By Julie Kamp
With Daniel Craig hanging up his Armani suits and Aston Martin keys after five outings as James Bond, it’s time for someone else to take up the 007 code name and put their spin on the character.
Craig’s portrayal was gritty and realistic, but there’s a strong chance that the new pictures could involve a reinvention. Some would say that it’s time for Bond to return to his ‘classier’ roots, with the next edition pulling more inspiration from the Ian Fleming novels.
Classic Bond: Sophistication and Style
When you think of Bond, what’s the first thing that comes to mind? You’re likely imagining a slick operator, dressed in the finest clothes and radiating intense magnetism. This depiction has become cemented in people’s minds over the years, and you can conjure up an image of Bond in the same way you can with Dracula or Sherlock Holmes.
However, the recent pictures with Craig have put more focus on the rugged side of the character. While they managed to make Bond more human and lifelike, some of the classic elements of sophistication and style were lost. It would be great to see a return to the classic era in the next picture.
Elements That Made Bond What He Is
Many facets of Bond’s character exuded upper-class elegance in Fleming’s works, but many of these have been lost in the modern era. The MI6 agent was often described as indulging in luxury brands, such as custom-made suits from Savile Row. He also had a penchant for fine dining, with caviar among his preferred food options.
Casino play has always been a major element of the Bond books and films, but his game choices have changed over the years. In the 2006 Casino Royale, director Martin Campbell opted to use poker as the central theme. In the original novels, however, baccarat was always Bond’s game of choice.
Campbell clearly thought that poker would read better, but it could be argued that now would be the perfect time to bring Bond’s love of baccarat back. There has been a resurgence of live baccarat online in recent years, with various options for players to choose from, including Live Speed Baccarat. With more people aware of the game thanks to these online titles, a new Bond picture could easily include it again.
A New Direction or a Return to Tradition?
There are huge question marks over where the Bond series from Eon Productions will head next. As it stands, there’s still no confirmation about who will take over as the legendary spy. When this is announced, it may be easier to guess what direction the pictures will go in.
There’s a strong chance that there will be even more modernisation in the next picture, as the developers seek to move away from some of Bond’s less-desirable traits of old. Some would argue, though, that it’s possible to pay homage to tradition while still appeasing contemporary audiences.
For Bond purists, it would be great to see the next Bond bring back some of the character’s key traditions. However, it may be a few more years until we get to see what the new vision of 007 is like.
