Feature
Has James Bond Finally Met His Match?
Why ‘No Time to Die’ can’t afford to be anything less than a box office smash, plus a glide through the history of 007 films.
There’s nothing quite like James Bond in cinema history. For close to seven decades, the adventures of debonair British secret agent James Bond 007, who likes his vodka martini shaken but not stirred, have captured the imaginations of audiences eager for a fix of spy thriller escapism. Portrayed by several actors in several different eras, the character hasn’t changed much, despite the world and society changing a great deal. There have been 24 Bond films, grossing around $7BN globally (unadjusted for inflation). The Bond formula seems timeless and as popular as ever, yet that popularity is about to be put to the ultimate test.
With the upcoming release of No Time to Die (2021), the much delayed 25th official Bond film, all eyes are on Cary Fukunaga’s film to see if it delivers, both in terms of creative quality and box office success. The latter is a particularly crucial test, given the recent COVID-19 accelerated tug of war between online streaming and cinema viewing. When Amazon purchased MGM, there were concerns amongst old-school fans (including yours truly) that Bond would be watered down into lowest…
