Exclusive: James Bond Is Becoming A Cinematic Universe
What's next for James Bond? Our insider has exclusively shared news for plans for a cinematic universe for 007. Here's what we know.
This article is more than 2 years old
James Bond, along with other MGM properties, were recently purchased in a major deal for Amazon. This has some folks worried. John Logan, a famed writer for 007, wrote a public piece sharing his fears for the character he loves. Everyone wants to know: What will Amazon do with the long-standing franchise going forward? Now, thanks to inside information from one of our trusted and proven sources, we have one piece of the puzzle. Amazon isn’t going into this deal without a plan. In fact, they are planning to create a James Bond cinematic universe.
In October 2021, we’re going to see the release of No Time To Die, the 25th movie for the franchise. After so many movies, the franchise has built up a long history of side characters, locations, nicknames, and a style and expectations for 007 that define a Bond film. This is a lot of rich lore, enough to make it surprising that there haven’t yet been any solo movies developed for side characters to create a James Bond cinematic universe already. It seems like such an obvious first move for Amazon to make. Of all the properties the company has purchased from MGM, this is one of the biggest, and arguably the one with the most room for financial growth.
While our insider is aware that Amazon has plans for a James Bond cinematic universe, they aren’t yet sharing information on where Amazon will start with this. Of course, we’ll be seeing Daniel Craig in No Time to Die, his final movie for the franchise. That has already been filmed long ago, so it seems unlikely there’s room for Amazon to add in anything for their expansion plans, the way Marvel would by adding in a post-credits scene.
We’ve known long before Amazon came into the picture that one of the next moves for the franchise would have to be recasting James Bond. Daniel Craig has been adamant that he won’t be returning. However, with a cinematic universe on the horizon, their decisions have grown tenfold. Creating a wider universe for 007 will need to be handled differently than it has been for a studio like Marvel.
Marvel has vaults full of comics somewhere. They’ve purchased the rights to many characters, likely more than they will ever actually end up using on-screen. Pulling from the comics, they can tap in a new superhero for their own solo movie at any given moment, expanding their cinematic universe and offering a new take. The James Bond movies are popular for a lot of reasons, like the classic villains and the Bond girls, but mostly, people go to see them for the titular character. What will the solo movies be without Bond himself? Whether a Marvel movie stars Thor or Iron Man, it’s a superhero story. A James Bond movie without 007 is… what? Another spy movie? What will define the cinematic universe well enough that these stay Bond films if they don’t center on Bond?
For the last couple of years, the most exciting James Bond question has been: who will play the iconic character next? Now, the questions surrounding the news of a cinematic universe will be enough to keep fans talking long past that long-anticipated casting announcement. Whether the change feels like doom for a beloved franchise or an exciting opportunity, it’s definitely going to be interesting to see how Amazon respects such a long-standing cinematic treasure, while expanding it into something new and different.
