Entries Released November 14, 2022
Competition Brief: Who Should Be the Next James bond and Does it Matter?
Beginning in 1962, James Bond has been a staple of the film industry ever since.
In order, he has been portrayed by:
- Sean Connery (1962 – 1971), David Niven (1967), George Lazenby (1969), Roger Moore (1973 – 1985), Timothy Dalton (1987 – 1989), Pierce Brosnan (1995 – 2002), Daniel Craig (2006 – 2021)
The classic character, a British Secret Agent, is set in contemporary setting and perhaps that’s just it. The contemporary setting is not a static things. The real life British Secret Service certainly cannot be stagnant and must evolve and so why not the artistic franchises that reflect it?
Government intelligence agencies are fundamentally pragmatic institutions. Art, and the world of art, has the option at least to be anything but pragmatic. It can serve any number of purposes including nostalgia, social commentary, or nothing but the joy of its creation.
Art, in the form of blockbuster movies at least, is tied to business and business, no surprise, must be pragmatic. Here, at the intersection of art, culture, and business lies an important intersection of considerations. The tremendous success of the James Bond franchise means that the decision cannot help but go unnoticed even though, fundamentally, what difference does it make? From X-ray shades to alligator submarines and laser space battles, James Bond routinely forays into the ridiculous and so should we, the public, even care who plays this fanciful figment of imagination?
Happy Fanalyzing
Statement of Fact
- James Bond is based on a fictional character from the novels by Ian Fleming.
- The first movie was release in 1962.
- Daniel Craig was the last actor to play the iconic character.
- Daniel Craig is retiring and this opens the way for another to take his spot.