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Happy New Year, Bond fan!

I hope you had a great Christmas if you celebrate it and feeling refreshed after (hopefully) some time off work and a chance to get together with family and friends.

At the moment I'm feeling curiously optimistic. Nothing to do with Bond, just generally optimistic despite all the evidence against!
 
I kind of crashed into Christmas and don't really enjoy the day itself as much as I used to, or as much as I'd like - far too much stress - but managed to make it through to Boxing Day relatively unscathed and started to unwind.

I really needed a break after a few tough months. I had minor surgery at the end of September that knocked me down for a couple of months and never really found my stride after the summer. As a result I didn't manage to do a number of things I'd planned. Anyway, I plan on a flying start for this year when I get back to work next week.

As we start 2024 we find ourselves in a peculiar state of anticipation as we eagerly awaiting news on the next chapter in the 007 saga. More often than not any Bond 26 buzz is the usual tabloid nonsense but even when we get a crumb from the table of Eon it is never – so far – positive news.

As always The James Bond Dossier is committed to delivering real Bond news and dissecting speculation to find even a kernel of truth. The mission persists – to separate fact from fiction, providing fans with a steady anchor in the storm of uncertainty.

I sincerely hope we will receive some good news regarding Bond 26 at some point during this year, but now don’t expect see it until 2026 at the earliest.

Dates to remember

2024 marks some significant anniversaries in the Bond universe. It marks the 60th anniversary of Goldfinger’s release, setting the standard for all that followed. Yet, let’s not forget the publication dates that laid the literary foundation – 2024 marks 70 years since Live And Let Die was first published and also 70 since the US release of Casino Royale, while You Only Live Twice will be 60.

2024 also marks the 60th anniversary of Ian Fleming’s death, a little more than a month before Goldfinger’s release. I don’t really know what he would have made of it it, but he sadly missed Bondmania at its peak. But without Ian Fleming, none of this would have happened.

It’s also 60 years since From Russia With Love opened in New York, while in December The Man With The Golden Gun will celebrate its half century.

It’s hard to believe, but 8th June 2024 will mark 30 years since Pierce Brosnan was unveiled as 007, while Eon cofounder Harry Saltzman died at the end of September 1994. The World is not Enough marks its quarter century in November, with Desmond Llewelyn’s death after a car accident a month later. It’s also 10 years since we bid farewell to Richard Kiel, the iconic Jaws, but we can look forward to Judi Dench turning 90.

Connect to stay in the loop

You can stay in the loop with these significant dates and more by following us on Twitter and Facebook, where we share the pulse of Bond’s history. And this newsletter will always ensure you don’t miss a beat in the world of 007.

In the ebb and flow of Bond’s journey, let’s embrace the reflections of the past and look ahead to what the future holds. Here’s to another year of unwavering Bond fandom.
 

News

There's not too much going on recently but we'll start with congratulations to Dame Shirley Bassey for being awarded the Companion of Honour in the New Year Honours List. 




There's no actual news about Bond 26 though. Last month The Sun reported that Bond 26 will feature not one but two 007s – an older and a younger version. The story was widely disseminated by other outlets and would mark a big departure from the traditional Bond formula but it's likely to be 100% BS.

December marked the release of a new book by Mark Edlitz on 007. James Bond After Fleming: The Continuation Novels is the first book devoted exclusively to the post-Fleming Bonds and covers more than 50 years of the literary Bond. 

And MI6 Confidential has both issue #71 and special issue #007 focusing on Moonraker out now.




MI6 Confidential’s 71st issue shifts the spotlight to an often overlooked yet crucial aspect of the 007 legacy – the lethal ladies who have tried to outsmart, outfight, and outmanoeuvre James Bond. And for its seventh special edition, MI6 Confidential collaborates with collector Thomas Nixdorf, generously opening his archive of rare behind-the-scenes Moonraker photography, production concepts, and art. 

You can also pre-order MI6 Confidential for 2024 and benefit from better pricing and priority shipping. If that sounds like something you're interested in then check out MI6 Confidential's 2024 pre-order deal here.

 

YouTube

I forgot to tell you about the YouTube livestream I did with Bill Koenig of The Spy Command and Javier Trujillo at the beginning of November. In it we discussed Daniel Craig's legacy as Bond and how his films will be remembered.








And if you're looking for commentary about Bond 26 then check out the following videos:

• No actor yet! What's happening?
• Barbara Broccoli said WHAT!?
• Bond 26: Nolan denies he'll direct

I produce these videos every now and then but if you're interested in what I've got to say then make sure you subscribe to The James Bond Dossier's YouTube Channel!

 

Well that's all for now. See you at the beginning of February.

Have a great month!

David Leigh
The James Bond Dossier

 

 

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