Bond 25 and the angst of uncertainty

MAASTRICHT, NETHERLANDS - JANUARY 11: A detailed view of the 1964 Aston Martin DB5 James Bond movie car during the 25th edition of InterClassics Maastricht held at MECC Halls on January 11, 2018 in Maastricht, Netherlands. Exhibitors and participants will be showing classic cars, engines, restoration equipment and supplies, new and used accessories, interiors, maintenance materials, literature, models, objects of art with the theme "classic race cars" plus club stands and museum representation. (Photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images) /

The angst is real. Hardcore James Bond fans are feeling it. What is up with Bond 25?

Neither EON nor MGM has made any announcements (much less, substantial ones) in several weeks, leaving all Bond 25 news in the hands of the tabloids. And the rumors are filling the void.

London’s Express has been most aggressive in filling the Bond 25 void. And while much of the reporting has to be taken with a grain of salt, EON’s silence is adding to a general sense of anxiety. Consider the following rumors that the Express has reported:

Live Feed

Starved for news, outlets guess Richard Madden is new James Bond after innocuous video /

Winter is Coming

Marvel star Aaron Taylor-Johnson a "frontrunner" to play James BondWinter is Coming

Now that he's Superman again, Henry Cavill has no time to play James BondWinter is Coming

How Pierce Brosnan blew his audition to play BatmanWinter is Coming

Pierce Brosnan doesn't care who plays James Bond nextWinter is Coming

Whoever plays James Bond next is making at least a 10-year-commitmentWinter is Coming

Angelina Jolie is set to be the film’s villain. If true, she would become the first bona fide female villain in the series (several have played henchwomen and assassins). It would also reunite Jolie with Daniel Craig, who starred together in Lara Croft: Tomb Raider. No word from EON on this.
Lily James and Dua Lipa are being considered as a sidekick for Bond, a la Mary Goodnight in The Man with the Golden Gun. Good idea? Who knows, given that nobody knows what John Hodge and Danny Boyle have up their sleeve.
Speaking of Boyle, he is currently shooting his next film, a Beatles-inspired musical, which is also of great concern to Bond fans: how can he possibly be filming this, with Bond 25 set to begin filming at the end of the year?
Another strange storyline, reported by the Express, is that James Bond will be killed off in the next film, in the same manner as Wolverine in Logan. (Sorry if we gave something away there.)

And then, of course, is the very real news that Daniel Craig and wife Rachel Weisz are expecting a child, due later this year. Might this impact and delay the filming of Bond 25? It is possible. As is the fact that MGM is going through a shake-up at the top and a possible sale. Studio-related issues have led to delays before, so Bond fans have to be excused for their anxiety over this issue alone.

Again, EON has not commented on any of these (potential) developments. Usually, the old adage is true; no news is good news. But in this case, no news is downright frustrating.

Officially, Bond is still set for a November 2019 release. And Daniel Craig is still set to star. Until further notice, we have to hold on to those truths.

As always, thank you for reading. Check back for more news and updates.

Home/Entertainment