Spectre: James Bond movie suffers yet another setback as monks ban filming in Rome graveyard

Director Sam Mendes wanted to shoot a funeral scene in the cemetery

Daniel Craig and Lea Seydoux shoot 24th James Bond movie Spectre (Getty Images)

New James Bond movie Spectre has suffered yet another setback after the cast and crew were banned from filming in Rome’s largest cemetery.

Monks reportedly turned down director Sam Mendes’ request to shoot a funeral scene at the Cimitero Monumentale Del Verano, local newspaper Il Messaggero reports.

Italian cultural icons including poet Goffredo Mameli are buried in the 2,000-year-old graveyard and an ancient Christian order (the Arciconfraternita dei Trapassati) protects it as a sacred site.

The funeral scene is now due to be shot at the Museum of Roman Civilisation, with the office of Mayor Ignazio Marino receiving a request to film “following technical problems” with the planned venue, the Guardian reports.

Spectre filmmakers have already been prohibited from shooting a car chase scene at the Italian capital’s Quattro Fontane, which holds four 16th century fountains, because of its fragility.

Then there was lead star Daniel Craig’s knee injury, which put a halt to a fight scene at London’s Pinewood Studios earlier this month, and the stealing of nine cars customised for filming in the Alps from a garage in December.

The 24th Bond film follows 2012’s box office smash Skyfall. Craig is playing 007 for the fourth time, alongside two-time Oscar winner Christoph Waltz, Monica Bellucci and Léa Seydoux.

The storyline sees Bond on a mission to uncover a sinister organisation after receiving a mysterious message from his past. M (Ralph Fiennes) is struggling to keep the secret service alive as Bond works to reveal the awful truth behind Ernst Stavro Blofeld’s Special Executive for Counter-intelligence, Terrorism, Revenge and Extortion.

Spectre reaches UK cinemas on 23 October this year.