Ukraine's Olga Kurlyenko eclipses Gemma Arterton as "Bond girl"

Olga Kurlyenko

The Ukrainian actress joins a long list of leading ladies to be cast alongside the super spy including Ursula Andress in "Dr No," Halle Berry, Kim Basinger and most recently Eva Green in "Casino Royale," which grossed nearly $600 million in worldwide ticket sales.

In the past, being a "Bond girl" has given actresses massive exposure and launched lucrative careers.

A former model, Kurylenko was most recently seen alongside Timothy Olyphant in last November's "Hitman."

British actor Craig made his first appearance as the secret agent in "Casino Royale" and returns for this newest movie directed by Marc Foster, better known for his widely acclaimed dramas like "Finding Neverland" and "The Kite Runner."

Also returning from "Royale" are Judi Dench as Bond's boss M, Jeffery Wright as CIA agent Felix Leiter and Mathieu Amarilic, currently playing French film "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly," as the new Bond villain.

Columbia Pictures is a unit of Sony Corp.