While No Time to Die was a refreshing break from the franchise formula for James Bond, there is an unfortunately unavoidable reason that Bond 26 can’t repeat the movie's most unexpected trick. From the movie’s shocking conclusion to its secretly genius Blofeld cameo, No Time to Die was a deservedly acclaimed swan song for Daniel Craig’s iteration of James Bond. Effectively marrying the grounded, dark edge of Craig’s earlier movies with the campy humor and over-the-top action of classic 007 adventures, No Time to Die was a much-needed shot in the arm that revitalized the long-running spy cinema franchise.

However, Bond 26 can’t simply replicate everything that worked about Craig’s final James Bond adventure. No Time to Die’s mature, brooding tone would be too dark for a new Bond’s debut, while its lengthy runtime could be too much for a new version of 007’s punchier first movie. Most importantly, the perspective shift that made No Time to Die feel so fresh would not be welcome in Bond 26.

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Much like Bond 26 can’t be another 007 origin story, the movie also can’t ignore Bond in the way No Time to Die proved surprisingly adept at. What was so unusual and appealing about No Time to Die’s setup was how much the movie was centered not around Bond himself but rather Safin and Madeleine Swann. Everything from the movie's prologue to Bond’s eventual self-sacrifice revolved around Madeleine's history with the villain. That wouldn’t work with a new Bond since viewers need to acclimate to the new 007 and, as such, can’t get invested in his love interest’s complicated backstory.

Bond 26 Can't Overshadow The New 007

Madeleine Swann in No Time to Die

By the time No Time to Die arrived, fans of the character had spent four movies getting to know Craig’s Bond. That is as much as Brosnan contributed to the franchise and more than both George Lazenby and Timothy Dalton managed, so there was no harm in No Time to Die centering someone else for a change. However, much like Bond 26 can’t bring back Paloma for fear of overshadowing the new 007 himself, the sequel also can’t focus on Bond’s next love interest in the way No Time to Die was uniquely equipped to do.

The strange reality of No Time to Die was, because of the movie’s numerous delays, the shifting tone of blockbuster cinema broadly, and the duration of Craig’s time in the role, it was a rare James Bond adventure that could afford to give its iconic hero a backseat. Since Craig’s take on Bond was a more self-serious, gritty figure, audiences weren’t devastated to see less focus on him and more on his intriguing, mysterious love interest Madeleine. Not only that but much like Miles Teller’s Top Gun: Maverick role provided a perfect foil for the movie’s real star Tom Cruise, Safin and Madeleine's plot still allowed No Time to Die to set 007 up for his most courageous and moving ending ever. Thus, No Time to Die managed to give viewers a James Bond movie where the character was the hero but not the focus, something that Bond 26 won’t be able to repeat as the sequel introduces a new version of the spy.

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