James Bond will take his 24th bow at the movie theaters in November with the release of Spectre. Spectre is the fourth James Bond film starring Daniel Craig as the titular spy, and there are rumors that it might be the last. With the excitement surrounding the impending release of Spectre, the question on everybody's mind remains: when will the next Bond film be released? Tentatively called Bond 25, the next Bond movie remains a bit of a mystery. And, now that Craig's involvement in any upcoming Bond movies has been called into question, fans are even more eager to find out anything they can about the movie. So, does Bond 25 even have a project release date... or even a release window?
After the success of 2012's Skyfall, there were rumors that the next two Bond films — Bond 24 and 25 — would build on the events of Skyfall, following a sort of trilogy-like story arc. However, with Skyfall director Sam Mendes declaring that Spectre will be his last Bond film, it's unclear whether or not old plans for Bond 25 are still in effect. Mendes confirmed that he was leaving the franchise in July, and now Craig has begun hinting that Spectre might be his last time playing 007.
"I'd rather break this glass and slash my wrists," Craig said in an interview with Time Out London when asked if he'd be up for another Bond film. Those are pretty extreme words from an actor, and Craig has since walked back his controversial quote, saying he has not yet made a decision on his future as James Bond.
Craig is currently contracted to star in one more Bond film, and Bond 25 is tentatively listed on his IMDB page, but he has said he wouldn't consider filming another Bond film for at least another year. If Craig remains as James Bond in Bond 25, the next Bond film likely won't hit theaters until sometime in 2017 at the earliest.
If Daniel Craig does leave the franchise, then the wait for Bond 25 will only increase as the studio starts the grueling casting process over again. Should Craig stay, other behind-the-scenes drama could delay the release of Bond 25. After Spectre is released, the distribution rights for the James Bond franchise will be up for grabs. Currently, James Bond films are being distributed by Sony Pictures Entertainment, but Spectre was the final film in the deal, which began with Craig's debut as Bond in Casino Royale (2006). The rights for Bond films will no doubt spark a bidding war, according to Sony Pictures chairman Tom Rothman. "The reality is that Sony's had a fantastic run with the Bonds. Sure, we're going to compete for (the rights), but let's be honest, so is everybody," Rothman told Variety.
So, to sum up everything we know about Bond 25: it has no script, no director, potentially no star and no studio. There's little doubt that Bond 25 will eventually become a reality, and the success of Spectre will likely influence Craig's final decision on whether or not he will return to play James Bond. For more information on Bond 25, fans will just have to wait and see what happens at the box office.
Images: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures; Giphy (2)
