Key scenes for the next James Bond movie, including several high-speed car chases, are to be shot on the streets of Rome, according to reports.

Three action scenes, including night-time vehicle chases, will take place in the city’s historic centre and on the famous Corso Vittorio Emanuele II thoroughfare.

One chase will climax with a car crashing into the Tiber river, while another features the crushing of a Fiat 500 near the Vatican. In a separate action scene Daniel Craig as 007 will parachute from a helicopter on to the 15th-century pedestrian bridge, Ponte Sisto.

More scenes will be shot outside Rome at the Royal Palace of Caserta in Campania, a huge 18th-century site constructed for the Bourbon kings of Naples, Italian news agency Ansa reported.

The Italian shoot is due to take place between 19 February and 12 March, with film-makers working out of offices at Rome’s Cinecitta complex. Variety.com reports that the celebrated studios, which are experiencing a revival thanks to new government tax breaks, will host the forthcoming remake of Ben Hur, as well as Zoolander 2 and US indie thriller Voice from the Stone.

The original 1959 version of Ben Hur, starring Charlton Heston as a wealthy Jewish prince who finds himself battling the Roman Empire that has stolen everything from him, was also shot at Cinecitta.

The 24th official James Bond film, as yet untitled, is due to shoot at London’s Pinewood Studios in December. Ralph Fiennes, Ben Whishaw and Naomie Harris are due to return as the new M, Q and Moneypenny respectively, with reports suggesting Christoph Waltz will play classic 007 villain Ernst Stavro Blofeld. Sam Mendes’s second turn as director, following the $1bn box office success of 2012’s Skyfall, is due in cinemas next October.