In light of the departure of renowned actor and longtime leading man Daniel Craig from future projects, the co-producers of the James Bond franchise discuss the future of the popular character in a pre-award show interview. The informative discussion comes on the heels of the pair receiving an award.
Based on the character from books by Ian Fleming, the James Bond films follow the adventures of the titular character James Bond, a secret agent (formerly) in Her Majesty's secret service, also known by the codename 007. The films are known just as much for the trappings as they are for the plot, with the music, cars, gadgets, and women (commonly called Bond Girls) consistently embellishing the engaging plot and elevating Bond to the level of the quintessential spy, providing inspiration for newer characters and films, like the Indiana Jones franchise.
Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter before receiving the 2022 Pioneer Award from the Will Rogers Motion Picture Pioneers Foundation, franchise caretakers and producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli weighed in on the process of recasting the iconic and often parodied role of James Bond. The duo admitted that finding the next 007 currently takes a backseat to other concerns. According to Broccoli, “...we always sit down with our writers, and we start by thinking about 'What is the world afraid of?' We start by thinking about, 'Who’s the Bond villain?' We try to focus on that as the sort of uber story, and then we want to also look at Bond's emotional life, and what he’ll be facing personally that he hasn’t had to deal with before.”
Going in line with an earlier update on the James Bond casting from Broccoli, where the accomplished producer stated that the role of Bond was being reinvented, the duo also explained other facets of the character that would have to be updated. For instance, they touched on things such as the subtle way in which the passing of much-beloved monarch Queen Elizabeth, who was an avid fan of the projects, would affect Bond's service. Plus, the producing team actively resisted Bond being adapted for the small screen to preserve the grandeur and spectacular nature of his appearances.
The co-producers and other creatives on the project will have a lot of sky-high expectations, with everything from the plot to the characteristics of a James Bond villain, music score, visual effects, and more all facing multiple decades' worth of comparisons with beloved projects from the franchise. However, the co-producers are confident they can deliver, even as upper management at MGM is shaken up after the acquisition by Amazon. They had little worry about the switch, only expressing hopes that leadership fell to someone with as much talent as the previous heads, who the two had a good relationship with.
Some fans remain resistant to the idea of change, despite assurances from Broccoli that the character wouldn’t stray too far from the current iteration of James Bond, even in light of some desirable progressive changes. However, as the backlash received due to the inclusion of Lashana Lynch's 007 in 2021’s No Time to Die showed, even minor attempts at inclusivity can lead to loud disagreement.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter