Three of James Bond the films were remakes of previous Bond films, and these remakes include some of 007’s best (and worst) on-screen adventures. Remaking previous Bond films may start to become more common in the franchise’s next iterations, because producers are running out of Ian Fleming stories to adapt. As few Bond films have really stuck to the source material that gave them their titles, the next incarnation of the Bond series could see Eon returning and adapting Fleming’s novels more faithfully.
But Eon (and other producers) have been re-adapting Fleming’s works long before they ran out of new works to turn into films. Royal Casino – the first Bond novel – has been adapted for the screen a total of three times, and each version has been very different from the last. When he reprized the role of 007 in the 80s, Sean Connery remade one of his classic Bond films (this time with a much sillier tone). The Bond remakes are three of the most interesting Bond films, but not always in a good way.
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Casino Royale (1967)
Although Albert R. Broccoli and Harry Saltzman owned the rights to most of Fleming’s 007 catalogue, producer Charles K. Feldman owned the rights to the original Bond novel, Royal Casino. Royal Casino had already been adapted as an episode of the anthology series Climax! in 1954, but not as a feature film. Feldman initially attempted to adapt the book as an official entry in the Eon’s Bond franchise, but was unable to reach an agreement with Broccoli and Saltzman, so decided to adapt the novel independently. Knowing he couldn’t compete with Eon’s box office successes, he opted to make a parody film.
It was a fun approach, but unfortunately, 1967 Royal Casino It’s just not that funny. There’s some legendary comedic talent in Royal Casinoof the cast – Peter Sellers, Woody Allen, David Niven – but they can’t save a script that is clichéd, repetitive and too reliant on broad humor. 30 years later, Mike Myers would achieve a much more successful version of what this film was trying to be with his satire of Bond. Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery.
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Never say never again
12 years after Sean Connery relinquished the role of Bond to Roger Moore, he felt the urge to don the tuxedo again. Due to a legal loophole, producer Jack Schwartzman was able to make a Bond film outside of Eon’s monopoly on the franchise – as long as it was based on Thunderthe rights to which are partially owned by Kevin McClory, who co-wrote the original story. Connery had already adapted Thunder as his fourth official Bond film directed by Eon, so he essentially remade his own Bond film with Never say never again.
The plot of Never say never again is similar to Thunder; the main difference is that, because Connery was so much older now, it’s full of self-conscious jokes about Bond being past his prime and too old for the job (though, ironically, he was younger than Moore, who was still going strong in Octopus). Connery’s initial series of six Bond films never took itself too seriously, but with Never say never againhe fully embraced Moore’s goofy Bond humor. There’s a scene where 007 incapacitates a criminal by throwing his own urine sample in his face.
Despite being over a decade older, Connery is still perfect for the role of 007; it slides easily back into character. Never say never again has witty dialogue, inventive action scenes, and stunning cinematography, and all of this is held together by the capable efforts of Empire Strikes Back director Irvin Kershner. Weaponized urine aside, it’s one of the most elegant Bond films ever made.
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Casino Royale (2006)
The best Bond remake (by far) is the 2006 version of Royal Casino. After an hour-long TV episode in the ’50s and a lackluster parody in the ’60s, Fleming’s debut novel finally got a direct Eon adaptation in 2006 – and it was worth the wait. After Pierce Brosnan’s tenure as Bond ended with a whimper Die another daythe Bond franchise needed a radical reinvention. And with the gritty realism of Royal Casinodirector Martin Campbell gave it the much-needed reinvention and revitalized the franchise for a new generation.
Royal Casino left behind the wacky escapism of previous Bond films and embraced a Bourne-like intensity. In telling the origin story of 007, 2006 Royal Casino has a more tangible and engaging character arc than most Bond films. It takes the love story seriously, trading loveless sex scenes and crude double entendres for genuine emotions and tragic twists. Royal Casino has some of the most visceral action sequences in the series, like the opening parkour chase and a chilling villain in Mads Mikkelsen’s Le Chiffre. Royal Casino It’s not just the best Bond remake; is a strong candidate for the best James Bond film, period.