Following the controversial death of Daniel Craig's James Bond in No Time to Die, Bond 26 should seek to revive the franchise by repeating a trick used in George Lazenby's On Her Majesty’s Secret Service. Despite its tragic conclusion, No Time to Die made the customary declaration that “James Bond will return.” While another Bond film is entirely understandable, as Daniel Craig’s tenure as 007 is set in its own timeline, Bond 26 nevertheless faces the challenge of following a film that featured a 007 death scene.
James Bond is a well-established and evolving franchise, but ignoring the significance of portraying its protagonist’s death could undermine the direction of future Bond films. James’ tragic fate was affecting, and this was emphasized by its unexpectedness. Bond’s survivability was arguably one of his primary attributes. Exposing 007’s mortality leaves questions surrounding what can be expected from a James Bond/007 story moving forward. As such, the next entry in the franchise faces the most difficult challenge since On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, the first film following Sir Sean Connery’s initial departure from the leading role. Bond 26 could look to the 1969 classic starring George Lazenby for inspiration on how to handle such a pivotal moment in the franchise.
On Her Majesty’s Secret Service handled the shadow of Connery’s exit effectively in the film's opening scene. Lazenby’s Bond was plunged straight into the action, dispatching a couple of henchmen and rescuing Diana Rigg’s Tracy. Hastily, Tracy takes her opportunity to escape, rather than stick around for Bond, prompting Lazenby’s 007 to remark “this never happened to the other fellow.” It is an iconic line that humorously acknowledged Connery’s departure and showed that the franchise could sustain beyond him. A similar method for Bond 26 to handle the fallout of James Bond's death could prove to be a refreshing response to the solemnity of Craig’s era, while still leaving the narrative of his films untouched.
Interestingly, No Time to Die was significantly influenced by On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, even reusing Louis Armstrong’s song “We Have All the Time in the World”. The 1969 film has become something of a fan favorite for the franchise, having initially had much of its charm masked by the unfamiliarity of a new actor. Though Connery would return for the subsequent Bond film, Diamonds Are Forever, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service nevertheless did an amicable job in showing Bond films could maintain their intrigue, and even produce new types of storylines with new actors at the helm.
Daniel Craig is regarded by many as the best James Bond actor since Sean Connery and, with the manner of his departure being so definitive, speculation over Bond 26 is ripe. There is a question over whether a reboot would be in the form of a new narrative arc or a return to an episodic model. Meanwhile, debates over which actor should take on the role of Bond are naturally ongoing. Perhaps more important than the casting or structure of Bond 26 is the tone of its script. The producers need to ascertain what can be expected from a Bond film in the wake of such a bold screenwriting decision, while also reigniting interest after the overwhelming sense of closure in No Time to Die.
To maintain the effectiveness of killing James Bond in No Time to Die, Bond 26 must depart the narrative arc of Craig’s 007. But completely ignoring the significance of a Bond death scene poses a risk to the identity of the franchise. It is a franchise with a broadly recognizable sense of character and structure, and Bond’s death was unprecedented in canon. As such, it would be apt for Bond 26 to reboot the franchise by repeating a trick from a classic such as On Her Majesty’s Secret Service. A quip from the new actor would certainly be an effective way to resolve the situation in true 007 style.