In Mexico, Día de Muertos is celebrated every year in a flurry of street parties and skull-based iconography. It is, of course, a key setting within Sam Mendes' **Spectre. This month, Empire brings a taste of it to subscribers' doormats with a very collectible cover brought to you direct from the man himself. This image adorned a special cast-and-crew poster. Yes, it's probably pinned to Daniel Craig's bedroom wall right now. Take a closer look below.
The issue is, of course, guest edited by Mendes. It's full of Bond exclusives - adding texture to the unparalleled Spectre coverage, the past Craig Bonds are laid bare in thrilling detail - as well as incredible access to Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks for Bridge Of Spies, a chat with Jon Favreau about The Jungle Book and much, much more.
With Spectre's release date stalking into view like a, well, spectre, a quick reminder of who and what's involved. Empire editor Mendes is back directing his second Bond, from a script written by fellow Skyfall veterans John Logan, Neal Purvis and Robert Wade. The movie sees Ralph Fiennes, Ben Whishaw and Naomie Harris, as M, Q and Moneypenny respectively, with new recruits Christoph Waltz as Oberhauser, Dave Bautista as Mr. Hinx, Bellucci as Lucia Sciarra, Lea Seydoux as Madeleine Swann, Stephanie Sigman as Estrella and Andrew Scott as Denbigh. Oh, and Craig is Bond, obviously.
Lest you be suffering from unquenchable 007-FOMO, here's how to ensure you don't miss out on subscriber specials like this and last month's BB-8 cover. Just click here, pay an unbelievably reasonable sum of money and get Empire delivered right to you every single darn month. Simple. Even S.P.E.C.T.R.E. would bow to that.
Non-subscribers can pick up the new issue of Empire on newsstands from September 24. Spectre, meanwhile, gets its world premiere in London on October 24 when it simultaneously opens across the rest of the UK and Ireland. The US and other territories will see it released on November 6.
Picture credit: Charlie Grey