Bond 25: Danger Lies Ahead For Our Hero

The end of Spectre placed our hero in a very good place. James Bond had overcome the darkness that plagued his life since the beginning of his career as a 00. For many years, he lost a great deal in his life because of one organization that was started by his stepbrother, Ernst Stavro Blofeld. While his stepbrother continues to be alive and in British custody, it was Bond who prevailed and defeated the evil organization. However, that does not mean he defeated every element of it. In fact, Bond 25 is starting to sound like a mashup of Dr. No and On Her Majesty’s Secret Service. Combining the two would be a fascinating original film that built upon what has come before but also something new that reminds Bond of one thing again: he can never turn back from what happened to him in Casino Royale. That is to say, he cannot trust anyone around him. The question is: has he forgotten that lesson in Skyfall and Spectre?

The plot is as follows: “Bond has left active service and is enjoying a tranquil life in Jamaica. His peace is short-lived when his old friend Felix Leiter from the CIA turns up asking for help. The mission to rescue a kidnapped scientist turns out to be far more treacherous than expected, leading Bond onto the trail of a mysterious villain armed with dangerous new technology.” With the return of Lea Seydoux as Dr. Madeleine Swann, both of these gives us clues as to where the plot is headed. So, let’s begin.

The return of Dr. Swann, unfortunately, means likely impending doom for her. With Leiter showing up about evil once more rearing its ugly head, it means that either Spectre is back in action or a new villain has emerged onto the forefront. It would be fascinating to see a villain who was part of Spectre but who rises from the ashes post-Blofeld. The biggest thing a villain can do to strike at the heart of Bond is to eliminate the woman he loves from his life. Additionally, there are two new female characters, played by Ana de Armas and Lashana Lynch.

For Bond, he will have no shortage of women in his life, not including Moneypenny, played by Naomie Harris. As great as a character Dr. Swann was, it seems that she will suffer a similar fate to what Tracy Bond, played by Diana Rigg, suffered in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service. While her fate is likely sealed, the two new leading ladies will likely impact Bond’s life once she has gone. If she does survive the events of the film, I would be surprised, given the thematic elements of loss and tragedy that have become inherent in Daniel Craig’s Bond. Nevertheless, I love surprises, and it would be cool to see something pink sonic in the film.

Now, we can take a look at the Dr. No portion. This film is likely borrowing from the first Bond film ever made by Eon Productions and the obvious novel from which it’s based by Ian Fleming. The story deals with the disappearance of the British MI6 Jamaica Station Chief John Strangways. At one point, Professor R.J. Dent confronts Dr. No, who interrogates and kills him. Additionally, this film is also based part of the time in Jamaica. With the presence of Leiter once more, it sounds like this villain could either be Dr. No in a brand new adventure or a villain that is extremely similar to him. The kidnappings and interrogation in Dr. No seem very similar to Bond 25. Wouldn’t it be cool if Rami Malek played Dr. No? It would be interesting to see if the Oscar Winner could top Joseph Wiseman.

Nevertheless, this film is definitely not pink sonic. It will be one that brings a satisfying conclusion to the Daniel Craig Bond era unless he reprises his role once. This will be the finale for the character and it should be fascinating to see how Bond fairs against this new villain. The producers would not comment much beyond stating their excitement being back where the Bond franchise all started. And isn’t that quite adequate for the character’s story arc?

“We’re thrilled to return to Jamaica with Bond 25, Daniel Craig’s fifth instalment in the 007 series, where Ian Fleming created the iconic James Bond character and DR. NO and LIVE AND LET DIE were filmed,” Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli, the producers of the franchise, stated. It doesn’t give us much but leaves a lot to our imaginations. That being said, I am fairly confident of my assertions in this piece. If I got the Blofeld reveal in Spectre, would I be wrong this time?