After the announcement that James Bond’s latest installment, “No Time to Die,” was pushed to a November 2020 release due to Covid-19, MGM has released the film’s new trailer, which showcases a devoted and more serious Bond—if indeed that is even possible amidst a preceding quadrilogy of films that were more serious from the start. Craig, who transformed Bond in the great “Casino Royale” is back, and the film’s new trailer looks to be hard-hitting and dramatic.
The curious thing, though, is that MGM’s marketing campaign for the film seems to be retro. The variations of the poster harken back to a seeming Roger Moore era of Bond, paying homage to the spy’s legacy of espionage, intrigue…and, yes, coolness. Not that this writer feels Bond needs a return to these roots, but there can be no arguing the division over who plays the best Bond, and appealing to more people seems an easy decision for the filmmakers.
Bond this time around is also clad in different attire than we are used to, in one scene sporting suspenders over dirty henley, and with more toned-down, casual wear: gruff sweaters, and more causal suits than we are used to line his repertoire. But don’t worry, fashion aficionados—Omega and Craig have partnered together to release a brand new Omega Seamaster 300 meter diver, and have spared no expense on Bond as a fashionista and walking advert.
So without further ado, let’s jump in to the trailer and see what Bond and company has in store for us this time around.
#1—Who’s Writing/Directing?
Cary Joji Fukunaga. Photo credit: Wikipedia.com.
“No Time to Die” is directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga, best known for “Beasts of No Nation” and “Jane Eyre,” but is also credited with writing a slew of films, such as “It,” the aforementioned “Beasts of No Nation,” and co-writing “No Time to Die.” His work on “Beasts of No Nation” was stellar, and earned the film a positive grade on The Movie Buff.
The “No Time to Die” screenplay is penned by four writers, among them Neal Purvis (who has an extensive history of Bond writing), Robert Wade (who shares similar cred), Phoebe Waller-Bridge (who has both writing and acting credits on a multitude of TV programs), and director Fukunaga.
This time around it appears the writers are trying to bring us a Bond we’ve seen before—one who is disenfranchised from the agency, but is tasked to come back to face a new threat—but one that is more focused and driven by more urgency this time around. Time will tell how this has paid off, as audiences and studios no doubt anticipate its November release.
#2—The Cast
Daniel Craig in the whodunnit “Knives Out.”
There’s no shortage of familiar players in the latest Bond installment—which is the spy’s 25th representation on-screen. Of course, despite the rumors, Daniel Craig has returned as 007, likely, but not finalized, to be his last appearance.
Craig has had no shortage of press stating his lack of desire to continue to play the thorn in MI6’s side, but he has been able to bring a seriousness to Bond that was lost on some of the franchise’s early actors (though, incidentally, Sean Connery also put up a bit of a stink at continuing to play bond, immortalized in the release of “Never Say Never Again”).
Accompanying Craig is actor Rami Malek, who won an Oscar for “Bohemian Rhapsody, as the villain Safin. He sports a burned face, and seems in line with Bond’s sinister nemeses. Ralph Fiennes is back as ‘M,’ though the trailer doesn’t seem to give him a lot of screen-time, and ‘M’s’ impact has suffered some since the departure of Judi Dench. We also have Léa Seydoux, who was in “SPECTRE” and Colin Farrell’s intriguing “The Lobster,” as well as Naomi Harris reprising her role as Moneypenny and Christopher Waltz returning as Blofeld. Bond girl this time is set to be Ana de Armas, who had wonderful chemistry with Craig in last year’s “Knives Out,” and looks to bring new ass-kicking dynamism to the role. Ben Whishaw is also back as ‘Q,’ and has previously been a crowd-pleaser.
#3—Filming Locations
Following suit, “No Time to Die” promises to take us on a tour of lush, picturesque locations with a bevy of filming locales. Listed as filming locations are: Scotland, the United Kingdom, Italy, the Faroe Islands, Jamaica, the Caribbean Sea, and Norway.
And while the franchise has never shied away from unique and warm locations, we’ve seen that some directors, such as “Skyfall’s” Sam Mendes, basked some pivotal locations, such as London, in dreary greys and more solemnity than some of the earlier Connery and Moore pictures. “No Time to Die’s” producers seem to be attempting to make Bond a gruff, embittered hero, and their locations and Bond’s wardrobe seem to reflect this. It will be exciting to see what the finished product looks like, and doesn’t seem to be on track to disappoint.
There’s no shortage of familiar players in the latest Bond installment—which is the spy’s 25th representation on-screen.”
#4—The Trailer
Ralph Fiennes in the upcoming “No Time to Die” (MGM, 2020).
The trailer for “No Time to Die” is intriguing. Sure, it packs a lot into its 2:34 time slot, but promises to be hard-hitting and typical Bond fare. We see Bond called back into action for a new, serious threat, with 007 once remarking that if they don’t succeed, there will be nothing left to save. Serious stuff!
The plot is billed as “Bond has left active service and is enjoying a tranquil life in Jamaica. His peace is short-lived when his old friend Felix Leiter from the CIA turns up asking for help. The mission to rescue a kidnapped scientist turns out to be far more treacherous than expected, leading Bond onto the trail of a mysterious villain armed with dangerous new technology” on IMDb, and seems to set up a more serious mission this time that is less about Bond villains but world salvation. We hope also that Blofeld is given a more believable arc this time. His “I’m the author of all your pain” speech was a major letdown, lazily explaining away Bond’s previous villains, which many thought dropped the ball.
As mentioned before, there’s a scarcity of ‘M,’ but I’m hoping that the filmmakers give Fiennes a little more to work with this time. He has subsequently been little more than background noise, and more behind-the scenes than we would like. But honestly, the man was nominated for two Oscars!—and it would be nice to insert him into the story in a more useful way. I was also pleased to see the addition of Jeffery Wright as Felix Leiter. His treatment as a feckless American CIA agent in “Casino Royale” has a chance for redemption here, and the trailer looks promising.
The trailer, as usual, promises a lot of action. Car chases, explosions, high-stakes shootouts, and, of course, Bond’s debonair womanizing skills are highlighted. But it seems that director Fukunaga wants to highlight Bond’s pain, his struggle, and give him a reason for ticking. Of course, the rumor mill is running overtime on whether or not Bond will make it out of the film alive, but the latest trailer sets up a discernible vision that looks to give Bond fans all they could want and more.
The Elephant in the Room
Of course, the elephant in the room is the film’s slated November 20 release date, which we can only hope will stick to schedule. The film was delayed once, and in light of some other recent delay announcements, such as “Wonder Woman 1984” being re-delayed until December 25, we can only hope “No Time to Die” will release as scheduled.
Personally, I wish the film would release in a small theater release, and also target a multi-company streaming release. But, amidst its hefty $250M budget an its equally hefty marketing campaign, this seems unlikely.
Follow The Movie Buff for complete Bond coverage, including reviews of every Bond film, as we prepare for “No Time to Die’s” release.
You can watch the trailer for “No Time to Die” below. And don’t forget to share your comments on the film below!
