No Time To Die ending: What’s next for James Bond?

Now that No Time To Die has been in cinemas in Australia for a week (and broke pandemic-era box office records with a $11.23 million opening haul) and out around the world for six weeks, it’s finally time to have a chat about what’s next.

Seriously, we cannot emphasise how much there will be spoilers to follow.

First off, that ending. Who, in their heart of hearts, saw that coming?

If Daniel Craig wanted to end speculation as to whether or not he could be needled back for a sixth Bond movie, that ending was a definitive, “hell no”.

In a franchise first, Craig’s James Bond not only got a send-off – all of his predecessors were denied an in-universe acknowledgment of their departure – but the character was actually killed off.

Craig’s Bond stood stoically on the roof of Safin’s lair as a series of missiles hurtled towards him. And there’s was no cheating, no convenient cutaway – he’s definitely dead.

In the end, Bond chose to sacrifice himself to keep Madeleine Swann and their daughter Mathilde safe. In the final fight between Bond and Safin, the villain smashed a vial against Bond – the contents of that vial are a death sentence for Madeleine, and anyone who shares DNA with her.

There’s no way to get the DNA-targeted bioweapon off Bond or out of his system, so his continued existence in the same world as Madeleine and Mathilde was a threat to them both.

Such a final fate for Craig’s Bond from the beginning. According to Yahoo, Craig is quoted in the No Time To Die companion book as saying that it was the ending he envisaged 15 years earlier.

“When I started as Bond on Casino Royale, one of the early discussions I had with [producers] Barbara [Broccolli] and Michael [G. Wilson] was that I would like to be killed off when I am finished,” Craig said.

The last shot of the Craig Bond era was of Madeleine and Mathilde driving, as the mother turns to the daughter to tell her about her father, “Bond, James Bond”.

It’s the completion of a five-movie arc, which in itself is unprecedented as Craig’s Bond carried the emotional baggage of previous films through his narrative tenure.

So, now that it’s over, what comes next?

It would be tempting to think that five-year-old Mathilde could carry on her father’s legacy, but that would mean the films would have to time-jump at least 20 years. And Broccolli is on the record that the character can be any colour, but it must be a man.

Broccolli and Wilson, as the producers of Eon Productions, are the stewards of the Bond franchise.

When the Bond baton was handed from Pierce Brosnan to Craig, there was a carry-over in the form of Judi Dench, who originated the role of M in GoldenEye and continued in the Craig era in Casino Royale, Quantum of Solace and Skyfall.

Previously, Desmond Llewelyn’s tenure as Q started in From Russia With Love through to The World is Not Enough, crossing through the Sean Connery, George Lazenby, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton and Brosnan epochs.

At the end of the credits of No Time To Die, the words “James Bond will return” scrolls up the screen, confirming the franchise doesn’t die with Craig – as if it would, it’s so lucrative.

The question is in what form will it return?

Given the very definitive ending of No Time To Die, now’s a good time for a full reset of the series – not just the character but also the tone. The Craig era has been marked by a heaviness grounded by the character’s emotional arc.

Possibly the next iteration of Bond will swing back to a more lighthearted and glib version of the super spy.

If that’s the case, there’s a great argument to not bring back any of the supporting cast in the next film and let it start anew.

Ben Whishaw, who’s played Q since Skyfall, has said that he was contracted for three films so his commitment is over – although he hinted that he wouldn’t be opposed to a return.

Many names have been in the mix over the years even though it looks like the most promising candidate, Idris Elba, will likely have missed his chance.

Elba is already 49-years-old, only four years younger than Craig who was 37 when he took on the role, which means he’s probably too old to start and stay in the role for at least two or three films.

Another popular choice is Tom Hardy, but he might too similar in type to Craig, both in physicality and that undercurrent of danger and menace that the best Bonds have.

Henry Cavill is another prime candidate but he may have already become too famous in genre roles including Superman and in The Witcher, and he’s already played a spy in The Man From U.N.C.L.E., the film adaptation of the 1964 TV series that Ian Fleming contributed to.

Cavill is also attached to Matthew Vaughn’s upcoming film Argylle as an ’80s-era spy.

Vaughn told The Hollywood Reporter, “I needed someone who was born to play Bond – which Henry is – and then nick him before Bond did.”

Cavill sidestepped the question, telling THR, “It would be very exciting to have a conversation with the producers. In an ideal world, I’d never have to turn anything down. Nothing is off the table, it’s an honour to even be part of the conversation.”

Richard Madden (Bodyguard, Game of Thrones) recently ignored the question altogether on the Eternals red carpet when he walked away from a reporter on the ropelines who asked him about Bond.

Similarly, James Norton (Happy Valley, Grantchester) has said that while it’s flattering to be in the conversation, he’s claimed there’s “no truth” to the rumours.

Outlander star Sam Heughan and Bridgerton breakout Rege-Jean Page’s names have also been bandied about – although the latter might be challenged by the range necessary for any nuanced interpretation of the role.

Tom Hiddleston was a red-hot choice for a moment, after the glow of The Night Manager, a John Le Carre miniseries adaptation in which he played a haunted intelligence asset who penetrated an arms dealer’s inner circle. But Hiddleston’s moment seems to have passed.

If the producers decide to cast a younger, culturally diverse actor in the role, the likes of Daniel Kaluuya, Dev Patel or Riz Ahmed would be strong choices.

It seems like any British actor of a certain age and profile has been in the mix but it’s just as likely that the producers go with someone who is relatively unknown – as Craig was, having primarily starred in independent films or in supporting roles and only really gained a profile after Layer Cake.

There’s no promise of a timeline in casting the next Bond but October 2022 marks the 60th anniversary of the release of Dr No, the first Bond movie, so don’t be surprised if there’s a big announcement right around there.

Share your movies and TV obsessions | @wenleima

Originally published as No Time To Die’s ending was planned 15 years ago