While the 2025 Oscar nominees may not be a field you wouldn’t connect to the current delay in James Bond movies, I must remind you all that Ralph “M” Fiennes is nominated tonight for Conclave. That’s not the main reason 007 came into tonight’s conversation though, and nor is it some sort of stealth update on what we know about Bond 26. It all came down to how the Academy delivered a musical tribute to the long running series, in honor of recent Governor’s Award winners Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson.
As a Bond fan, it was indeed a well played segment that included Monty Norman’s classic theme tune, as well as a trio of performances from contemporary Lisa, Doja Cat, and Raye. But there’s something that’s bothering me in the wake of those impressive efforts, and that’s the very selective playlist that should have sampled from each actor’s time in the tuxedo.
Look, I get it, the Oscars don’t need another musical tribute to take up time. Trust me, I still bear the psychic scars of 2009’s ceremony paying special tribute to musicals, just so they could squeeze Mamma Mia! in there. At the same time, we previously saw 2022’s James Bond Oscar tribute making some of the same mistakes.
I must commend Blackpink member Lisa for her rendition of “Live and Let Die,” in fact my problem isn’t with any of the singers. But that song was already featured three years ago, when the 60th anniversary of Commander Bond’s cinematic legacy was being celebrated. So that’s one song that could have been substituted right there.
Credit must also be given to Doja Cat’s stunning play on “Diamonds Are Forever,” and Raye’s “Skyfall” finale ending things on quite the high note. However, I’m still annoyed that Timothy Dalton and Pierce Brosnan’s catalogs were overlooked. It hasn’t been that long since the previous James Bond tribute at the Academy Awards, so variety should have been the first concern.
We’re at a perilous pivot point in franchise history, and uncertainty over Bond 26’s tone reigns. Seeing Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli in the audience tonight was a bit bittersweet, especially if those rumored reasons for Amazon-MGM’s $1 bil. deal turn out to be true. With other fans as on edge as I am about what the future holds, this performance could have served as a simultaneous tribute to the producers who have shepherded it along so far, and the uncertain road ahead.
It would have been nice to get a richer tribute to all of the James Bond actors who have crossed the gun barrel, but I do still appreciate what we got. Maybe by the time James Bond 26 goes into production, the Academy can give the next 007 a warm welcome with something closer to what I was expecting.
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