Since the nextJames Bondmovie will start a new era for the franchise, it’s the perfect time to get rid of some outdated traditions. The iconic spy series started all the way back in 1962, which makes it one of the most fascinating franchises in Hollywood. By watching all theJames Bondmovies, you can literally see how cinema has developed over the past 60-plus years.
Over the years, theJames Bondfranchise has had to reinvent itself on numerous occasions. Most recently, Daniel Craig’sBondfilms presented a darker and more grounded take on the character. Now, theupcomingBond 26will be the start of yet another new era since Amazon has full creative control of the franchise.
Since there have been some major behind-the-scenes shakeups in recent months, it’s understandable to be somewhat concerned about the nextJames Bondmovie. However, Amazon made a great decisionhiring Denis Villeneuve to directBond 26. He clearly loves the spy franchise and wants to honor its past, butVilleneuve shouldn’t include some outdatedJames Bondtropes inBond 26.
Denis Villeneuve Is Promising A Largely Traditional Take On James Bond
Villeneuve Has Loved The James Bond Movies Since He Was A Kid
Since he is generally regarded as one of the best directors currently working in Hollywood, the announcement thatVilleneuve will directBond 26was amazing news. In addition to directing big-budget movies likeBlade Runner 2049and theDunefilms,Villeneuve has also emphasized that he is a lifelongJames Bondfan. In a statement, he said:
Some of my earliest movie-going memories are connected to 007. I grew up watching James Bond films with my father, ever since Dr. No with Sean Connery. I’m a die-hard Bond fan. To me, he’s sacred territory. I intend to honor the tradition and open the path for many new missions to come. This is a massive responsibility, but also, incredibly exciting for me and a huge honor. Amy, David, and I are absolutely thrilled to bring him back to the screen. Thank you to Amazon MGM Studios for their trust.
Villeneuve referencesDr. No, the first everJames Bondfilm, which proves that he wants to honor the franchise’s past with his movie.Him referring to the franchise as “sacred territory” further suggests thatBond 26won’t be a dramatic departure from what fans expectfrom the series.
Fans who love the Sean Connery era will likely be delighted to hear this, as it seemingly confirms thatBond 26won’t feel like it’s part of an entirely new franchise. This is indeed a good thing, but it’s also obvious that there are some franchise tropes that shouldn’t be included inBond 26. Therefore,Villeneuve’s 007 film should honor the franchise’s history, but also leave out some unnecessary traditions.
Bond 26 Needs To Continue The Franchise’s Shift Away From “Bond Girls”
The Women In Bond 26 Don’t Need To Be Sex Symbols
The first trope that Villeneuve’s film should avoid is the inclusion of a stereotypical Bond girl. In everyJames Bondmovie, the British spy teams up with a woman while on his mission. On the surface, there is nothing wrong with this. However,more often than not, Bond girls are sexualized and are treated more as a prop than a fully developed character.
While not as many people questioned the portrayal of Bond girls in the 1960s and the ensuing decades, it is now abundantly clear that these kinds of characters are very offensive towards women. Thankfully, Craig’s era started to shift away from traditional Bond girls. For example,the women Bond works with inNo Time to Dieare very capable characters and are not overly sexualized.
AfterNo Time to Die, Villeneuve’s film will hopefully continue the franchise’s shift away from Bond girls. Obviously, James Bond can still work alongside female characters in the next film. However,they should be written as complex characters, rather than solely treated as sex symbols.
It’s Time To Drop The James Bond Trope Of Villains With Facial Disfigurements
Disfigurements Shouldn’t Be Used To Make Villains Scarier
WhileNo Time to Dieincluded many intriguing female characters who were thankfully not overly sexualized, it featured a villain with a facial disfigurement, which is another franchise tropeBond 26should get rid of. InNo Time to Die, Rami Malek’s Safin had a disfigured face due to a past poisoning incident. In fact,every one of Craig’sBondfilms, other thanQuantum of Solace, includes a villain with a facial disfigurement.
This proves that,despite all the other changes Craig’sBondfilms made to the franchise, an effort was not made to get rid of this trope. Featuring villains with disfigurements goes all the way back toDr. Noand is inspired by Ian Fleming’sJames Bondnovels. In a 2012 interview withDen of Geek, longtime franchise producer Michael G. Wilson said:
It’s very much a Fleming device that he uses throughout the stories – the idea that physical deformity and personality deformity goes hand in hand in some of these villains. Sometimes it’s a motivating factor in their life, and what makes them the way they are. He had that as part of the characters that he devised.
Similar to how the presentation of many Bond girls is insulting to women, including these types of villains are offensive to people in real life with disfigurements.These villains suggest that having a disfigurement or disability makes someone untrustworthy, which is obviously not true. Therefore, it’s time to stop givingJames Bondvillains disfigurements or disabilities to make audiences think they are dangerous.
Not allJames Bondmovies have featured these kinds of villains, sono one would bat an eye ifBond 26didn’t include an antagonist without a facial disfigurement. Similarly,No Time to Dieproved that women don’t need to be constantly sexualized inJames Bondfilms. Therefore, it’s clear that these are two tropes that can be omitted fromBond 26, and that won’t stop the film from honoring the history of theJames Bondfranchise.
