James Bond 26, being a 60’s film, could finally use a part of the canon that all the 007 films have ignored

Summary

• Bond 26 could breathe new life into the film by setting it in the 1960s, offering a fresh take on the iconic character’s origins.
• Bringing back specific elements from the original novels, like Blades Club, could add depth and nostalgia to the franchise.
• Returning to its roots, both in theme and era, Bond 26 has the opportunity to create a new fictional universe, distinguishing itself from previous films.

26 Years of James Bond must take a radically different approach to the character to stay fresh, and setting it in the 1960s could be the change of style the franchise needs. After the explosive finale of There is no time to die, THE James Bond the series has found itself in a sort of no man’s land. With the film version of Bond dead, there is no easy way to continue this franchise into the future. Therefore, one of the most effective ways to keep Ian Fleming’s classic spy alive may actually be to bring it back to the past.

Not only would a Bond film in the 1960s avoid unnecessary complications following the character’s death, but it would also be the perfect opportunity to introduce some aspects of the original novels that were not present in the films. While Daniel Craig’s films were mostly very strong adaptations, the decision to bring the spy into the present day meant that some time-specific features of the books had to be eliminated. With a few details on Bond 26 released, there is still time for a bold subversion of the classic style.

A 1960s-set James Bond film could finally adapt Ian Fleming’s Blades Club

The Blades Club has a long history in novels

If Bond 26 decides to bring the character back to the 60s, it would finally be possible for films to make a more accurate adaptation of Ian Fleming’s books. The film could abandon the futuristic technology of Craig’s films for a more grounded, human-centered story, like those written by Fleming. One aspect of his novels that was notably absent from Craig’s films was the Blades Club, the fictional gentlemen’s club that first appeared in Moonraker and later became a staple of Bond novels.

The Blades Club is often used as a meeting place for Bond and M, the head of the Secret Intelligence Service. Although Bond is not technically a member of the club, the location appears several times when the spy agent needs a neutral location to escape safely. The location has not played a major role in Daniel Craig’s films, most likely because would have seemed obsolete in a modern environmentHowever, if Bond were brought back to the 60s, he would fit right in.

Die Another Day (in a way) introduced the blades

The film revisited the Blades Club for a modern setting

The only time Blade Club was actually seen on screen was James Bond the movies were in Die another daybut even that was little more than a cameo. In that film, Blades Club is the name of a fencing club owned by Gustav Graves – although it has the same name, the location is not the same at all. It’s a nice Easter egg for audiences familiar with Fleming’s books, but the narrative changes mean that The Blades Club is still missing from film in its accurate depiction..

Taking
James Bond
back to the roots […] It’s the only way to make the Blades Club as a concept really work.

If Bond 26 was about to introduce the Blades Club, it wouldn’t have made sense to change the meaning as Die another day did. This Easter egg has been done before, and teasing audiences with this reference again may not sit well with longtime fans of the franchise. Taking James Bond back to his roots, both thematically and temporally, is the only way to make Blades Club truly work as a concept, and it would separate this film from those that came before it, establishing a new fictional universe.

Is James Bond’s Blades Club based on a real location?

There is evidence to suggest that Blades Club is not entirely made up.

Although Blades Club is a fictional place, there is evidence to suggest that it was actually based on Fleming’s personal experiences with London gentlemen’s clubs. The author was said to be a member of three different clubs, and while Blades is probably a manifestation of his experience with all threenamed a specific place as his primary source of inspiration. According to the website Fleming’s BondThe author used Boodle’s Club in St. James Street in London to create an image of Blades Club; the two venues had many features in common.

Ian Fleming wrote 12 James Bond novels and two short story collections

But it is interesting to note that Boodles himself is also mentioned in Moonraker – while Bond watches Hugo Drax having lunch at Blades, the spy is actually sitting in his car outside Boodle’s. The fact that Fleming goes out of his way to mention the real Boodles club suggests that it was important to him, adding credence to the ongoing theory that it was the main inspiration for Blades. If Bond 26 dates back to the 60s, the inclusion of the club would be a fitting way to pay homage to the author who started this whole franchise.