It's a fascinating time for the James Bond franchise. We're just months away from the release of Cary Joji Fukunaga's No Time to Die, which is the 25th movie in the beloved franchise. The upcoming blockbuster is also notable as its Daniel Craig's fifth and final appearance as 007. Craig's tenure as James has seen the franchise embraced serialized storytelling, and actor Ben Whishaw recently teased that the next movie will connect to the previous four installments.
Ben Whishaw has played Q throughout Daniel Craig's time as Bond, and will reprise his role in No Time to Die. The Daniel Craig movies have embraced serialized storytelling, taking a step away from the franchise's history as an anthology. Whishaw recently teased to how it will all connect in Bond 25, saying:
It’s Daniel’s last film as James Bond, so I think what they can look forward to is a kind of summing up, I guess, of all of the previous Bond films that Daniel’s done. There are strands from all of the films in it, kind of reaching a conclusion.
Well, this is certainly exciting. With serialized storytelling becoming the norm through cinematic universes like the MCU, moviegoers have become used to watching long-running narratives. No Time to Die will callback to the previous four movies, properly sending off Daniel Craig's version of Bond in the process.
Ben Whishaw's comments to Collider are sure to excite the generations of Bond fans out there. Since the franchise dates back to 1962, entire generations of cinephiles were brought up with 007's adventures as a spy. The mantle of the character has been passed from actor to actor, with Daniel Craig finally reaching the end of his run. Although it sounds like he'll be going out in a grand fashion.
Historically, Bond movies been an anthology; they're unconnected stories that focus on a single mission, with its own set of Bond Girls. That has helped the role of Bond be passed throughout the years, but Daniel Craig's time as 007 tried something new. Starting with Casino Royale, each of Craig's Bond flicks have move the 007 forward, with characters reappearing and interconnecting plots. James' actions are informed by his past, with audiences able to get a deeper look into his psyche than ever before.
No Time to Die should be no exception, featuring a ton of returning players. In addition to Ben Whishaw's Q, recurring MI6 characters Moneypenny and M are set to appear. Jeffrey Wright will also reprise his role as Felix after being absent for the last few movies. Spectre's Dr. Madeleine Swann and Blofeld will also have major roles, played by Léa Seydoux and Christoph Waltz respectively. The stakes are high, and it'll be fascinating to see how director Cary Joji Fukunaga sends Daniel Craig out.
All of our questions will be answered when No Time to Die hits theaters on April 10th. In the meantime, check out our 2020 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.
