NOT an actual comic book cover (separate drawings by Jim Aparo, 1932-2005).
h/t to my friend "Jim from Detroit."
Bond 26 and the future of the cinema James Bond remains uncertain. But it's possible film Bond may resemble cinema Batman.
Consider the following:
Batman movies 1989-1997: Batman (1989), Batman Returns (1992), Batman Forever (1995) and Batman and Robin (1997) exist in the same continuity despite having three different actors as Batman/Bruce Wayne (Michael Keaton, Val Kilmer, George Clooney).
The four movies have the same Alfred (Michael Gough) and Commissioner Gordon (Pat Hingle). The continuity is reinforced in the last two movies with the same Dick Grayson/Robin (Chris O'Donnell).
James Bond movies 1962-2002: The first 20 Bond films made by Eon Productions loosely exist in the same continuity. In The Spy Who Loved Me (1977), the 10th Eon production, there's a brief reference to Bond's late wife Tracy originally seen in On Her Majesty's Secret Service.
That reference is reinforced in the pre-titles sequence of For Your Eyes Only (1981), where Tracy's headstone is seen and her year of death was 1969, the year Majesty's was released. Even Licence to Kill (1989) includes a vague reference to Tracy.
Overall, there were five different Bond actors but they're all playing the same version of Bond. A major piece of connective tissue is actor Desmond Llewelyn as Boothroyd/Q, who played opposite all five.
Batman's "bubble universe": In the mid-2000s, Warner Bros. opted to start over with Batman Begins (2005), with a new Batman/Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) as directed by Christopher Nolan. This version would be seen in two more movies, The Dark Knight (2008) and The Dark Knight Rises (2012). It would include some Bond film tropes courtesy of the director, a 007 fan.
Bond's "bubble universe": In 2006, Eon Productions decided to start over with Casino Royale (2006). Both of Eon's principals, Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson, said the series was starting over.
Actor Daniel Craig was the new Bond actor. He would be in five films overall. At the end of No Time to Die (2021), Craig's Bond is dust (if that) after missiles come down on his head. Craig claims he always wanted his version of Bond to die at the end. Well, that's how it turned out.
Batman since the "bubble universe": We got yet another version of Batman with Ben Affleck in Batman v. Superman and Justice League, plus small appearances in other films. The current Batman is Robert Pattinson, who played the title character in The Batman (2022). There's a sequel in the works.
Bond after the "bubble universe": That is what Eon is dealing with now concerning Bond 26.
Is another Bond reboot in the works? Do you pretend the Craig films never happened and resume with the loose 1962-2002 timeline?
I have trouble believing the latter is an option. Eon boss Barbara Broccoli had a "special relationship" with Craig, who she described (in a 2017 podcast with the Hollywood Reporter) as the best Bond actor. Also, it's hard to come back from Bond as dust after No Time to Die.
A hard reboot may be the way to go. We'll see. Meanwhile, many Bond fans are rooting for Christopher Nolan to become involved with Bond. Will history repeat itself? Personally, I'm doubtful, but we'll see.
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