James Bond 26 is confirmed to be on the way, but its recasting of 007 will be especially challenging after Daniel Craig’s five-movie run. Created by Ian Fleming, James Bond has now been played by seven actors in total (if one includes David Niven), with Craig following the likes of Sean Connery, Roger Moore, and Pierce Brosnan, among others. After decades of the franchise operating under the control of the Broccoli family and Eon Productions, Amazon acquired total control over Bond earlier this year, and getting another 007 movie off the ground will be a top priority.
Craig first played Bond back in 2006 with Casino Royale, ushering in a darker and more gritty take on the iconic British spy. He followed this strong debut with Quantum of Solace (2007), which was less warmly received, but came back in a major way with Skyfall (2012). Craig capped off his run as Bond with Spectre (2015) and No Time To Die (2021), the latter of which killed the character off in a shocking franchise first. Now, Amazon is poised to introduce a new 007 in the confirmed Bond 26, but this new actor already faces an uphill battle.
Daniel Craig Had A Record-Breaking Run As James Bond
The Casino Royale Star Set A New Franchise Record
Craig played Bond for 16 years in total, which is the longest, unbroken stretch for any actor who has played the character. Connery, for example, who is still widely a 007 favorite, may have made two more Bond films than Craig, but his longest, unbroken stretch as the character lasted only six years after his 1962 debut in Dr. No. George Lazeny then took over for On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969) before Connery then returned for Diamonds Are Forever (1971) and Never Say Never Again (1983).
If not for Connery returning for one last film in 1983, Moore would have come close to matching Craig’s tenure. Moore still has the second-longest run at 11 unbroken years, running from Live and Let Die (1973) through to Octopussy (1983), with the actor then returning after Connery for A View to a Kill (1985). After Moore retired from the role, Timothy Dalton had a three-year tenure, followed by an eight-year tenure for Brosnan.
Bond 26’s Development Proves How Difficult It’s Been Recasting Daniel Craig
It Hasn’t Been Smooth Sailing For The No Time To Die Follow-Up
It has now been four years since the explosive conclusion to Craig’s Bond arc with the end of No Time To Die. While this is also the length of the gap between Brosnan’s final outing in Die Another Day (2002) and Craig’s first, Craig was confirmed to be playing 007 in October 2005, only three years later. Many of the franchise’s recastings, though, have occurred within two years, meaning Bond 26 is already very much behind the norm.
A particularly long gap between Bonds started in 1989 with Licence to Kill, Dalton’s final Bond movie. Brosnan wasn’t announced as his successor until June 1994.
Bond 26 has faced various behind-the-scenes problems, with a Wall Street Journal report last year detailing growing friction between former franchise overseer Barbara Broccoli and Amazon executives. The report alleges that Broccoli called Amazon executives “f–king idiots” and that no real movement on a new film had been made by that time, with Broccoli unsure about how to move forward. With Amazon having purchased creative control over Bond this past February, though, a new Bond may not be far off, but it will still be two years, at the very least, before Bond 26 actually hits theaters.
Why Replacing Daniel Craig Is More Challenging For Bond 26 Than Previous Recasts
The Craig Era Evolved The Franchise In Several Key Ways
Every Bond actor has their defenders, but Craig was particularly well-liked as the character. Tonally, his movies left the silliness of later Brosnan Bond movies behind, grounding the character while also moving away from certain outdated franchise tropes regarding the treatment of female characters. Craig’s Bond, for example, is given two serious love interests in Vesper Lynd (Eva Green), whose Casino Royale death reverberates through the subsequent films, and Madeleine Swan (Léa Seydoux), who has a baby with Bond.
Making Craig’s 007 a Bond for modern audiences clearly paid off, as almost all of his films were financially successful, with Skyfall setting a franchise record at $1.108 billion grossed worldwide. Introducing a new actor as Bond will be challenging not just because of how synonymous Craig is with the character, but also due to questions about how to further evolve the franchise. Updates regarding Bond 26 will likely arrive this year, but replacing Craig will be one tall order.
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.
