Reboot? Remake? Retro? Which direction should the series take next?

Films No Time To Die (Spoilers)
21

The Craig era is a mixed bag at best for me, but one good thing that could come out of all this is the ability to officially recognize what we’ve just had to surmise before now: that each recasting of the lead is “reboot” of sorts, and a clean start. That opens up a lot of doors: “done in one” adventures that don’t need to connect to anything, or self-contained arcs that could end all sorts of ways, from “off on another adventure” to “happy retirement” to more “where’s my Oscar” death scenes.

The trick, of course, will be to play out those arcs in less than 15 freaking years. And to not hedge bets with pandering call-backs to films that don’t fit in the current continuity, like having the Goldfinger car in your garage when you never went on that mission.

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22

I’d certainly like a reboot.

And if they DO decide to make the next Bond actor’s films their own continuing story too, I hope they plan it all out in advance this time around.

But I’d be fine with a more stand-alone format as well.

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23

Despite what George Lucas claimed, you can’t. There’s FAR too much beyond your control in film-making.

Eon had - there’s a mysterious terrorist group

Marvel had - Thanos wants infinity stones.

You can’t do any more beyond that, what with actor availability, social aspects and popular tastes that can turn on a dime, where the money is coming from changing…

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24

Not sure I agree. I think there’s a little bit more you can roughly map out besides ‘there’s a mysterious terrorist group’. At least in terms of what you want to do with the main character’s development.

Maybe ‘plan it all out in advance’ is the wrong phrase. But at least what the MCU films manage to do is make it all feel like character stories that are looking and moving forwards every time - not backwards, going off on tangents or seemingly changing their minds about what they want to say. The Craig films feel more muddled in that respect.

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25

They almost lost Downey in 2013, and Sony’s stance on Spider-man was OVER MY DEAD BODY until 2015.

And are they? Skyfall going from one to the other I’ll grant you, but otherwise it was one thing.

Or am I literally the only person who remembers people asking why Skyfall wasn’t going to continue the CR/QOS story?

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26

:grin: You’re not. Gosh, I still wish they would have stuck to that instead of having SPECTRE tie it back in to the CR/QoS story.

Anyway, I agree with you: soft reboot has my vote.

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27

EON re-gained the rights to Blofeld and Spectre. The script they had in the works for Bond 24 was re-written to introduce Spectre. IMHO, the end-result was tosh, but for me, more egregious, an unbelievable missed opportunity to reintroduce one of the character’s literary arch-enemies (I’d offer SMERSH being the other).

At this moment in time, the next actor could potentially be on a hiding to nothing, and while I don’t take any issue with the many who want an immediate return to the old-style “one adventure at-a-time” model, I’m of the opinion that the general audience are currently conditioned for either a universe or an overarching story-line.

So…my proposal (oooh, there’s an arrogant and presumptious word!) would be this:

Considering that EON have gone hard to the last page of FRWL with NTTD, why not return to that novel’s structure. Re-introduce Spectre/Blofeld, the whole nine yards, and really dedicate as much effort to creating (as is the trend with The Joker) an honest-to-goodness adversary for our hero. And then bring in the new man. Who, if you’re not doing a CR-style story, really doesn’t need much in the way of screen-time to establish what they’re about.

Let’s face it, the PTS’s of OHMSS, TLD, and GE were more than enough to establish the new actor (and Sir Rog needed nothing, because he was, well Sir Rog!), and with the backstory now done, what does one need a whole other film dedicated to “how he became, etc”

At that moment you’ve got both a lead and lead villain, signed up for a 2 or 3 picture deal, and you can tell either one big story, or 3 self-contained ones (a la the original TB-YOLT-OHMSS film trilogy).

Depending who is cast as Bond, well, there may well be a need for a counterweight to give proceedings some solidity. EON are not interested in repeating the one-and-done nature of OHMSS…(I like Tom Hardy, but he may be a better Blofeld than a Bond!!!)

FRWL works so well as a novel because the author put so much effort into establishing Grant, Klebb, Kronstein SMERSH, etc. In comparison, SP cast a big name, created a convoluted back-story, and then just followed Bond around for 2 hours. No offense to anyone, but we’ve kind of done that. For 25 films. And 60 years.

EON seem to be in a “brave” mood - I say double-down on that. The franchise will survive if it doesn’t work. Let’s face it, it’s survived a lot worse…(Japanese disguises, TMWTGG, invisible cars…)

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28

Alternatively

The girl at the switchboard at the Ministry of Defence flicked the switch to ‘Hold’ and said to her neighbour, ‘It’s another nut who says he’s James Bond…’ (Audience erupts in laughter at massive meta-joke; a twat claps).

and

‘There was always something odd about 007’s death. No body. No solid evidence. And the people on that Japanese island always seemed to me to be playing it pretty close to the chest…’

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29

Well, close only to the parts that show…

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Reboot.

The new Bond should ideally be an actor in his thirties. Maybe 40ish at most.

Bond is already established as 007 at the start. He’s an experienced agent who’s slowly building a rep but he isn’t quiet the Service legend and hardened veteran he will be one day. So, to the extent that this era will have an ‘arc’, it will be Bond going from a capable agent to the best they have.

Each film should ideally stand on its own, with a bit of serialization - more Mission Impossible and less Marvel. I wouldn’t mind there being a new organization/overarching conspiracy, though I’d prefer if it wasn’t SPECTRE. Or, if it is SPECTRE, maybe a post-Blofeld SPECTRE?

