As the hype machine behind No Time To Die starts to wind down, the Daniel Craig era of James Bond comes to a close. With almost two decades under his belt as 007, the actor is now out the door and into the next chapter of his career, leaving the world to wonder who the next Bond will be. If you thought the decision was any closer to happening after the recent release of No Time To Die, that process is exactly where we left it the last time someone asked. Which is to say, it’s not happening anytime soon.
Speaking with producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson on behalf of No Time To Die’s media blitz, curiosity about the future made its way into the conversation. As asking about the next 007 actor was absolutely a non-starter, I pried about whether or not the current era of continuity would follow whomever became the next James Bond. Producer Michael G. Wilson answered that query definitively, with the following response that addresses the current state of all thing Bond:
We’re not looking at anything at this point. Just getting this picture open and celebrating Daniel’s 15 years as Bond. We’re not thinking about the future, the future will come. Next year’s our 60th anniversary, and I think we’ll take a look at concentrating on that.
Forget casting the next James Bond, there aren't even any plans to lay out the groundwork for the next film just yet. One can’t blame Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson for playing this strategy though, as No Time To Die saw a rocky road through production and even its eventual release. To take a moment and give Daniel Craig a proper sendoff through director/co-writer Cary Joji Fukunaga’s film, and the ensuing press tour, is only fair.
No Time To Die marks the end of Craig’s tenure, which saw its fair share of production shakeups, delays due to injury and world events, and even uncertainty that the actor would return for the finale Broccoli and Wilson wanted to land. But as Daniel Craig himself has said, Barbara Broccoli is a pretty persuasive person. One final James Bond movie later, Mr. Craig now has a proper ending to his 007 story, and it’s one the world is bound to be talking about for some time.
Even when the talk around No Time To Die fades away, 2022 is indeed the 60th anniversary for the James Bond franchise. With October 5 acting as World James Bond Day, thanks to the UK release of Dr. No in 1962, another celebration is in order for the fans. So far, according to Barbara Broccoli herself, the plans are centered around a very specific aspect of the franchise: its music!
That quest for the next James Bond isn’t any closer to kicking off than you’d expect. All we know at this point is at some point in 2022, Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson will start to think about that next historic step. With the arrival of that moment will come a slew of decisions that will shape the next chapter. So maybe it’s for the best that we all step back and take all the time in the world to soak in just what No Time To Die means to the 007 saga: past, present and future.
There’s no shortage of things to celebrate if you’re a James Bond fan, with the festivities around No Time To Die still raging on. Either you’re already in an area that has the film available in theaters near you, or you’ll be able to join in on that fun shortly. But if you’re ready to find a new adventure on the big screen, head over to the 2021 release schedule and take a look at what’s expected to debut in the months to come.
