James Bond has been one of the most talked-about franchises recently for the simple reason that, while we know a new Bond movie is coming, we know almost nothing about it. One thing that we do know is that Denis Villeneuve will direct the film, and former Bond director Martin Campbell has some advice for the man who will launch the next era of Bond.
30 years ago, Martin Campbell directed Pierce Brosnan’s first film as James Bond, Goldeneye, and years later, he would again launch a new Bond when Daniel Craig took over the role for Casino Royale. Speaking with Gold Derby Campbell has simple (though expletive-ridden) advice for Villeneuve, saying basically, “don’t overthink it.” Campbell said…
Don't break what isn't broken. It doesn't need to be a reboot — it just needs to be a bloody good Bond film! If we released GoldenEye or Casino Royale again next week, they'd feel just as potent. So don't fuck with it, basically. There's a lot of fertile ground for Bond, particularly the way the world is at the moment. I just hope that they don't break what's not broken!
As different as Goldeneye and Casino Royale are in many respects, there’s no question that they are both James Bond movies. And it’s likely that underlying quality that Campbell is talking about when he says “don’t break what isn’t broken.” There’s a core formula to what makes a Bond movie that clearly works, and trying to be too radical with your interpretation runs a risk.
This also seems to be what Campbell means when he says the next Bond doesn’t need to be a reboot. There’s no need to start this new Bond era with something drastically different. Although from a plot standpoint, the next Bond actually will need to be some sort of reboot; the last James Bond died.
This detail has reportedly been something of a problem for new franchise owners Amazon MGM as they attempt to get the new era of Bond going. It seems that the fact that Bond died in the last movie is being seen as a difficult hurdle to overcome, although most audiences, when given a James Bond movie, will likely simply enjoy a James Bond movie.
Denis Villeneuve’s abilities as a director are not in question. He’s made numerous great films, and is in the middle of completing a trilogy of three of the most intensely produced science fiction movies ever made. Still, we don’t really know what a 007 movie under Villeneuve will look like.
Reports are that a new Bond movie will focus on the youngest Bond we’ve seen on screen. Beyond that, we’ll likely have to wait for a script to be completed before the real search for the next James Bond can truly begin.
