James Bond is one of the most iconic characters of the screen and literature and its time for the next actor to bring 007 back to the basics.

Since Ian Fleming’s original 007 novels, James Bond has been the biggest icon of the spy thriller fiction genre. With one of the longest-running film franchises in cinema, the character has been portrayed by several talented actors.

However, some films lost the classic spy angle of the hero’s adventures, delving too far into the standard action template. The movies could benefit from getting back to basics.

Released during the early days of the Cold War, Ian Fleming’s 007 novels introduced the world to James Bond.

A gentlemanly Royal Navy commander who became a spy for Britain’s Secret Service, Bond has been tasked with many high-stakes missions for his country and her national security.

Throughout his service, the agent has tackled everything from Soviet spies and international arms dealers to hackers and double agents.

On film, espionage has typically been at the core of these missions — though that has been lost in some of his modern adventures.

As the franchise has competed with the likes of Mission: Impossible and Kingsman, the stories have been simplified in favor of action.

Espionage Is A Core Part Of James Bond

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The Best James Bond Movies (Per ScreenRant)
IMDB Rating

#1 – Goldfinger
7.7

#2 – From Russia With Love
7.3

#3 – Skyfall
7.8

When the Bond franchise first hit the screen, the emphasis was rarely put on the action sequences.

Instead, the stories followed 007 using his wits and charm to infiltrate secret organizations, outsmart competing spies, and destroy world-threatening weapons.

Often aided by high-tech gadgets designed for subtlety and stealth, Bond would find an enemy stronghold, exploit its weaknesses, and end in a confrontation with the main villain.

While this basic formula has been maintained, the character has become considerably less methodical, often adopting a “shoot first, ask questions later” policy. Although this is standard fare for action, it runs counter to how Bond has historically operated.

Elaborate plans and Machiavellian villains have been a core feature of the franchise from the start, but recent Bond movies have moved into the territory of standard high-budget action movies.

While the hero does still gather intelligence, these aspects of the film are notably muted and rushed, representing shorter segments of the story to propel Bond into his next fight.

The modern version of Bond barely makes any real effort to be subtle at all, often revealing his hand much too soon.

The character should certainly be confident in his abilities, but the character has become reckless to the point of almost inviting confrontation.

The first 007 film, Dr No, contains very little action until its second half and, even then, pales in comparison to the Brosnan and Craig films’ intensity.

In the older films, there was very much a sense that Bond was a man who avoided conflict, but was still more than capable in a fight if needed.

This allowed a much stronger emphasis on the character’s intelligence, charisma, and sleuthing, with some films feeling much closer to detective movies than action.

These films also gave more importance to MI6’s gadgets, which have also become more grounded and less interesting in the Craig movies, as emphasized by the Skyfall quote “The latest thing from Q branch. It’s called a radio.” Even that movie’s Q himself took a shot at the older gadgets by mocking the idea of exploding pens as outdated.

The Next Bond Should Be A Change Of Pace

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Every James Bond Actor
Movies

Sean Connery
Dr No, From Russia With Love, Goldfinger, Thunderball, You Only Live Twice and Diamonds Are Forever

David Niven
Casino Royale

George Lazenby
On Her Majesty’s Secret Service

Roger Moore
Live and Let Die, The Man With the Golden Gun, The Spy Who Loved Me, Moonraker, For Your Eyes Only, Octopussy and A View To A Kill

Timothy Dalton
The Living Daylights and License To Kill

Pierce Brosnan
Goldeneye, Tomorrow Never Dies, The World Is Not Enough and Die Another Day

Daniel Craig
Casino Royale, Quantum of Solace, Skyfall, Spectre, and No Time To Die

Several actors are in the running to play James Bond after the departure of Daniel Craig, with Henry Cavill, Michael Fassbender, and Idris Elba often being rumored for the role.

Regardless of who is chosen, it’s important for the franchise to explore a new direction, though one that honors the franchise’s roots.

One of the reasons Sean Connery and Roger Moore have maintained popularity in the role among Bond fans is their intelligent, gentlemanly performances.

Craig’s version was by no means unintelligent, it’s just that this side of the character wasn’t highlighted as well as others.

Showcasing the hero’s wits and ability to manipulate people without firing a shot is a key component of the character’s nature.

