December 8, 2008 | by Niall Browne 

Bond 23: Back To James Bond Basics?

bond 23The name is Bond, James Bond.

If you’ve recently seen Quantum of Solace you’ll be aware that the infamous line above was not spoken by Daniel Craig in the film. In fact a lot of key elements that have made the James Bond films iconic over the years were missing from the new entry in the series (the same was also true of Casino Royale).

Many believe that Solace is the middle part of a “Bond Trilogy” and that the next film will complete the story arc. Not true, says Daniel Craig – and if he gets his way James Bond will be doing more “Bondish” things in the next installment of the uber-successful franchise.Speaking with Collider.com during press rounds for his forthcoming WWII film Defiance, Craig talked about how he wanted his next Bond film to feature more of the 46 year old franchise’s traditional elements.

When asked if Solace was the middle part of a trilogy Craig replied:

“No f***ing way. I’m done with that story. I want to lie on a beach for the first half an hour of the next movie drinking a cocktail.”

While I believe that these comments are made with more than a hint of sarcasm – they do seem to imply that the “picked up right where the last one left off” nature of Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace will not be occurring again.

Discussing the return of Q and Moneypenny Craig had his to say:

“We’ve finished this story as far as I’m concerned. We’ve got a great set of bad guys. There is an organization that we can use whenever we want to. The relationship between Bond and M is secure and Felix is secure. Let’s try and find where Moneypenny came from and where Q comes from. Let’s do all that and have some fun with it.”

I have to say that I agree with this. As much as I enjoyed Quantum of Solace (and I know a lot of you folks didn’t), I did feel that Q, Moneypenny and even the James Bond theme are needed to remind us that we are indeed watching a James Bond movie. Characters like Q and Moneypenny along with a certain amount of gadgetry are what distinguish Bond from other action heroes – they are nothing to be ashamed of.

When asked when we should expect Bond 23 Craig replied:

“We don’t know when we’re going to do the next Bond. Nobody’s thinking about it at the moment. We’re giving it a rest for the moment. If I can squeeze something in next year I will…but I haven’t figured out what that’ll be yet. But nothing in the cold.”

If Bond 23 follows tradition we should see one in the next 2-3 years depending on how much time Craig wants away from the role. It’ll be the new year before there’s even a pen put to paper, but don’t be too surprised if Paul Haggis has some input again. and considering that Solace has so far grossed $500 million worldwide you can be sure that James Bond will definitely return.

Source: Collider

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  • gingerbeer
    I would disagree, i generally enjoyed quantum in the cinema but recognise that it's a poor film overall, for any credibility he should continue the trilogy...
  • I really, REALLY hope this turns out to be accurate. I did NOT like QoS... hated the way the action scenes were shot, there was little if any actual "spy" stuff going on, and Bond has been reduced to almost nothing more than a brutal killer.

    I want the next film to leap forward a couple of years to where he is in full-on "suave 007" mode.

    Vic
  • John "Kahless" Taylor
    Playing baccarat, romancing women till they confess, gadgetry, the music, and of course, spy action...this is Bond. While I did enjoy QoS, it didn't feel like Bond to me, just another action movie. I say bring in Q and Moneypenny, just don't make the gadgets the main story.
  • greenknight333
    Definitely not a fan of Craig as Bond...Bond might be the world's greatest spy but he was always charismatic, suave, and a gentleman...Three things Craig's Bond never were...I think Craig has reduced the superspy to the level of a vengeful, remorseless and ignorant cretin and actually dumbed down the role enough that I await his replacement before I will continue to watch another Bond film.
  • Mark
    I would have to disagree. I think that his entire character in QoS was built upon unresolved remorse. Now he can move on, to the strength of the character. Also, I feel that Craig's Bond is many things, but ignorant is not one of them. It's difficult for me to say because I love Connery, but I think Craig's the best Bond yet. He's more with the times. And, not to be a stickler, but all you need for a film to be a Bond film is James Bond.
  • INK
    Wow, green, I hate to ask this but is there a film you do like? Not trying to be a smarta** just wondering because I haven't come across a post of yours that was positive towards a movie. I don't read every subject though. Now, I'm curious what movies you enjoy.
  • Well I didn't really like QoS, it felt so flat compared to CR. In QoS there was too much action for action, the only thing i liked was that they didn't show off with gadgets, like CR also did. For me, CR was a fresh start, a more deeper Bond, but they screwed it in QoS, a shame!
  • Jess H.
    I hope they can move past th mistakes of QoS to make a better bond movie. As much as I enjoyed QoS it had a lot of major flaws and especially Bond missing some of his key lines! Lets hope whenever we do see a new bond movie it will be a great improvment of the others.
  • Ken J
    I hope they don't mean it will be back to the Pierce Brosnan and before days. I hated all of the overuse and reliance on gadgets. I loved Casino Royale and I think that one had plenty of James Bond stuff, like him getting information by charming women, blending into a crowd and pretending to be someone he is not, and spy stuff like that. So I hope they mean to be more like something like that. And bring back the gritty "beat someone to death" style fight scenes like in CR, none of this Bourne wannabe crap like in QOS.
  • greenknight333
    @ INK

