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This Sunday is James Bond Day, in case you missed it – the fifth of October now stands as a global observance dedicated to the world of 007, due to the fact it commemorates the day of the global debut of the inaugural 007 movie, with Sean Connery, back in 1962. Imagine it comparable to May the 4th, with fewer creature costumes and much more sophisticated style.

A Subdued Celebration Currently

But on this occasion, the coming of James Bond Day seems somewhat like a damp squib. Not long has passed since the acclaimed director was revealed as the director the next Bond film in June, and not long afterwards that the screenwriter Steven Knight was hired to write the script. Yet there has been almost no indication afterwards about the future agent getting unveiled, and very little idea of where this venerable franchise will proceed. What remains are whisperings on the wind via the Hollywood trades indicating that the producers will be looking for a comparatively fresh-faced UK performer, who could be a person of colour although not female, an established star, or somebody we’ve vaguely heard of.

Disappointment for Oddsmakers

This is, of course disappointing news for the numerous internet betting sites which have earning significant profits for some time through efforts to suggest bettors that it is a race involving Callum Turner, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Henry Cavill, Theo James, Leo Woodall and that hunky guy featured in Saltburn with Australian origins.

Going Back to Unfamiliar Faces

Notably, the last time the 007 series chose an absolute newcomer occurred in 1969, when George Lazenby for a short time carried the iconic pistol. Before that, Connery himself had little recognition: he performed a few minor film roles plus occasional theater and modeling jobs in addition to working as a bodybuilder and milkman in Scotland before taking the starring part in the first film. The film's producers intentionally rejected a well-known actor; they desired a new face that viewers would see as the actual character, instead of a performer portraying Bond.

Repeating this trick may end up as a brilliant tactic, just as it was back in the sixties.

Director's Influence

However, bringing in the director Denis Villeneuve indicates that there is no get-out clause whatsoever in case the future agent proves to be wooden. Dialling up the exploding pens and innuendo is not feasible with a director like is a serious filmmaker of genre film-making renowned for ponderous sci-fi epics where the loudest sound is deep philosophical tension.

A bruiser in a dinner jacket … Craig's debut in Casino Royale.

Updated Vision for the Franchise

However, in many ways, selecting this director tells us everything we need to know regarding the upcoming post-Craig phase. We won't see vehicles that disappear or double entendres, and the return of the southern lawman back any time soon. This entire situation is, of course, perfectly acceptable for those who prefer your James Bond contemporary in style. But it doesn’t tell us the director's interpretation of the elegant government hitman will distinguish itself compared to previous Bonds from the recent past particularly should the upcoming phase decides against to set the narrative in the original time period.

Redefining All Chapters

Craig was instantly distinctive as a fresh version of elegant secret agent upon his debut on the scene in the 2006 film, a bruiser in a dinner jacket who would never be caught dead in an invisible car, or trading sex puns with Denise Richards while handling explosives. He rendered Brosnan's tech-dependent charmer which recently was regarded by certain critics the finest agent since the original, seem like a copycat version left too long in the microwave. Not that this is anything new. Lazenby (briefly) followed Connery, Then Brosnan took over from the underappreciated Dalton, and cheesy late-era Roger Moore succeeded the gritty initial Moore. Each Bond period reshapes the previous, yet they are all in its unique manner the famous agent, worthy of celebration. It feels odd, as we apparently celebrate the annual Bond celebration, that we are asked to honor a character who doesn’t even exist yet.