The Craig era was fun, but it muted many of the core parts of the Bond formula, breaking out classics like the Aston Martin for callbacks, rather than an organic part of the story.

A fresh story that’s more organic and authentic to the character’s past, and that takes Bond out of his element while maintaining his skills is key.

The older films, unlike the modern ones, had a thriving adventure appeal, with the hero finding himself in jungles, swamps, and tundras. Maintaining a healthy, consistent change-up allows Bond to prove just how versatile a character he is, while also exploring new and relevant geopolitical situations.

The Craig movies, by contrast, all tied in with the web of Spectre, detracting from the unique individualism of its villains.

007 Shouldn’t Be Just Another Action Franchise

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Every Daniel Craig Bond Movie
IMDB Rating

Casino Royale
8.0

Quantum of Solace
6.6

Skyfall
7.8

Spectre
6.8

No Time To Die
7.3

The James Bond franchise’s turn to an action-heavy franchise has slowly diminished the role of old-fashioned spycraft in his story.

Since the 1990s, the series has favored flashy explosions, intense fight sequences and car chases over the intricacies of espionage or Bond’s skill.

By contrast, Mission: Impossible has slowly adopted some of these forgotten tropes, as the films have leaned on stories of undercover missions, infiltration, double agents, and more.

This has helped Ethan Hunt establish himself as the definitive spy of the 21st century, where Bond often struggles to stand out above competing action franchises, at least in reception. In his defense, the character has maintained box-office dominance in his genre.

James Bond’s world should be one of international mystery, as was common in the days of Roger Moore and Sean Connery. These films certainly had no deficit of action, but the stories showed Bond’s skills as both a detective and a spy.

Unlike current films, Bond believed in asking questions first, to determine whether he had to shoot later.

This focus on character, rather than fighting, allowed the agent to endear himself to audiences to begin with. It’s essential to maintain a reason to like the protagonist beyond his combat skills.

For 007, it was his suave persona, detective work, and ability to think on his feet that made audiences fall in love with him, not his fighting prowess.

Bond Needs Better Villains

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The Best James Bond Villains (Per ScreenRant)
Movie

#1 – Blofeld
From Russia With Love

#2 – Alec Trevelyan
Goldeneye

#3 – Silva
Skyfall

After Bond himself, the 007 franchise is best known for its villains, each of whom has a very particular, unique hook. These can range from Scaramanga, a man who was just as charming and intelligent as Bond, to Goldfinger, the over-the-top cartoonish villain.

Others, such as Blofeld, Dr No, and even henchmen, such as Oddjob and Xenia Onatopp, all found their place in the fan base.

By contrast, the villains during the Craig era, except for Silva, were all either bland, generic bad guys or were dispatched in a rather anticlimactic fashion.

Returning to the classic Bond villains, even the camp, would be a great step for the franchise.

These foes shouldn’t be silly, but there’s no reason they should be dull businessmen types when they should all have an entertaining gimmick.

Silva stood out in the Craig movies due to his compelling motive, ruthless nature, and horrifying condition, though his peers were lucky to have one of those three features.

Interesting Bond villains were a dime a dozen in the 20th century, whereas the current bad guys are among the hero’s most forgettable adversaries.

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Although the post-Dalton Bond era has alternated between great and generic stories, it’s hard to deny that, overall,the Daniel Craig era was solid.SkyfallandCasino Royaleare both remembered as some great, classic Bond. It is worth noting that, unlike previous 007 movies, the Craig films are a self-contained series independent of the overall franchise, whereas the prior movies had a somewhat looser continuity. With rumors that Christopher Nolan may be in the running to make 007 movies, this could signal a move into a more elaborate style of Bond.

The James Bond franchise could re-establish itself as the king of both action and spy thriller at once by returning to its older style.

Delving into the nature of modern espionage, combined with detective work and action can showcase the hero in his prime.

The end of the Craig series has opened the door to a new future for the character and his world, one that can return to thoughtful, methodical spycraft.

This can also allow for some in-depth exploration of modern geopolitical tensions and rivalries, just as the original films embraced their Cold War setting.

Putting all of this together could lead to Bond becoming one of the best film series there is, especially if directed by modern Hollywood visionaries like Christopher Nolan or Denis Villeneuve.