Not even James Bond has avoided being thrown off by Covid-19. Originally slated for release in April, the latest instalment of the 007 franchise got pushed back to November at the start of lockdown. Fortunately, the unofficial martini spokesperson seems to be back and better than ever in the newly released trailer for No Time To Die.
Please enjoy this 2-minute-34-second clip in which, in no particular order: Bond flings himself off an aqueduct; Ana de Armas does martial arts in diamonds and stilettos; M sort of admits that Bond is, in fact, pretty annoying; Madeleine Swann debuts the most terrifying face mask you’ve ever seen; and Rami Malek proves he’s a worthy Bond villain. As for the locations? Look out for a frozen lake in Nittedal, Norway; the Cairngorms National Park; and the picturesque Italian city of Matera.
The best parts of the trailer, of course, are the ones that feature Lashana Lynch. The 32-year-old appears as the (eye-wateringly stylish) secret agent who took over the “007” role from Bond when he left Her Majesty’s Service for retirement in Jamaica. When Daniel Craig resurfaces, however, there’s a predictable tension between the two.
In British Vogue’s April 2020 issue, Lynch recalled producer Barbara Broccoli explaining the two characters’ dynamic to her on set. “[She said], ‘Bond is an older white guy who has a certain opinion of the world and who maybe hasn’t had an experience of Black women in this capacity. Then this Black woman comes along and teaches him things.’ It blew my mind that Barbara was ready to say that so frankly, and was willing to insert that kind of relationship into a Bond film,” the actor revealed.
As for whether she would consider stepping into Bond’s shoes full-time given that this is Craig’s last outing in the role? “It would depend on a lot of things. Nomi represents one thing in this movie, but if she was going to represent more down the line, I would want to talk about the Black female experience to the high heavens, and I don’t know if people are ready for that.” I, for one, most definitely am.
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