Although the gadgets used by James Bond have always been a vital part of the franchise’s appeal, it seems unlikely that Bond 26 will be able to bring back this 007 trope. The James Bond movies have changed a lot in the decades since the late, great Sean Connery first portrayed the suave super-spy in Dr. No. Roger Moore’s take on Bond was a lot sillier than his predecessor’s version of 007, while Timothy Dalton’s was edgier and more grounded, only for Pierce Brosnan to take the franchise back in a campy, playful direction in the 90s.
As such, it was no surprise that, when Daniel Craig beat Hugh Jackman to become Casino Royale's Bond, the actor changed the role again. This time, 007 was more grounded than ever before, a traumatized spy who suffered for his job and didn’t have any of the goofy quips of the character’s earlier incarnations. This reinvention of Bond made perfect sense in the post-9/11 blockbuster landscape, where gritty realism reigned supreme and silly, self-aware comedy was unwelcome. However, Bond 26 now has to make 007 fun again after Craig’s departure, and the series could lose one of the franchise’s best tropes thanks to Craig’s movies.
Daniel Craig’s Bond Tried (And Failed) To Bring Back 007 Gadgets
Although Bond traditionally received new, ridiculous gadgets from Q in each new movie, this trope might not be viable after Craig’s tenure in the role. Bond’s gadgets could be too silly to ground in the James Bond franchise’s reality, even with a lighter tone. If Bond 26 acknowledges Bond’s death in the preceding movie, this will plant the franchise outing firmly in the same reality as Craig’s movies in the role. These outings were simply too serious to sustain goofy gags about Q’s far-fetched inventions, as evidenced by the reaction to Spectre’s much-maligned laser wristwatch.
This element was so out-of-place in the otherwise relatively grounded milieu of Craig’s Bond movies that director Cary Fukunaga reportedly considered retconning the sequence in the next sequel. While the director did eventually abandon this plan, the fact that it was considered proves that the James Bond franchise couldn’t get away with using 007’s gadgets as a deus ex machina during Craig’s movies. While Bond 26’s lead actor might offer a more comedic take on Bond, he will still exist in the same fictional universe as his predecessor and, as such, may not be able to justify ridiculous gadgets.
Why Bond 26 Will Have A Hard Time With This Trope
Like villain lairs that are embedded in volcanoes and Bond girls with wacky pun names, Bond’s gadgets have become associated with parodies of the character. This makes it tough to utilize them in a sincere James Bond outing that wants viewers to get invested in the character. That said, a more comedic reinvention of 007 could acknowledge the silliness of the spy’s gifts from Q and still include these in the movie. If the next James Bond outing strikes the right tonal balance, Bond 26 could keep Q’s gadgets while tacitly admitting that they are a little ludicrous, but this will be a tough test of the character’s charm.