There is still very little information about the as-yet-unтιтled Bond 26, but since the franchise’s behind-the-scenes change resulted in a shift of creative control to Amazon MGM, I wouldn’t actually be disappointed if the upcoming movie took a different approach whenever a new name is added to the list of James Bond actors. Former boss Barbara Brocolli surrendering creative control of James Bond opens the door to all sorts of live-action 007 projects after decades of being drip-fed content featuring the iconic spy.
Every James Bond movie to date has been made under the supervision of a member of the Broccoli family. As such, Bond 26 is entering uncharted waters. Amazon MGM hasn’t yet revealed its plans for the next chapter of the franchise, but the studio has proven itself more than worthy as the new guiding hand of the 007 saga. Although everyone is largely still expecting Bond’s next outing to be a feature-length affair, I think Amazon MGM may surprise fans and head in a different direction.
Amazon Has Already Proven It’s Great At Action-Led TV Shows, So An Episodic James Bond Project Could Be Great
Shows like Reacher & Jack Ryan prove Amazon knows what it’s doing
Amazon shows like Reacher and Jack Ryan have proven to be huge successes on Prime Video, and although they’re not exactly the same thing as James Bond, they’re certainly within the same general category. The three action-led franchises all began as literary source material, and each of the тιтle characters routinely pulls off feats that are just about on the verge of believable while saving the day. Prime Video clearly has a knack for this style of storytelling, so I would love to see Amazon MGM give James Bond its first live-action TV show.
James Bond Jr. currently remains the franchise’s only TV show. The animated interpretation of Ian Fleming’s Bond books ran for one season in 1991, but produced 65 episodes.
An episodic format for James Bond opens up several opportunities for the franchise. Amazon could readdress certain books featuring the character, adding more detail in a multi-episode run than was possible in its feature-length counterpart. Alternatively, a new James Bond TV show could continue to create original storylines – just as the Broccolis had been known to do. I know there is an expectation for James Bond to always come in movie form, but I don’t think Amazon MGM should discount the potential benefits of this alternative.
An Upcoming Prime Video Project Proves James Bond Can Still Revisit Its Feature-Length Format, Even As A TV Show
The Jack Ryan movie means Amazon MGM could make James Bond movies as well as a 007 TV show
Despite beginning life as a series of novels, the James Bond movies have unquestionably become the most prominent arm of the franchise. Therefore, it could be argued that switching to a TV format would be an incredibly risky move. The release of a 007 movie is quite often a landmark occasion for moviegoers, but there’s no reason why that has to go away. Amazon’s Jack Ryan show with John Krasinski is a brilliant way of supporting this point, as a movie is now confirmed to be on the way.
So, if a James Bond TV show does turn out to be Amazon’s plan, the platform has now established a willingness to mix in movies set within the same canon as a specific, multi-season project. What remains to be seen is whether the Jack Ryan movie will require knowledge of the show for it to be enjoyed. If so, it limits the viewership. Therefore, doing the same thing with a 007 movie after the show has begun could alienate those who only watch the feature-length sequel. Considering this, Bond 26 being a movie could still be a cleaner approach.
James Bond
- Created by
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Ian Fleming, Albert R. Broccoli
- First Film
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Dr. No
- Latest Film
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No Time to Die
- Upcoming Films
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James Bond 26
Summary
The James Bond franchise centers on the fictional British Secret Service agent James Bond, also known by his code number 007. Created by writer Ian Fleming in 1953, Bond has been featured in novels, films, television, radio, comics, and video games. The film series, produced by Eon Productions, is one of the longest-running and highest-grossing franchises in history, known for its blend of espionage, action, and sophisticated style.
