Despite perceived fan fatigue on social media about discussing Bond 26 as a 1960s period piece, the appeal is hard to ignore. Simplicity gets my vote for the Bond movie, and few eras lend themselves to that better than the original decade of espionage cool. With No Time To Die leaving the franchise at a rare crossroads, a back-to-basics approach could provide a much-needed sense of clarity. Recreating even a percentage of the aura from a 1960s Bond movie would be an invigorating prospect. Sorry, but I don’t think Bond needs to break another modern “biggest explosions” stunt record or have 10 backup Aston Martins for treacherous car stunts.

Stripping away modern distractions like cyber warfare and futuristic tech allows the focus to return where it belongs: a sharp, character-driven duel between adversaries. A lean, stylish cat-and-mouse game, capped by a smart finale, would not just honor the series’ roots, it might be exactly what Bond needs right now and for its future.