The Future of 007 Edition
On evolution, backstories, and the future of conflict.
Chris Papasadero (CP) is a screenwriter, consultant, and a former Green Beret in the U.S. Army’s Special Forces.
Chris here. There was much gnashing of teeth over the handing over of creative control of the James Bond franchise to Amazon. But let’s remember: everyone cried about “Blonde Bond,” right up until Daniel Craig emerged from the waves looking like the blunt object all men aspire to be.
Why is this interesting?
For several years now, the Bond franchise has been in limbo, caught in a stalemate between Eon Productions and Amazon’s MGM. (Amazon owned the franchise, but Eon had retained full creative control. Cue inevitable tension.) Recently, a new deal was announced, in which Amazon would also take creative control. Apparently, they’ve even begun announcing new ideas already. Fans—as they were with Craig—are worried.
Here’s how I see it: James Bond should be reinvented in the same way men ought to reinvent themselves; the ruthless trimming of fat, the packing-on of muscle, the acquisition of new and deadly skills.
Following are my suggestions for a Bond reboot that would preserve his legacy while expanding the universe:
Women and children are supposed to be happy, men are supposed to die. This message couldn’t have been clearer than in No Time To Die, in which Bond’s remarkably coherent moral framework—replacing the parents he never had with institutional loyalty—was embodied in his sacrifice. One hell of an arc. As our institutions crumble around us, we need heroes to defend them, or upon whose shoulders new ones may be built.
The Global War on Terror is over, because terrorists are far more useful as proxies. What once was uncontrolled can now be directed using misinformation, targeted at partisan divides, and concealed with hybrid warfare – all from the comfort of a laptop in Lubyanka Square. Modern conflict operates in the grey zone between war and peace, where mercenaries provide military deniability, economic pressure replaces overt invasion, and manufactured civil unrest destabilizes from within. The battlefield still exists, but it's deliberately blurred to paralyze conventional responses – while the enemy advances through the fog.
A grittier gritty reboot. We’re in Apocalypse Now territory, and if you’re reading the news, things are gonna get worse before they get worse. There’s a growing need for Europe to gun up, and the Taiwan Strait may soon run red. Who in MI6 will be fighting these shadowy conflicts, with Bond at the ready for more ‘point’ solutions? What Q Branch operative will infiltrate supply chains, what NOC will be dealing with BRICS, what team of specialists – and idealists – will stand tall on the battlefield of multipolar conflict?
Respect the tentpoles until the expansion IP is dialed. Disney pulled it off eventually with The Mandalorian and Andor, but fumbled the features. Honor and respect Bond lore, while using the peripheral properties to hone-in on tone and appeal. Why do orphans make the best recruits? What new tragedy might have befallen Alec Trevelyan? Was Felix Leiter a guerilla, mercenary, or a Green Beret before he landed at CIA?
We're coming off two generations of warfighters who have fired an actual gun in combat. Hire military and intelligence veterans as more than just tech consultants: they've navigated the transition to hybrid conflict in real time, giving them unique insight into how modern battles will be fought and won.
In our fractured world, we still need stories of heroes standing steadfast against chaos. Amazon Studios faces a formidable task, with an even greater purpose – preserving Bond as an institution that remains worth aspiring to. (CP)
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Love it. And clearly Mr. Papasadero knows his stuff. But I'd argue Bond is a lifestyle movie above all else. The hotels, restaurants, casinos etc. That's what sets the franchise apart. It's escapism, not techno-terrorism verisimilitude. With respect, the suggestions above sound more Bourne than Bond.
Thank you so very much! I have been a Bond devotee since childhood. Now an old, angry liberal in a sea of blood red, I found your commentary on the future of the story meshed neatly with your astute observations about our current world situation. I have been wondering how our many vets feel about what is going on, and if we, merely ordinary citizens (retired teacher) can expect to see something we can participate in. I have already lost almost everything. My husband, my only human attachment remaining, and I are ready. But he was a truck driver, and I a teacher. We will not be German citizens in 1933! And stories, like "Bond. James Bond," help keep us from despair; despair gives the enemies a win. We also watch sumo, as we both have extensive time spent in the traditional Chinese arts, so we enjoy the spirit and the strategy of the fighters. Thank you for sharing a glimmer of hope, just with your commentary.