John Cleese, Judi Dench, Will Yun Lee, Michael Madsen, and Rachel Grant.

It follows Bond as he attempts to locate a mole in British intelligence who betrayed him and a British billionaire who is later revealed to be connected to a North Korean operative whom Bond seemingly killed.

The film received mixed reviews; some critics praised Tamahori’s direction, but others criticized its reliance on CGI, product placement, and its unoriginal plot, as well as the villain.

Nevertheless, Die Another Day was the highest-grossing James Bond film up to that time.