It’s a premise the Bond series has never fully embraced, and that alone makes it intriguing. Imagine Goldfinger starting with Fort Knox already irradiated, or Thunderball starting after a nuclear catastrophe. Instead of stopping disaster, Bond is forced to confront its aftermath, pick up the pieces and fight back.

For Bond 26, this approach could offer a sharper, more modern edge. A newly appointed 00 agent, underestimated by M and company, rising to challenge a world already reshaped by defeat could be a very compelling plotline and one that could explain Bond’s meteoric rise as an effective secret agent. I’d personally love to see this scenario in a Bond movie!