Highlights
- Daniel Craig's James Bond movies offered fans a rare sense of continuity in the franchise, and fans are eager to see the character return, either with a new actor or a new 007.
- Turning the James Bond franchise into a TV series could revitalize it, as it would allow for deeper exploration of the character's backstory and more fleshed-out villains with elaborate plans that can be developed over multiple episodes.
- The success of TV adaptations like "Jack Ryan" proves that a James Bond TV series could be a hit, offering fresh takes on iconic storylines and revitalizing the character for a new generation of fans.
Daniel Craig's James Bond gave fans the first conclusion to a James Bond storyline. From Sean Connery to Pierce Brosnan, fans never received the same kind of continuity that the five Daniel Craig movies gave them. Fans are certain to see Bond again. The only question is, who will play the iconic character? Or will the story continue with a new 007 who isn't James Bond? There are a few ways for the franchise to continue.
Just like Casino Royale revitalized the franchise, turning it into a TV series could do the same thing. The franchise always adapts to the times, keeping it modern. It wouldn't be the first time a feature film franchise made the jump to the small screen. These days, prestige television is a big hit and not the downgrade in cinema that filmmakers once viewed it as. The world of streaming television comes with high-end production value and some properties even gain the same budget as a movie on the silver screen.
James Bond Movies Aren't Enough Anymore
Filmmakers have been making James Bond films since 1962. While they've been wildly successful, it's time for something new to keep the franchise alive. After 1989's License to Kill, audiences didn't see a new Bond movie for six years when Goldeneye released in 1995. That excited fans because it was a new Bond and it kind of modernized the character. However, it was the same formula with high-tech gadgets, campy acting, and over-the-top plotlines.
Casino Royale in 2006 gave audiences a new look at an old character by grounding him and his world while also improving the quality of the acting. Daniel Craig's movies told a thorough story that fans invested in, but now a new generation of fans want to see something different from the franchise. It can't possibly maintain the prestige and excitement for the character if filmmakers continue with the same formula. The world of James Bond is too big, and audiences want to see more of it.
A James Bond TV Series Offers More
Turning the 007 franchise into a TV series opens it up to so many possibilities. For starters, it lets the writers dive more into the character's backstory. As much as audiences enjoy seeing Bond do what he does best, they appreciate a more developed main character. Daniel Craig's James Bond gave fans more backstory than any Bond before him, but that only made fans want more. The most exciting aspect of Skyfall was learning where Bond came from. It gave the audience more meat to chew on.
Additionally, the Bond villains always have an elaborate plan that ends up being too convoluted for a two-hour movie. A TV show can flesh out their sinister plans better, simultaneously allowing the audience to see a more developed villain. Not to mention the amount of tension their plot would add to an episodic approach. A James Bond film really is only as good as its villains. Devoting an entire season to one villain would elevate Bond and his enemies. Imagine if there was an entire season of Bond working with 006 only for the following season to reimagine the Goldeneye plot. That betrayal would have a lasting effect on the audience.
Lastly, a TV series can take the same approach as Doctor Who and use different actors to play the same character after the actor decides they want to move on to another project. This would let the writer's room utilize the "James Bond is a codename" fan theory. There's so much versatility with a James Bond TV series. Interestingly enough, Amazon acquired the distribution rights for Bond projects after it purchased MGM Studios, making a TV adaptation even likelier.
It Worked for Jack Ryan
Casual fans don't realize that James Bond was a literary character first created and written by Ian Fleming. Even after Fleming's passing, the publisher contracted various writers to continue Bond's story, giving the franchise plenty of material to draw from. Another series of novels that benefited from a TV series adaptation was Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan series. In fact, the Tom Clancy novels were also originally adapted into feature films with different actors such as Harrison Ford, Alec Baldwin, and Ben Affleck playing the lead protagonist.
Amazon's adaptation reimagined several prominent Jack Ryan storylines but more importantly, it revitalized the character for the fanbase. The show cast an outstanding actor in the role (John Krasinski) and updated the plot for modern times. Without adapting the stories scene for scene, the filmmakers managed to remain loyal to the source material and tell a complete series. Filmmakers could do the same for James Bond by adapting fan-favorite movies such as Goldeneye, From Russia With Love, and The Spy Who Loved Me as well as novels that haven't received an adaptation yet.