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Having 25 stories about James Bond spanning six decades and seven actors has created a strange cinematic multiverse. There’s no continuity between old storylines and new ones. One possible solution has been proposed a few times in the dark corners of the web, but it has never been given serious consideration.
It should, and here’s how they could do it.
James Bond should be a code name, but more specifically it should be an identity not too dissimilar from Doctor Who. Instead of resurrecting the character in a science fiction way, they can have a new double-O agent assume the identity of James Bond when the current Bond retires or gets… retired.
If Craig’s character were to leave in the next movie, MI6 could assign a new person to assume the identity of James Bond and 007. They can justify the move as a way to allow the new agent to take over Bond’s assets, including safe houses around the world, bank accounts, and possibly even strategic holdings in companies that give Bond certain advantages.
This would expand the nature of Bond as much more than a spy who gets assigned the latest world-saving mission. Instead, his presence in the world would become part of his repertoire.
Perhaps most importantly, his connections would be maintained. It would make for a couple of awkward re-introductions, but they could work it in cleverly so these long-time connections are aware of the switch.
This would have one negative side-effect. The Bond movies prior to Daniel Craig’s version would be the old canon while Craig’s version would represent the official reboot into this new style. It works, since Casino Royale was the the origin story that begins with how he became a double-O agent in the first place. Then in Skyfall, we learn more about Bond’s past, including where he was raised and why he was recruited as an orphan.
The benefit is a modernization of the storytelling that rewards continuity. It also broadens the horizons so even as Bond gets too old for the craft, they won’t have to pretend like he never saved the world three decades early. The franchise can finally be a single universe instead of a multiverse that forces audiences to suspend their disbelief.
Many would consider this to be a betrayal to the traditional style of the series, but so what? Changes are only bad when they’re not an improvement and doing it this way has more positives than negatives.
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