Many had expected 2015’s Spectre to be the final instalment of James Bond featuring Daniel Craig in the lead role, but he will in fact return for the as-yet-unnamed 25th film in the Bond series in 2019.
Currently using the working title of “Bond 25”, the film will, however, be the 49-year-old’s fifth and final performance as Ian Fleming’s British secret agent. There have been many rumours as to who will replace Craig as the seventh Bond, with popular candidates including Tom Hardy, Jack Huston, Aiden Turner, Tom Hiddleston, Idris Elba and James Norton.
But with over a year before the final Daniel Craig Bond film is released, it’ll probably be about five years or so before we see a new Bond. So, first, let’s enjoy Daniel Craig as James Bond one last time.
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The Bond Legacy
Of course, the Bond franchise has had a huge impact on popular culture since its first movie release in the sixties. Whether it's the cars he drives, his choice of drink or the casinos he visits, Bond is an icon and a trendsetter.
Indeed, many industries and brands have benefited from Bond, either being directly linked to the franchise - as is the case with Aston Martin - or indirectly in the instance of casinos and, more recently, online casinos, with the tech bug leading to the creation of sites such as Kroon Casino, which plays on Bond-isms even on the web with live casino products, in particular, clearly influenced by Bond - as discussed in this online roulette review. Then, of course, there is the fashion. James Bond is an absolute style icon, with his chic suited and booted image. That leads us to ponder the future influence of Bond. Maybe he becomes a vegan, drives an electric car, or has a solar-powered laser to destroy in the new film...
So, just what does Bond 25 have in store for fans?
What We Know About Bond 25
Details are still scarce when it comes to Bond 25, although we do know that actor Christoph Waltz and director Sam Mendes won’t be returning. However, no new director has yet been announced – although there are strong rumours that Christopher Nolan, who has directed award-winning films such as Memento, the Batman trilogy, Inception, Interstellar and, most recently, Dunkirk, could take the position.
It is said, should he get the role, that Nolan is also keen to “reinvent the franchise” – which could provide fans with a very different Bond film. Aside from Daniel Craig, no other cast members have yet been revealed, although Neil Purvis and Robert Wade will again be writing the film, as they have done since The World is Not Enough in 1999.
More details are expected to be revealed by producer Barbara Broccoli in early 2018, with the franchise set to begin filming in 2018.
What to Expect from Bond 25
Over the years, we’ve seen everything in the Bond series, from skiing off cliffs, car (and all manners of other vehicles) chases, skydiving, explosions and fights – but perhaps we could see a more digital Bond in the 2019 edition? Maybe, instead of seeing Bond in a casino, we’ll see him reading an before sitting in his pyjamas and playing on the web… although that admittedly seems unlikely.
What we will surely see, though, is a very techy Bond, and, if Nolan does indeed direct Bond 25, we could discover a non-linear story for the first time in a James Bond film – something which Nolan is famously fond of.
James Bond may have come a long way since his first movie release with Dr. No in 1962 starring Sean Connery, but I’d be amazed if we don’t see the Bond girls, the fast cars, the gadgets, the outrageous stunts, smutty comment and copious amounts of product placements in Bond 25. So the wait for Bond 25 goes on, but the early signs certainly look promising, and I think it’s fair to assume that the landmark Bond 25 will be one of the biggest blockbusters that the series has ever seen.