2022 marks the 60th anniversary of the James Bond franchise’s debut in theaters, with October 5th being the day that Dr. No introduced us all to Sean Connery’s 007 for the first time. It’s a cause for celebration, as one of the longest-running series in movie history has just closed out another epic epoch thanks to Daniel Craig’s No Time To Die concluding his historic run. As the 60th anniversary draws closer, some new details have revealed part of how fans can expect to celebrate; and the results are music to one's ears and eyes.
A Brand New Documentary Will Cover The Music Of 007
Fresh off of the partnership between EON Productions and Apple TV+ that previously gave us free access to the revealing documentary Being James Bond: The Daniel Craig Story, a new documentary has been announced. This time, The Music of 007 is going to focus on the more melodic side of this storied franchise, running through the entire history of musical espionage. Per the official James Bond Twitter feed, the special was announced as follows:
To mark the 60th anniversary of the James Bond series, Apple are releasing a new documentary “The Sound of 007” in October 2022 on @AppleTV. pic.twitter.com/bZw2aZEWUmDecember 15, 2021
Strangely enough, when CinemaBlend spoke with producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson on the No Time To Die press tour, a hint was casually dropped towards this sort of thing. When asked how fans could expect to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the James Bond legacy, Broccoli herself made the following statement:
I think…well, we’re planning to do something with the music for the 60th. So watch this space.
The space has been watched, and now we know how the music of Bond will be heralded in the new year. As far as when exactly fans can look forward to enjoying The Sound of 007 in October 2022, no specific date seems to be confirmed, though James Bond Day seems to be the suggested time and place, which is celebrated annually on October 5th. Of course, that’s not the only huge happening that 007 obsessives will have to look forward to in 2022.
The Next James Bond Novel Has Been Announced, Along With Its Title And Release Date
Recently, we’d gotten wind that author Anthony Horowitz was prepping a book for the 60th anniversary, with a title and release date to be determined. A recent announcement through the official Ian Fleming Twitter feed gave out those details, as well as some tantalizing clues to the next book’s plot. Here’s that announcement, as it ran on social media:
It is M’s funeral. One man is missing from the graveside: the traitor who pulled the trigger and who is now in custody, accused of M’s murder – James Bond.We are thrilled to reveal a new #JamesBond title from @AnthonyHorowitz!#WithAMindToKill will be publishing in May 2022. pic.twitter.com/KTLMp4vS0DDecember 16, 2021
As we previously learned, With a Mind to Kill takes place canonically after Ian Fleming’s The Man with the Golden Gun, and is meant to be an adventure in the later part of James Bond’s career as a spy. Now we know that this adventure is centered around the death of M, with 007 being the prime suspect in this investigation. That’s even more intriguing when remembering the fact that at the beginning of the The Man with the Golden Gun novel, Bond is brainwashed into attempting to assassinate M right out of the gate.
Promising a very different tone than the adaptation of its Roger Moore-era predecessor, With a Mind to Kill further expands the Fleming literary tradition. That makes it another proper celebration of all things Bond, as these 60 years of entertainment wouldn’t have happened if it wasn’t for the author’s keen writing attracting the right sort of attention. It's hard to imagine James Bond anywhere else but the big screen, and that's exactly where he'll continue to stay, so long as Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson have something to say about it. That final point feels like another reason to celebrate this pop culture monolith in the year to come.
2022 is a potentially huge year for fans of James Bond to celebrate, and who knows what other 60th anniversary frivolities may be ahead. For now, we can anticipate The Sound of 007 to hit Apple TV+ in October 2022, which might be in time to celebrate the anniversary on World James Bond Day, October 5th. Also, With a Mind to Kill will hit shelves on May 26th, 2022; but you may be able to pre-order a copy from your literary provider of choice.
Last, but certainly not least, if you want to take home a copy of No Time To Die, or gift it to the James Bond fan in your life, the film is currently available for purchase on digital and physical formats.
