There's long-running franchises, and then there's the 007 movies. James Bond's adventures have been entertaining audiences for decades, with various actors playing the role throughout the years. Daniel Craig is reaching the end of his tenure as bond with Cary Joji Fukunaga's No Time to Die, his fifth and final Bond movie. The generations of fans have been eager for any indication of the movie's plot and contents, and luckily the first trailer has just arrived. And it's a doozy.
Well, that was worth the wait. No Time to Die looks like it's going to be a wild ride, and this trailer was especially character driven for the action franchise. Let's break down what we're being shown, and what director Cary Joji Fukunaga has in store for the 25th installment in the beloved property.
The trailer opens up on James in a car with Léa Seydoux's Dr. Madeleine Swann, his love interest and Bond Girl from Spectre. 007 believes that she betrayed him, as it's an inevitability in his business. He also says he doesn't know what Swann's big secret is yet, as everyone has a fatal flaw. Then he escapes, and presumably a time jump occurs.
After living in peace, Jeffrey Wright's Felix Leiter finds Bond and recruits him for an important mission. He also meets Lashana Lynch's Nomi, a 00 agent who will likely be paired with James when things get crazy. But James' new mission will reunite him with Madeleine, and it seems that her aforementioned secret will be integral to the plot of the movie.
One of the most exciting aspects of No Time to Die's first trailer is the inclusion of Christoph Waltz's villainous Blofeld. The character is one of the most iconic Bond villains of all time, and Waltz is the latest actor to play him. This might come to a surprise, as he wasn't originally listed in the cast list. But Blofeld is back, this time going full Hannibal Lecter for his sophomore run.
The part that stuck out to me the most in No Time to Die's trailer is just how character driven it is. While there's still plenty of action and explosions, the first footage really focuses on James' psyche and history. Daniel Craig's tenure as 007 shifted the franchise into serialized storytelling, with all of his movies connected by one large narrative and recurring characters. And with Bond 25 marking Crag's final bow as Bond, No Time to Die will likely not be pulling any punches.
Related: No Time To Die’s Lashana Lynch Responds To Backlash Over Female 007
Rami Malek's new villain Safin also gets his big debut, and he looks like one formidable opponent for Bond and his allies. While we'll learn more about his motivation as time goes by, the character has one killer look. He's shown wearing a fractured mask, which covers facial scarring. Malek looks badass both masked and not, and it should be interesting to see how the actor follows up on the success of Bohemian Rhapsody.
No Time to Die will hit theaters on April 8th, 2020. In the meantime, check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies. And our 2020 release list to look ahead toward the new Year.
