Is it time for a "retro" James Bond film?

[ChrisIII]

The novels and later the movies started when the Cold War was pretty much at it's height, in the 50s and early 60s. It's been suggested by some fans and those interested in the series (Like Tarantino, who pitched Brosnan's last film to be a version of Casino Royale set in the 60s and in black and white, although he was willing to set it in the modern day if he had to) that the next film should do this, or should have done it before.

Some of the comic series and I think some of the novels have tried a period approach to Bond as well; the adaptations of Casino Royale and Live and Let Die for example are both true to their time; and the James Bond origin series has Bond's naval career and early intelligence work in World War II, for example. It's possible the upcoming video game might also take this approach, but we know fairly little apart from it having nothing to do with the Craig movies.

So could the next Bond/reboot etc. try this take on the character? Granted I think most Cold War spy films these days have either been based on true stories (Bridge of Spies) or flops (Man From Uncle) although I'm not sure entirely. The King's Man might be interesting (although it's set before the CW/early Bond stuff) but I'm not sure it's going to do that great either.

[thwhtGuardian]

The novels and later the movies started when the Cold War was pretty much at it's height, in the 50s and early 60s. It's been suggested by some fans and those interested in the series (Like Tarantino, who pitched Brosnan's last film to be a version of Casino Royale set in the 60s and in black and white, although he was willing to set it in the modern day if he had to) that the next film should do this, or should have done it before.

Some of the comic series and I think some of the novels have tried a period approach to Bond as well; the adaptations of Casino Royale and Live and Let Die for example are both true to their time; and the James Bond origin series has Bond's naval career and early intelligence work in World War II, for example. It's possible the upcoming video game might also take this approach, but we know fairly little apart from it having nothing to do with the Craig movies.

So could the next Bond/reboot etc. try this take on the character? Granted I think most Cold War spy films these days have either been based on true stories (Bridge of Spies) or flops (Man From Uncle) although I'm not sure entirely. The King's Man might be interesting (although it's set before the CW/early Bond stuff) but I'm not sure it's going to do that great either.

Man from Uncle is one of those films that I scratch my head on why it was a miss, the actors were great, the action was fun and I loved the retro feel to it.

[CosmiComic]

It could work. Not my first preference, but it's possible.

[j9ac9k]

I think a retro-boot could be cool. But it would likely still devolve into a bunch of CG action. My wish would be that they took the franchise back to a more grounded spy movie approach rather than a blockbuster IMAX action franchise. Like how the first Craig 007 film felt like a breath of fresh air at the time.

[Jared]

I like the idea of a young Bond in WW2. But it would lack so many of the series familiar trappings that I don't know if audiences would embrace it. He couldn't even be a 00 agent in that.

[ChrisIII]

I like the idea of a young Bond in WW2. But it would lack so many of the series familiar trappings that I don't know if audiences would embrace it. He couldn't even be a 00 agent in that.

The Origin comic series did get Bond in some espionage-related work. Some of Fleming's Bond is actually very loosely based on his own experiences in the OSS.

[Kirby101]

Man from Uncle is one of those films that I scratch my head on why it was a miss, the actors were great, the action was fun and I loved the retro feel to it.

My thoughts on why. And it's just speculation on my part. I too thought it was good, but he ending action scene was a disappointment. They had this big seige of the castle that should have been the big scene, but instead they did they whole thing very quickly in a fast split scene cut that only had music. Then it turned into a not very interesting car chase. It needed a bigger and better finale.

[KNIGHT OF THE LAKE]

I wouldn't mind if they did that for like a streaming series, but one of he draws to Bond is that he evolves with the times.

[JonahJonson]

I think a retro-boot could be cool. But it would likely still devolve into a bunch of CG action. My wish would be that they took the franchise back to a more grounded spy movie approach rather than a blockbuster IMAX action franchise. Like how the first Craig 007 film felt like a breath of fresh air at the time.https://berich.eu

You're right now they focus on effects and not specifics. The same happened with the movie Fast and Furious. I hope 2022 will bring you something good in this regard.

[Powerboy]

I think it's very much time for a retro late 1950s/ very early 1960s James Bond, provided it's done well. I don't know if it would sell and certainly doubt it would feel authentic, but I would like to see it.

As others have mentioned, I have no idea why the Man from Uncle remake flopped. It was brilliant.

[CSTowle]

I'd imagine one of the things the owners of the franchise are sensitive about are criticisms that the brand is past its expiration date, and wouldn't want to almost embrace that notion by literally setting the storyline in its heyday. You'd also have comparisons to the Connery era of Bond, and fairly or no there's no way a new movie comes out favorably by comparison. The very best they could do (by being much better than those movies) would be to tie them in fan's minds.

I'd be much more interested (though it will never happen, and I'm sure I'm very much in the minority) in a "Bond" story set before the 20th century, either in the Victorian/Sherlock Holmes era or even earlier. I enjoy tales of old spycraft, part of why I enjoyed the AMC series "Turn", and care less for car chases and explosions (I've seen literally thousands of each, and have maybe seen a handful where there were consequences beyond killing time and making people go "oooh").

[BeastieRunner]

There was rumors of rebooting back to the 60s up until Skyfall.

I have seen some rumors of it heading to series on streaming recently for the next iteration.

But I think it will just sit and breathe a bit no matter how well this one does.

I can only see a retro Bond happening if 1960s nostalgia goes pretty mainstream AND the new Bond flops really badly AND gets piss poor reviews.

[Indian Ink]

I'd want a 1950s Bond not a swinging 60's one. He was already starting to head out of his natural British post wartime-zone half way into Connery's run. 50's Great Britain was largely leaning more heavily to the back boardroom deals; with Persian princes et cetera, and the whole general dirty tricks brigade of spy craft; because it honestly didn't have the strength to do it the old way. This is James Bond's true home. If he has to head back into the sixties he should at least start in the decade before.

The problem I see is, would they even be true to it? Can we do it without bringing the present into the past? Can they resist having women and POC in positions of power? Or would they lie about the nature of the world back then, or possibly even worse go on and on about the immorality of various state of affairs in the past midcentury, because we have to be told this?

[thwhtGuardian]

I'd want a 1950s Bond not a swinging 60's one. He was already starting to head out of his natural British post wartime-zone half way into Connery's run. 50's Great Britain was largely leaning more heavily to the back boardroom deals; with Persian princes et cetera, and the whole general dirty tricks brigade of spy craft; because it honestly didn't have the strength to do it the old way. This is James Bond's true home. If he has to head back into the sixties he should at least start in the decade before.

The problem I see is, would they even be true to it? Can we do it without bringing the present into the past? Can they resist having women and POC in positions of power? Or would they lie about the nature of the world back then, or possibly even worse go on and on about the immorality of various state of affairs in the past midcentury, because we have to be told this?

If they're just going retro for aesthetic reasons...why would it matter if say M was black? It's fiction, we know that already, so would that really be the straw that breaks the camel's back?

[Frobisher]

If they're just going retro for aesthetic reasons...why would it matter if say M was black? It's fiction, we know that already, so would that really be the straw that breaks the camel's back?

They could, but there's a reasonable argument that it would be whitewashing the past, and god knows a lot of us had quite enough of that at school. Obviously they already did this with the Howling Commandos in Captain America, as you can't have your champions of freedom and justice also be the avatar of an ass-backward country with racial streaming policies that would make even Himmler crack a smile.