Will the Next James Bond Keep the Franchise Fresh?

The spy series has done a great job of keeping sort-of current… for now, at least.

With “No Time to Die” becoming one of the highest-grossing Hollywood movies since the COVID-19 pandemic began (surpassed by ‘Spider-Man,’ but that’s another story), and up for a couple of big awards, it’d be hard to call James Bond a has-been at the box office.

What’s the secret behind Bond’s longevity? In his original cinematic incarnation, the character was a boozing, chain-smoking womanizer, a symbol of British imperialism who didn’t have many qualms about gunning down dozens of people in exotic locations.

Over the decades, though, the need to stay current slowly sanded off Bond’s edges. By the time Daniel Craig took over the role (“Casino Royale,” 2006), the character had dropped the chain-smoking, and the drinking and killing were often framed as borderline-pathological behavior. In “No Time to Die,” Bond even shows a stunning degree of emotional nuance.

Spy thrillers have likewise evolved. In the 1960s, such films were often vehicles for escapism, with fabulous locations and thoroughly entertaining violence. By the 21st century, decades of war and geopolitical upheaval had bled through into the fictional realm, rendering these thrillers far…