Which James Bond Films Could Be Remade?
By David Pegram
One of the rumors spreading around Bond 25 (or 26, depending on the source) is that it will be a remake of On Her Majesty’s Secret Service. This seems unlikely, but if EON were ever going to remake a Bond film, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service could be on the short list.
Mind you, the idea of a remake for any Bond film is not all that appealing, but the discussion of which ones could be done is, at least in some respects, a fun exercise. Don’t overthink it. Here are five Bond films that could be remade, especially with Daniel Craig as Bond.
Live Feed
Winter is Coming
5. On Her Majesty’s Secret Service
Why? If nothing else, one of the franchise’s better films stars the actor that EON least tries to promote. After all, it is George Lazenby’s one and only film. So who could blame EON for wanting to remake the film, with Craig,
Recasting Options: Christoph Waltz would reprise his role as Blofeld. Emily Blunt as Tracy di Vicenzo or Lea Seydoux as Madeleine Swann (rather than as Tracy, if it is a strict continuation of Spectre).
4. Diamonds Are Forever
Why? Las Vegas is cool. James Bond in Las Vegas is even cooler. Though Diamonds Are Forever has a nice place in the Bond canon, for its camp, this is not to say that the film is off limits. A grittier version, minus the casino animals and moon buggy chase, could be appealing.
Recasting Options: Christoph Waltz as Blofeld; Marion Cotillard as Tiffany Case.
3. The Man With the Golden Gun
Why? The film is one of the lowest grossing and lowest rated films in the franchise. So, why not? But any attempts to duplicate the barrel roll must come with explicit instructions not to include the slide whistle. A more faithful adaptation would be helpful, but again with an increased role for Mary Goodnight.
Recasting Options: Jeremy Renner as Scaramanga; Amy Adams as Mary Goodnight.
2. Moonraker
Why? The 1979 film barely resembled Ian Fleming’s novel. A remake would have to be more faithful to the source material, with Gata Brand as the Bond girl. Given today’s political climate, a Moonraker missile poses far greater intrigue than a space shuttle and space station.
Recasting Options: Liam Neeson as Hugo Drax; Rachel McAdams as Gata Brand (rather than as Holly Goodhead).
1. Thunderball
Why? The 1965 blockbuster was partially produced and written by Kevin McClory, who then went on to remake the film as Never Say Never Again. So, is there a reason to do it again? In EON”s eyes, the answer could be yes. EON has never had complete control of this story, and it would be interesting to see what they would do with it
Recasting Options: Leonardo di Caprio as Largo; Anne Hathaway as Domino; Rebecca Hall as Fiona Volpe.
What films could you see being remade? And what casting choices would you make?
As always, thanks for reading!