    My recent posts have centered on Punisher:War Zone and QoS...neither of which I liked..The growing trend of increasing violence in movies is disturbing to me and I think that any film maker that relies on violence alone to sell it's product is a poor artist indeed..the violence in my opinion should complement a great storyline and not overpower it and reduce the film to exploding heads and pounding people's faces to pulp with fists. Geez Louise I'll watch UFC if I want that..LOL..

    Movies that I do like:

    The Lord of the Rings Trilogy
    Spiderman I & II
    Batman Begins & The Dark Knight
    Unforgiven
    The Incredible Hulk
    Hellboy I & II
    The Last of the Mohicans
    LA Confidential
    The Matrix Trilogy
    Jurassic Park
    Independence Day
    Jaws
    Saving Private Ryan(violence at the beginning of that one was needed)
    Cool Hand Luke
    North By Northwest
    All Pixar films

    Just to name a few...I have a rather large DVD collection so there are many more movies that I do love...Sorry that I seem to only post negative comments..I don't watch TV so I basically only comment on movies I have seen..

    Cheers
  • INK
    @Greenknight

    Great list and thanks for the response.
  • I need to see QoS, but I loved Casino Royale. Very close to the book, too, but with more action.

    I agree, try not to focus too much on the gadgets (and advertising of said gadgets, since they're almost all real now), which is what sunk The World is Not Enough, imo.

    heath
  • Metallicat79
    I really enjoyed Casino Royale, it had just the right amount of every Bond Cliche to make it work.I especially love the martini bit, that line was classic, "...shaken or stirred?" "Do i look like I give a damn!". And if what I have read is correct, QOS (which i have not yet seen), takes everything that CR did and threw it out the window, stripping Bond down to just another Spy a la Jason Bourne.
    The gadgets, the classy one liners, Q and Moneypenny were what serpated Bond from any other spy in film.The reason CR worked as well as it did without Q or Moneypenny, was it still had all the other elements that made Bond who he is, with subtle references to both,particularly Moneypenny.
    I think that they should really bring back Martin Campbell, because thus far he has directed my two favorite Bind films, so he must have been doing something right. I think that the reason we have not seen Q appear lately, is becuase Desmond Llewelyn is pretty much irreplacable as Q and finding someone the fill that role may have been harder than they thought. Perhaps they should cast Q as as a Young scientist just starting out as Q? That to me would be the ideal way to reintroduce the world to Q.
  • greenknight333
    @ Ink

    Your welcome Sir !! :)

    Cheers
  • Chris
    I do like craig as bond, i will admit it did seem different but to me the Bond that Craig has created seems like the Bond we see in Ian Fleming books. Bond is totally different in the books than in the movies.
  • wscreenrant
    I enjoyed qos but it really wasn't near as good as cr and not so memorable. I think they should get back to bond being a spy and not a ninja and prefer not firing machine guns (leave that to die hard and other films). That opening scene he should of shot the guy with a ppk. there should of been more of the classic Sean Connery type bond stuff but i understand it was the end of an arc. so i agree and hope the next one should be a few years ahead and show some more spy stuff, moneypenny + q.

    Still it was a good watch
  • charles garrett
    put in the gunbarrel scene at the
    beginining of the film, play the Bond
    theme thru-out the movie, give him more
    suaveness, but make no mistake, in spite
    of these, Daniel Craig hands down is now
    James Bond. All this should work around him.
  • kyle
    i really enjoyed daniel craig as the new bond. both quantum and casino were amazing additions to the bond series. I feel that for the next movie that it should be one of the books that had the union in it. (doubleshot, high time to kill, and never dream of dying). these three books, i feel, really depicted the true james bond character that daniel craig mentioned up above in the article. Doubleshot would be probably the best movie for daniel craig to act in because he can really make the audience feel for 007 when he starts to see his double.
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