The No Time To Die trailer finally landed this week, with a whole host of interviews from the cast and crew. Interestingly, they kept reiterating that it really will be Daniel Craig’s final James Bond movie. Nevertheless, a Bond expert has exclusively revealed to Express.co.uk how this should all be taken with a pinch of salt considering the 007 franchise’s history.
James Bond expert and author of Catching Bullets – Memoirs of a Bond Fan, Mark O’Connell said: “The history of Bond, particularly with Connery and Moore is – they had about three final Bond films in them.
“And yes the cheque book at the time slightly sugared the pill and they returned.
“[No Time To Die] could end on a cool cliffhanger – Jason Bourne falling into the sea – moment; a question mark.
“But Bond’s a little like Doctor Who, we can sort of all move on a bit, cast it again.”
READ MORE: Rami Malek says playing Freddie Mercury inspired THIS in James Bond
On theories that Bond will die in No Time To Die, Mark pointed out: “Craig’s died one and half times already.”
The 007 expert was referring to Casino Royale when Bond was poisoned and his heart stopped before Vesper used the defibrillator in his Aston Martin to bring him back.
“While he was also shot accidentally by Moneypenny in Skyfall’s opening, plunging to his supposed “death”.
Additionally, Bond had a fake death in the pre-titles sequence of Sean Connery’s You Only Live Twice.
Mark added: “It might just be giving some closure to the Daniel Craig era, which has been a great new golden age of Bond.
“I think there might be other things they’ve got up their sleeves as well, in terms of marking the end of the film.
“But I’ll keep those close to my chest just in case I’m wrong!”
As for Craig’s eventual successor, the Bond expert reckons that the Casino Royale audition runners up like Henry Cavill and Sam Heughan have a good chance.
Mark said: “Roger Moore was considered for Sean Connery’s Dr No, Timothy Dalton was looked at when he was just 21 in the era of George Lazenby’s On Her Majesty’s Secret Service and later Diamonds are Forever. They looked at everyone for Diamonds are Forever, as they were slightly panicking [after George Lazenby turned down more Bond films after just one outing].”
In the end, Connery was persuaded to return for one more outing before Roger Moore’s debut in Live and Let Die. While fans may remember Pierce Brosnan bagged the role for 1987’s The Living Daylights but was tied to a contract, so Timothy Dalton took over then – until the Goldeneye star had his moment in 1995.
“But yes it does bode well if you’ve been the runner up once, it does help.”
No Time To Die is released in UK cinemas on April 2, 2020.
