No Time to Die saw the on-screen death of James Bond and, in doing so, it has proved Sir Sean Connery wrong about the consequence of killing off 007. Connery is recognized as the first actor to portray Ian Fleming's fictional spy, debuting in Dr. No. Connery was a modest name in the industry before the role but he, and the James Bond franchise, had garnered mass appeal by the release of Goldfinger in 1964. Nevertheless, despite his clear understanding of the role, Connery was mistaken about one key Bond characteristic.
Even by the 25th installment by Eon Productions, No Time to Die, Connery is still commonly regarded as the best James Bond actor. However, the fame Connery received in playing 007 would soon become part of his disillusionment with the iconic role. Amidst the financial success of James Bond movies, Connery felt underpaid in the role. He considered the popularity of the role to be a hindrance to both his privacy and public recognition of his work in other films - factors that reportedly left him wanting James Bond dead.
Connery is understood to have said he "always hated that damned James Bond," even claiming he'd "like to kill him" (via The Guardian). While Connery's problems with James Bond are evident, he did return to the role in Diamonds Are Forever, following George Lazenby's one appearance as James Bond in On Her Majesty's Secret Service, and in the non-canonical Never Say Never Again. But, despite his apparent belief that killing the character would reduce interest, the venerable franchise has now proved the opposite to be true. No Time to Die realized Connery's wish by having James Bond die, albeit many years - and several actors - too late. However, the fallout from 007's tragedy suggests Connery was misled to believe Bond's death would dilute his association with the character - rather, it might have been a topic Connery never heard the end of.
James Bond's frequent evasion of death made him a character that is almost assumed to be immortal. In fact, the sometimes ludicrous circumstances of his survival were often the very essence of James Bond movies. As such, his death in No Time to Die, came as a shock to audiences, leaving many concerned as to how Bond 26 could recover from 007's death. Admittedly, Sean Connery's Bond dying might not have had quite the same impact, as audiences wouldn't have been so accustomed to the character's constant survival. However, Daniel Craig's James Bond movies adopt a gritty and darker aesthetic that makes Bond's death in No Time to Die somewhat plausible, or at least congruous with the modern film's themes. Sean Connery's Bond's wittiness and theatricality would have made the concept of his 007 dying discordant and unjustifiably shallow, potentially reducing its impact.
James Bond's death in No Time to Die serves as a swan song for Daniel Craig and indicates he is unlikely to return to the role as Sean Connery did. Bond's death marks Craig's departure emphatically, and the actor is bound to impress in other roles, though the controversial method of his departure in No Time to Die's narrative could bind him to the role eternally, at least in conversation. Sean Connery is remembered as the first and arguably most iconic actor to play James Bond. Though he had hoped for Bond to die to separate himself from the role, it seems Bond's death might have actually cemented his status as a Bond actor even further, if that is indeed possible.