Now that the drama of who will play James Bond in the next film is behind us, we can begin to focus on the drama that will transpire on screen once the 25th James Bond film finally arrives. New details may have leaked which paint an interesting picture of the film's story. Specifically, it hints at how Bond 25 may relate to Spectre as well as another story from James Bond's past, the movie On Her Majesty's Secret Service.
The rumor states that the next James Bond film will see the return of Léa Seydoux in her role as Dr. Madeleine Swann from Spectre. The two characters walked off together in Spectre and as the new film opens, the two are reportedly married and James Bond has quit his spying lifestyle. Things are not all sunshine and rainbows forever, however, as Dr. Swann is somehow killed, Page Six doesn't specify how, bringing Bond back to work in a quest for vengeance.
If that plot sounds slightly familiar, it's because this description of how Bond 25 starts is exactly how On Her Majesty's Secret Service ends. The only James Bond film to star George Lazenby as the super spy, it was also a very different Bond film because of its story. Bond saves a woman, Tracy di Vicenzo, at the beginning of the movie, and marries her at the end. However, before they can even start their new life together, she is killed by another character familiar to those who saw Spectre, Ernst Stavro Blofeld.
Christoph Waltz played Blofeld in Spectre and there's been some indication that the character will return for the new film as well. The primary villain has been rumored to be somebody else, but it's possible that this new character could be a Blofeld lieutenant who takes out Bond's wife as payback for Bond stopping Blofeld.
An early rumor regarding the future of the James Bond franchise had indicated that Daniel Craig would film two more Bond movies, with the second being a direct remake of On Her Majesty's Secret Service. While this rumor appears to contradict that to some degree, it certainly seems to indicate that wherever these rumors are starting, some relationship to that specific movie is certainly on the table. Maybe the new Mrs. James Bond will survive the next movie, but if she does her number may be up in Bond 26.
While On Her Majesty's Secret Service was not well-received in its day -- and it's always been something of a black sheep of the franchise due to its lead only being around for one film -- in recent years the film has become much better regarded. Maybe this is why the studio is looking at remaking, or at least adapting elements, from that story.
Bond 25 is currently without a title but it does have a release date, November 8, 2019.
