How No Time To Die Writers Have Tried to Break James Bond Movie Formula

No Time To Die writers Neal Purvis and Robert Wade elaborate on how they have tried to break the James Bond movie formula throughout their extended period writing for the character. No Time to Die recently capped off actor Daniel Craig’s five-film run as the iconic British spy in an adventure that has pleased critics and audiences alike, having grossed over $650 million at the worldwide box office. After anticipation had been at risk of fizzling out, due to it being one of the earliest films to be delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the film was widely accepted as a bold but fitting conclusion to this modern take on Bond.

Craig’s Bond has often been hailed as a ‘back to basics’ take on the character since Martin Campbell’s Casino Royale subverted multiple series tropes. These changes were as small as Bond claiming he didn’t “give a damn” how his trademark vodka martini was mixed to swapping out elaborate death traps for uncomfortably realistic torture scenes. More classic elements were introduced as the films went on, with a new Q, played by Ben Whishaw, providing 007 with increasingly outlandish gadgets, but the tone set by Casino Royale carried through the subsequent four sequels.

In an interview with The Guardian, Purvis and Wade describe seeking to challenge the Bond formula since working on 1999’s The World Is Not Enough, which starred Pierce Brosnan as the gentleman spy. The two are open about the fact that Craig’s tenure was an opportunity to reinvent the IP, having written Brosnan’s final two outings, which were derided for their increasingly silly stunts and clichés. The mission statement of making this seemingly one-note icon of pop culture feel like a real person was one they took to heart, as Wade discusses in regard to 2012’s Skyfall:

The most radical gear-shift we effected was probably in Skyfall, when Bond drives M to the home nobody knew about, that shifted the whole emotional register of what a Bond film could be.

Purvis says the two have received some pushback for their attempts to rework the franchise, but insists they are always concerned about “go[ing] too far because then it ceases to be Bond.” It’s clear the writers took lessons from the critical reaction to their Brosnan features, which, by the time of Die Another Day, looked severely outdated in a world well-acquainted with global terrorism and the security measures taken in retaliation. It may be fair to suggest that the pair succeeded, as Craig’s Bond took the series to new heights, including its first billion-dollar-grossing feature in Skyfall.

While Purvis and Wade have been mainstays of the series, they have frequently collaborated with other writers on their films who have likely added their own contributions throughout production. Most recently, this was seen with Fleabag creator Phoebe Waller-Bridge, who was brought onto No Time To Die to revise some of the dialogue and character development as well as add humour to the script. The pair admit the character of Paloma, played by Ana De Armas, was likely elevated into a fully formed character by Waller-Bridge after being just a bit part in their original treatment. However, their impact on the series can’t be understated, as the series has undoubtedly been pushed forward into new, exciting territory.

Source: The Guardian

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