Fans hoping for a swift announcement of the next James Bond may be disappointed, with producer Barbara Broccoli saying there is a "big road ahead" before the character is reinvented for the next chapter. Speaking two years after Daniel Craig's final outing in No Time to Die, she said the process of modernising the franchise has "not even begun".
Broccoli told the Guardian that the next film must reflect how the world has changed since Craig was confirmed as the sixth 007. She drew parallels with GoldenEye, when many believed Bond was obsolete after the Cold War, adding: "Boy was that wrong!" With Craig, she said, the aim was to focus on what a 21st-century hero would look like, and he gave the team the ability to explore the character's emotional life.
Her comments came as she discussed the new Amazon series 007: Road to a Million, a reality adventure show featuring nine pairs of contestants undertaking physical and psychological challenges in Bond-related locations for a £1m prize. Broccoli described it as "a nice fun thing to be doing in the meantime" and said it would help fill fans' hunger for the franchise.
Despite the show marking the first use of the Bond brand in unscripted television, Broccoli insisted the focus remains on theatrical releases. "When we get going on a Bond movie it takes our full attention for three or four years," she said, adding that the films are made for the big screen. Her half-brother, Michael G Wilson, said the show is made for a general audience but contains "special Easter eggs" for Bond fans.
The series, which airs on Prime Video on 10 November, captures Britishness through a diverse cast of contestants, including a pair of brothers from south London who bring a "very British sense of humour". Broccoli said she hopes to launch versions in other countries, including Africa, India and Asia.
