As fans of the James Bond movies continue to wait patiently for any sort of progress on the next installment, the post-No Time to Die atmosphere is a bit chilly. To be fair, the extended wait for the release of Daniel Craig’s swan song and the now three years that have passed since are atypical when compared to the franchise’s historically clockwork pace.
While Amazon MGM Studios’ global head Jennifer Salke hasn’t changed too much of what we know about Bond 26, her statement does address the subject in a way that’s comforting. But at the same time, I’m kind of split on my overall reaction to this news, and there’s a good reason why.
Jennifer Salke’s Statement On The James Bond Franchise, And Why It’s Good News
While speaking with The Guardian about the current state of the James Bond franchise, Ms. Salke let it be known that any supposed tensions between Amazon MGM Studios and EON Productions leadership is unfounded. Keeping that spirit in mind, here’s what Jennifer Salke had to say about Bond 26:
There are a lot of ideas [about potential actors] that have popped up that I thought are interesting. I think there are a lot of different ways we can go. We have a good and close relationship with Eon and Barbara and Michael. We are not looking to disrupt the way those wonderful films are made. For us, we are taking their lead. The global audience will be patient. We don’t want too much time between films, but we are not concerned at this point.
Jennifer Salke, The Guardian
The comforting part of what’s been said here is that, much as I’d previously pointed out with my rundown on key 007 takeaways from the Amazon MGM deal, producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson remain in the franchise driver’s seat. Jennifer Salke’s acknowledgement of that is not only good business, it’s reflects the fact that Amazon MGM Studios is merely a distributor for the James Bond movies.
So as a fan of Commander Bond’s exploits, having that handshake between studio and distribution leadership is comforting. As is Ms. Salke’s simultaneous admission that while no one wants to wait longer than they need to for the next 007 entry, no one’s stepping on the gas just yet. But as you might have guessed, that particular wrinkle leads to the not so bright side of things.
The Downside To Bond 26’s Status
It used to be that a James Bond movie could be counted on arriving in theaters at the conservative clip of every two years. While the very beginning of Sean Connery’s James Bond movies saw the enterprise operating as an annual affair, the scale and scope of the series expanded once Goldfinger’s franchise blueprint turned these films into a grander spectacle.
However, the past 20 years or so in the saga have been more uneven when trying to reach that sort of result. The period of time that passed between Spectre and No Time To Die was almost as lengthy as the delay between License to Kill and Goldeneye, and there wasn’t a case of corporate wrangling and litigation to be blamed in the Daniel Craig era.
My point is, fans have certainly noticed how long the 007 movies have been taking in the era of the MCU’s clockwork reign, and people are definitely starting to wonder. And if we're being totally fair, there’s certainly plenty of 00-action to indulge in if you look hard enough. More specifically, we have Kim Sherwood’s Double O Trilogy two thirds complete in literary form, with Q’s murder mystery spin-off novel still waiting to arrive in 2025.
I still have faith in the James Bond legacy returning, and I’m definitely one of those fans that doesn’t want to rush to cast Aaron Taylor Johnson, or anyone, in the role merely to quiet the criticisms. While I still await news with an open mindset, I do hope we can see movement sooner rather than later on Bond 26.
Though this is a franchise that poignantly likes to point out when it has all the time in the world, that doesn’t mean the clock isn’t ticking. For those of you who want to drown out that passage of time, I suggest you use your Prime Video subscription to revisit almost all of the 007 adventures, as they’re currently included with your access. And yes, Casino Royale is still sadly excluded, unless you have a Paramount+ add-on bundled into your package.
