For decades, fans have had numerous a debate more than the James Bond Codename Theory and whether or not James Bond is an actual individual or merely a title. While not officially canon, the Codename Theory supports the concept that numerous of the James Bond motion pictures more than the decades are aspect of a shared universe, as distinctive actors take more than the part. Over the years, the Codename Theory has evolved, and it really is been adopted by fans and scholars of the James Bond film franchise. But what is the James Bond Codename Theory? Is James Bond merely a title passed down from generation to generation? It’s time to take a deep dive into the truth behind the James Bond Codename Theory.

The Codename Theory Canonizes All the Previous James Bond Movies

With the James Bond film franchise totaling 25 films more than the final sixty-plus years, some fans adopted the Codename Theory to canonize all the James Bond films, from Dr. No to Die Another Day, in the identical single, cohesive universe. The Codename Theory explains the adjust in actors for James Bond, which means that James Bond is not the character’s actual name. James Bond is a title or codename that a spy for the British Secret Intelligence Service adopts. His actual name remains anonymous. Much like 007 is James Bond’s callsign, his name, James Bond, is an alias granted by his superiors.

After Sean Connery left the franchise following You Only Live Twice, George Lazenby took more than the part in Her Majesty’s Secret Service. At one particular point in the film, Lazenby’s Bond actually says, “This never happened to the other fellow.” One can interpret this in two strategies. On the one particular hand, James Bond is breaking the fourth wall and producing a meta-reference to the reality that the Bond franchise changed actors. Alternatively, below the Codename Theory, the new spy has taken on the codename of James Bond and is referencing his predecessor, portrayed by Connery, who previously took the codename.

Additionally, there is the 1967 parody function, Casino Royale, not to be confused with the later 2006 film. While David Niven portrays the “original” James Bond in the film. It casts a group of other actors all calling themselves “Bond” all through the ensemble film. The original Bond portrayed by Niven enacts a ruse, renaming all the other MI-6 agents as Bond to confuse his enemies at S.M.E.R.S.H. Essentially, the parody Casino Royale film is one particular instance of how the codename theory would function, along with obtaining a genuine original Bond.

The Codename Theory Is Supported by Recurring Actors Portraying M, Q, and Miss Moneypenny

The codename theory makes it possible for a connection involving the Bond films to continue from the 1960s to the 2000s and explains the recurring actors regardless of the adjust in performers for James Bond. Actor Bernard Lee portrayed M, the head of MI-6 and Bond’s superior, from the incredibly initially James Bond film, Dr. No, till Moonraker. M is also a codename for the character, so Robert Brown would take on the part in the new James Bond motion pictures in the 1980s, succeeding actor Bernard Lee.

When one particular thinks of James Bond, his quartermaster of Q-Branch, aka Q, also comes to thoughts. Q, famously played by Desmond Llewelyn beginning in 1963’s From Russia With Love. Llewelyn played the part till 1999 with The World Is Not Enough. However, Llewelyn was not even the initially “Q” in the James Bond film franchise. Peter Burton was technically the initially Q, named Major Boothroyd, in the initially film, Dr. No. In The World Is Not Enough, Llewelyn’s Q is education his successor, portrayed by John Cleese, who becomes the new head of Q-Branch in the subsequent film, Die Another Day.

Similarly, Lois Maxwell played the character Miss Moneypenny in the Bond films from 1962 to 1985, so Maxwell was the identical Miss Moneypenny for Connery, Lazenby, and Roger Moore. Much like James Bond, M, Miss Moneypenny, and Q are also titles passed down generations. The James Bond Codename Theory explains why many performers share the identical M, Moneypenny, and Q actors across decades. Connery or Moore’s Bonds either passed away or retired, but that was not generally the case for M, Moneypenny, or Q.

Daniel Craig’s James Bond Movies Make Things More Complicated

Now, points get a bit weird. Following Die Another Day, Pierce Brosnan retired from his on-screen part as James Bond. It was time for yet another franchise reset. Enter Daniel Craig, who became the new actor for James Bond, beginning with Casino Royale in 2006. Interestingly, although this was a franchise reboot, Judi Dench, who took more than the part of M beginning with GoldenEye in 1995, remained, staying on for 3 additional James Bond films. But wait a minute. If Casino Royale is a reboot, why is Judi Dench nevertheless M? Is she supposed to be the identical M from the Brosnan era or a new M portrayed by the identical actor? Don’t believe about it also tough. Ultimately, the Craig films jettisoned the Codename Theory with the release of Skyfall in 2012.

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In Skyfall, it is revealed that James Bond is not the British superspy’s alias or a codename. Bond is the household name of Craig’s James Bond. Before joining the British Navy, he was the orphaned son of wealthy, affluent parents, and he was adopted into the Oberhauser household just before joining the military. The Craig films granted James Bond and Ernst Stavro Blofeld (Christoph Waltz) a shared connection in their youths. Bond became an elite agent for MI-6, although Blofeld began a worldwide criminal network, S.P.E.C.T.R.E. As a outcome, it really is not possible to reinforce the codename theory in the films starring Craig, given that they firmly establish that James Bond is his actual name.

The James Bond Codename Theory Could Restart With the Next Movie

EON Productions naturally intends to make new James Bond films in the future. Craig’s Bond meets his finish, dying from an explosion in the final James Bond film, No Time to Die, released in 2021. It’s generally probable EON Productions could seek to officially canonize the theory by acknowledging the death of James Bond in the subsequent film and then have the new actor take the original’s name as his personal. Essentially, Craig’s Bond is the prime, original James Bond, and all of his successors obtain his name as an alias. Craig’s Bond is the begin of a legend that is carried on by other individuals more than generations. This method is similarly utilized in Lee Falk’sThe Phantom comic strip, which establishes the moniker of The Phantom as a title passed down from father to son. In The Princess Bride, Westley (Cary Elwes) reveals that he took on the part of The Dread Pirate Roberts immediately after getting educated by his predecessor, who was also Dread Pirate Roberts, and he was not the initially man to carry the title. The potential 26th James Bond film could make use of a comparable narrative device by using the name James Bond as a generational, legacy title.

It’s unlikely that the subsequent James Bond cinematic entry will canonize or acknowledge the codename theory one particular way or the other. Officially, James Bond’s codename is the 007 callsign, which was passed down to Agent Nomi (Lashana Lynch) in No Time to Die immediately after Bond retired. Therefore, the 00-agent callsigns can be passed down, but not necessarily the names. The upcoming film will most likely treat the subsequent James Bond with “James Bond” getting his actual name. There could possibly be playful Easter eggs or references to earlier films, but the codename theory will possibly stay a theory and fan debate for years to come.