What if there was a Rival Bond film series?

[ChrisIII]

So like a Thunderdome but with James Bond films?

Bond isn't like other franchises. It basically runs out of steam then gets renewed and reinvented every time they switch out for a new Bond. Consistency went out the window the moment George Lazenby entered the room. There have been many, many attempts at franchises that were Bond in everything but name. Some based on properties and some just independent of any existing property. But the thing that they all missed is that you can never compete properly with the Bond franchise because of its incredible flexibility. In essence its like trying to hit a moving target that doesn't move until after you have fired the shot.

One thing that seems noticeable with the Roger Moore films in particular is that Bond tried to copy existing trends at the time. Some have said the Craig films have also had some Bourne influence, particularly Quantum with Bond going largely rogue and the 'shaky cam'.

There's been some ocassional spin-off rumors for characters like Felix, Wai Lin and Jinx, but I think only the Jinx film made it at least to script stage before dropped in favor of a full reboot.

[Gaastra]

Don't forget the bond tv movie starring Barry Nelson made before dr no! Yes, sean connery was not the first bond!

[Frobisher]

Don't forget the bond tv movie starring Barry Nelson made before dr no! Yes, sean connery was not the first bond!

Was going to say a TV production seems like the obvious route to do this without cannibalizing sales. Obviously they ought to just let the BBC do it as a period piece, much more accurate to the books - something like The Night Manager they did with T Hidds.

[Nods]

Isnt Tom Cruise Mission Impossible the second Bond franchise?

Mission Impossible was a serialized TV series during the 60's spy boom

ABC - The Avengers (1965) The Mod Squad (1968)
CBS - Mission Impossible(1966), Get Smart (1969)
NBC - , I Spy (1965) The Man From Uncle(1964) Get Smart(1965)
BBC - The Avengers (1961)The Prisoner (1967)

[DanMad1977]

Mission Impossible was a serialized TV series during the 60's spy boom

ABC - The Avengers (1965) The Mod Squad (1968)
CBS - Mission Impossible(1966), Get Smart (1969)
NBC - , I Spy (1965) The Man From Uncle(1964) Get Smart(1965)
BBC - The Avengers (1961)The Prisoner (1967)

I am aware of this, I have seen some of the older stuff in my childhood. I mean the Tom Cruise movies, they feel like Bond Movies to some extend.

[ChrisIII]

Despite Cruise being the lead they kind of feel more like ensemble movies since Abrams started producing, although it can be argued that Bond started doing that more starting with Skyfall, giving the MI6 crew generally more to do "In the field".

[Jim Kelly]

Don't forget the bond tv movie starring Barry Nelson made before dr no! Yes, sean connery was not the first bond!

There was also the comic book, SHOWCASE 43 (March-April 1963) "presents Doctor No."

And why does no one mention CASINO ROYALE (1967), with the greatest theme song of all time? It's like how Doctor Who fans never talk about the two movies with Peter Cushing.

[ChrisIII]

The Showcase is based on the Connery film.


Although there are plenty of Bond comics which adapted the books and not based on the movies. There's also more recent adaptations of Casino Royale and Live and Let Die which keep the novel's period settings.

The current comics, like the novels, kind of have a mix between the novel's style/narrative (Including details such as Bond's face scar) with some modernization (Think Bond even tackles cyborgs in one?)

[CaptCleghorn]

And why does no one mention CASINO ROYALE (1967), with the greatest theme song of all time? It's like how Doctor Who fans never talk about the two movies with Peter Cushing.

That closing sequence wasn't Herb (excellent song and if it wasn't for the spoilers, it should have been the opener), but the opening themes for both non-Eon (unofficial) Bond themes were performed by Herb Alpert and Lani Hall, who were actually married.

[Jim Kelly]

There was a James Bond comic strip that ran from 1958 to 1984. I remember it from the MENOMONEE FALLS GAZETTE and at that time Bond looked like Connery.

There was a one shot black and white comic book called JOHN WARD SECRET AGENT (1975), produced locally in Vancouver (Delta Publications), which featured a James Bond clone--looked like the artist had copied the art from the Bond strip, with the hero being the image of Connery.

[ChrisIII]

That closing sequence wasn't Herb (excellent song and if it wasn't for the spoilers, it should have been the opener), but the opening themes for both non-Eon (unofficial) Bond themes were performed by Herb Alpert and Lani Hall, who were actually married.

Kind of interesting note-Jack Schwartzman is the father of Jason Schwartzman, and Taliafilm is named after his second wife, Talia Shire (Jason's mother), Francis Ford Copolla's sister who starred in his GODFATHER trilogy and also Adrian in 5 ROCKY films.

[ChrisIII]

Another curious note about Bond comics-

The 60's James Bond manga by Taiko Saito...



and his long running manga character, Golgo 13, which started around the same time...

[Powerboy]

Mission Impossible was a serialized TV series during the 60's spy boom

ABC - The Avengers (1965) The Mod Squad (1968)
CBS - Mission Impossible(1966), Get Smart (1969)
NBC - , I Spy (1965) The Man From Uncle(1964) Get Smart(1965)
BBC - The Avengers (1961)The Prisoner (1967)

And my absolute favorite of the James Bond takeoff television shows, admittedly my favorite because it probably deviated away from that premise more than any of them, "The Wild Wild West" (CBS/ 1965-69), which was conceived of as "An American James Bond in the Old West".

[Jim Kelly]

That closing sequence wasn't Herb (excellent song and if it wasn't for the spoilers, it should have been the opener), but the opening themes for both non-Eon (unofficial) Bond themes were performed by Herb Alpert and Lani Hall, who were actually married.

While I like the instrumental opening music with Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass just as much, I chose the closing credits for Mike Redway singing the lyrics. If we were given the option of putting two videos in a post, I would have put both. It's all Bacharach.

[DrNewGod]

I always thought Jack Ryan was supposed to be something akin to Bond while not being 1:1 exactly. Multple actors in the role, and most of the titles sure sound Bond-like.

I haven't watched the streaming series, but I always viewed Ryan as so different an animal than Bond it wasn't an analog of any kind. Bond was usually the man against the villain. Ryan was more the man's role in the entire US security apparatus against the villain (when the apparatus wasn't wearing both the white and black hats).