If they must delve into Bond’s backstory, an interesting area to cover would be his time in the Royal Navy, where he worked in intelligence. Or his early career at MI6. Neither of these have really been covered much anywhere (well apart from some comics about the WW2 exploits of Fleming’s Bond).

I think we need an all-new cast of course. It’d be jarring to have the same Q, Moneypenny, Tanner and M with a new Bond in a new continuity after he just saw them holding a ‘wake’ for Craig’s Bond. I think they can get creative with Q and M, more so than they can with Bond, in terms of casting. I’d love to see a female Q for instance!

We can allow some vague allusions to other continuities (much like the Craig era did). The Aston Martin DB5, or other classic cars and gadgets, can return. I wouldn’t even mind someone name-dropping the likes of Le Chiffre or Dr. No or Goldfinger. We can pretend a version of those classic adventures is happening in the background somewhere between films! But the stories we see will be all-new and not rehashes of the old stuff. And I think mining the continuation novels for ideas is not a bad move at all!

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31

After the way NTTD played out reboot is the only way forward (unless they want to continue with Lashana Lynch as the new 007). However I don’t want to see any more tedious origin stuff as it’s been really overplayed in the years since Casino Royale. Hit the ground running with a new Bond as well as M, Q and Moneypenny already established in their positions.

I also feel that a slightly more serialized approach could be interesting an opens up new storytelling possibilities. After all, we’ll soon be able to stream Bond on Amazon so it’ll be easier than ever for audiences to catch up.
The idea I’d love to see explored in a serialized format is the shifting allegiances that come with the world of espionage. Have Bond form alliences with previous villains or be betrayed by former allies. Maybe see where a relationship with a bad girl turned good will end up.

And please be original. I don’t want to see Blofeld, or any other villain be redone.

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32

I had no problem with Judi Dench returning as M in CR, but I agree it would be weird to see the current Team Bond return after NTTD. It could also be an opportunity to dump some team members and introduce/reboot a couple of new/old ones (Mary Goodnight?).

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Cast not well known character actors in the parts of M, Q and Moneypenny, because with bigger names like Fiennes it can’t be small parts anymore, so it seems anyway. I don’t like those parts every movie to become bigger. Just five to ten minutes at the beginning of the movie when Bond gets his mission and newest gadgets and that’s it.

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34

The current MI6 team have been fantastic, and I would have supported them staying if NTTD’s ending was different. But indeed, I favour a recast. It makes the most sense now.

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35

While I totally agree, I think this is the only thing that we know will be 100% guaranteed to be in the new films. EON has yet to make one of these types of films under Barbara Broccoli. The safe money is on them continuing on with the films having some kind of a personal bent to them.

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Like it or not, Craig has had as much impact in the role, in a significant, cultural, beyond fandom, into fashion etc. As Connery had in the 60s. His Bond is one that has resonated in a way none of Connery’s successors did. Sure box office was there, Bond was popular but not necessarily associated with the actor as such.
It will be hard to follow Craig, just as it was to follow Connery.
The accident of Lazenby worked perfectly in hindsight, if he’d of stayed on Bond would have been done by the mid 70s. His refusal to commit and subsequent 1 and done meant the direction ala Diamonds are Forever was happened upon. Another 1 and done, albeit with Connery. This led to a way to cast a new actor because of distance and direction.
So…
Back to Idris Elba, he has all that is necessary to do a 1 and done, it would probably appeal to him to do so, get him in make the best movie possible, be it a pastiche or a wierd kind of quasi horror. Mine the books, make it an event and allow that distance to happen, and then do what Bond has always done, follow the filmic zeiitgeist.

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Hard to say if a one off gave the fantastic but too old Elba a chance or sink his career.

And let‘s not forget that Moore was just as successful and influential during the heights of his tenure as Connery.

Craig was magnificent. But others will be too.

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38

But arguably easier to replace. His was not a Bond that people wanted to look like , Connery’s was and to an extent still is. Craig’s Bond certainly is, take the massive surge in raspberry pink tuxedo jackets.
I get your point regards Elba, but Suicide Squad cemented, in my head at least, that he could make it a success.

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39

Hmmm… I wanted to look like Sir Roger….

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40

Respectfully, I disagree with this. I didn’t grow up during Connery and Moore’s tenure so can’t speak to those, but I think it’s often forgotten/overlooked/understated just how huge Brosnan was culturally in the '90s/'00s. Brosnan WAS Bond - he was often labelled “the best since Connery” and was such a tough act to follow that the media and and much of the public were aghast at Craig and demanded Brosnan’s return. Much of what’s said about Craig now and in the years since CR was said about Brosnan.
He absolutely influenced culture beyond the films and fandom. An entire generation wanted to dress and look like him and his Bond. Even gamers today rever Brosnan because of Goldeneye 64.
As much as Bond needed to be redefined, and was by Craig, following DAD and 9/11, remember that Brosnan did the same following the 6 year hiatus and end of the Cold War.
The success of Craig’s era and the derision towards DAD has unfortunately created an impression that Brosnan wasn’t as big or important as Craig to the role.
And this all proves to me that no one is bigger than Bond. Connery was replaceable, Brosnan was replaceable, and Craig certainly will be replaceable. His successor will be met with trepidation and scrutiny as Craig was, but given a good script and director, will inevitably be labelled “best since Connery”

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