It’s a weird time to be a James Bond fan.
In terms of the films, we are — yet again — in another hiatus. This time, it’s entirely voluntary on the part of Eon Productions. Eon killed off the Daniel Craig version of Bond in No Time to Die. Where does it go from here?
The message from Eon: Don’t call us. We’ll call you.
Put another way: Bond 26? What’s that?
In the literary Bond world, Ian Fleming Publications wrapped up a trilogy written by Anthony Horowitz anchored in the Ian Fleming timeline. It’s now emphasizing a timeshifted “James Bond is missing” trilogy by Kim Sherwood with a quickly done timeshifted Charlie Higson story. The Sherwood and Higson stories have nothing to do with each other.
Higson’s tale, On His Majesty’s Secret Service, was connected to the recent coronation of King Charles III, the long-in-waiting monarch. Meanwhile, Sherwood’s trilogy still has two parts to go. More James Bond without James Bond.
For now, Bond overall is in neutral. Aside from Higson’s story, there’s not much actual Bond.
All of this, you might say, is obvious. And so it is. Regardless, it’s one of the oddest periods for Bond fans.
Filed under: James Bond Books, James Bond Films | Tagged: Bond 25, Bond 26, Charlie Higson, Daniel Craig, Eon Productions, Ian Fleming Publications, Kim Sherwood, No Time to Die, On His Majesty's Secret Service |
The Spy Command 
Nicely presented (though curious) update, TY!
There’s also a little thing called a writers strike going on, so there actually can’t be development on a Bond film.
We are in the midst of the longest Bond cinematic drought in its 61 year history.
6 years between Spectre, and NTTD.(really 5 years in production terms – the extra year was added because of Covid.) and it seems the next Bond will not be out until at least ‘25 or possibly ‘26 depending on the writers strike. So from a production standpoint, that’s 5 years between pictures for the last 2 Bonds.
There was a time when they made 7 Bonds during that same period, or 6 Bonds or even 4 Bonds.
Maybe they’re taking a break as Daniel Craig’s Bond was so iconic. Maybe they’re still trying to decide what to do or even if there’s anything left to do after all they explored during Daniel Craig‘s tenure.
They should just sell to Disney so the mess they made can be cleaned up and the series be put back on track and away from all the angst and boredom that Babs and Craig brought to it
Good riddance to bad rubbish.