Time is ticking for Bond. Not quite with the urgency of the Goldfinger bomb countdown, but there’s definitely a looming deadline for the announcement of a new 007.
Creating a Strong Bond
Eon Productions, started by the famous Albert “Cubby” Broccoli and makers of all 25 James Bond films, will need to get their skates — or Thunderball-style jetpack — on soon and make a call.
And it’s a big call.
Finding the right Bond is like no other casting job on the planet. You’re not signing someone for one movie. You’re recruiting someone for a whole generation in tradi-tionally the world’s most prestigious film franchise. Someone who needs to bring the next group of Bond fans along for the ride and not piss off the traditionalists too much.
Daniel Craig held the role for 15 years to complete his five films — the longest ever tenure. Roger Moore did seven Bond movies in 12 years, and Sean Connery did six in nine back when they used to bang them out a bit quicker — plus 1983’s comeback flick Never Say Never Again. Even Pierce Brosnan held the role for seven years. Timothy Dalton and George Lazenby are the only brief incumbents and perhaps highlight when you get it even slightly wrong.
Given that a Bond film premieres on average every three years or so, and they take a long time to make — from development, to casting talent and the lengthy filming process — the announcement needs to happen soon. Like yesterday.
Whoever gets the nod this time can probably expect to occupy the role for a decade. The question, though, is not only who will it be, but also the philosophy and context behind how the chosen star will play Bond, and even more importantly who exactly will they play?
Spoiler alert: James Bond died in the last movie, No Time to Die. Properly died.
Sorry, perhaps that reveal could have had more buildup. But yes, James Bond went to his maker, taking Daniel Craig with him. So unless there is some Lazarus-like resurrection or a cheesy plot twist of Bobby-Ewing-in-the-shower proportions, then Bond 26 might not even be a James.
Spoiler alert No. 2: Lashana Lynch was introduced as a new 007 in No Time to Die. A black female. So it shows there is plenty of stretch in the role.
Lashana played her part in No Time to Die, but she failed to demonstrate enough presence to carry a Bond movie alone. She may be back for Bond 26, but not in the lead role. Indeed, the bookies odds on the next Bond still seem to be favoring a male, with Bridgerton alum Regé-Jean Page the current favorite, followed by Henry Cavill, Aidan Turner and, perhaps the people’s choice, Tom Hardy. Cillian Murphy from Peaky Blinders is also in contention, while Idris Elba is an outsider.
The new star’s introduction will be interesting. Will he be the long lost son of James Bond, perhaps? God knows there must be plenty out there.
Moreover, there is the question of what philosophy they will adopt.
The days of Roger Moore’s Carry On, Bond-style sleazy corniness is long gone. Daniel Craig played things largely straight, strong and disciplined. But in No Time to Die — arguably the best Bond movie ever — he really came of age. A knowing, mature, softer vulnerability made Bond seem stronger and more real than ever. And in an age of post-COVID and #MeToo, there are a few things any new Bond will need to navigate. Will Bond be a reckless free spirit after the lockdown years, or an ultraconservative straight-edger? A green smoothie — shaken, not stirred?
Expect the next Bond to be a man, possibly Black, unlikely to be gay (yet), with empathy and compassion, a more selective approach to his love life, but strong and healthy with a ruthless streak when needed.
Ah, He/She/They Bond, we’ve been expecting you.
Now the magazine article ended there, and we consider that just fine — y’know, for one of those quaint printed publications with limited space and all. We, however, live in a much freer world, and thus decided to bend the theme a bit here by dropping in a SFW gallery of Jezebelle Bond from her PenthouseGold collection. (Jezebelle does a lot of work there that definitely qualifies as NOT SFW, just to be clear.)
We cannot be sure if you prefer our Bond to the magazine version, but you can certainly let us know. If you do not have the time to contact us now, however, we can leave you with one of the few absolutes in life, regardless. Should you ever have the opportunity to meet Jezebelle Bond in person, you will be both shaken and stirred. Of that we can assure you.
