The James Bond films have sustained a secret trend since the very beginning of the franchise, and it's one that suggests a drastic change is coming for 007 in Bond 26. With each actor who has portrayed the man with a license to kill there has been a distinct style and tone to their tenure. No Time to Die has addressed some of the most mature and grave subject matter yet in the series, and that's a trend the next Bond actor may not follow.

One of the longest-running movie franchises ever, James Bond has adapted well over the years to keep fans interested. The series’ style has oscillated from era to era, to provide a refreshing feel each time and to garner interest from different kinds of Bond fans. The Daniel Craig era in particular, with its grounded grittiness, implies that Bond 26 will revert back to an era that the franchise hasn't seen for quite some time.

Related: Bond 26 Has A Unique Problem Because Of Daniel Craig's Movies

Since the character's inception, James Bond's characterization has fluctuated in tone from one incarnation to the next. While one actor playing 007 is serious and hard, the next is generally light-hearted and fun. Sean Connery's original Bond was replaced by the comedic, frivolous and eyebrow-raising Roger Moore, who was succeeded by the hard-nosed and Fleming-like Timothy Dalton. Next in line was the easy-on-the-eyes and action-oriented Pierce Brosnan. Given that the Daniel Craig era was the bleakest yet, it stands to reason that fans are due another fun Bond with tongue-in-cheek frivolity and easy-to-digest entertainment more akin to the Moore and Brosnan days.

No time to die Daniel Craig James bond 26

The very first two Bond films, Dr. No and From Russia with Love, saw Sean Connery demonstrate a decidedly staid and focussed take on the famous 00 agent, his portrayal more affiliated with the likes of a policeman than the suave and sophisticated secret agent of, say, the Brosnan era. Roger Moore, particularly with regards to his grandiose journey into space in Moonraker, and dressing up as a clown in Octopussy, took the series in a much more family-friendly and comedic direction. Timothy Dalton's Bond is considered the most Fleming-accurate portrayal of 007, similar to early Connery. Pierce Brosnan, likewise, brought a bombastic, explosive, and action-packed kind of entertainment to the silver screen.

Following the Brosnan period, the Daniel Craig period has confronted particularly dark and somber subject matter, with most of its films mourning the death of Vesper in some way. In No Time to Die, Craig’s Bond learns he’s actually a father, and, after he gets poisoned with nanobots, sacrifices his own life to protect his family and the world. Craig is as angst-ridden and Byronic a Bond as fans have ever had, which surely means the most palette-cleansing 007 yet will be introduced in Bond 26, ideally avoiding another origin story.

With Craig’s Bond now resting in peace and reunited with his love, Vesper, the closure has been provided, not only for Bond but for fans, too. In line with this trend of tone fluctuation, the most fun, entertaining, and light-hearted 007 yet would surely be something the fans need, to juxtapose with the latest solemn generation of Bond films. Someone young and full of beans, perhaps in their early or mid 30s, would be a promising start, and if they are easy on the eye and make audiences laugh, fans should be in for a real treat for Bond 26.

Next: Why Bond 26 Should Hold Onto (Some Of) Daniel Craig’s 007 Story