The original script for theJames Bondreboot following Roger Moore’s departure in the 1980s sounds more like anIndiana Jonesmovie than a Bond movie. Whenever a Bond actor retires from the role, the producers don’t just have to find a new actor to don the tuxedo; they have to come up with a way to reinvent the franchise. They ended up following the goofy, tongue-in-cheek humor of Moore’s tenure withthe darker, grittier, more faithful Timothy Dalton Bond movies— but that wasn’t their first thought.
By the timeMoore stepped down from the role of 007afterA View to a Kill, he’d been widely criticized for having aged out of the part. To combat these complaints,the producers initially planned to reboot the series with a much younger Bond early in his career. Richard Maibaum and Michael G. Wilson started work on a script, but the project was eventually abandoned. And it’s probably for the best because, as detailed in “The Lost Adventures of James Bond” by Mark Edlitz, it sounds more like anIndiana Jonesfilm than a Bond film.
An Unmade James Bond Script From The 1980s Sounds Suspiciously Like Indiana Jones
It’s A Jungle Adventure About A Search For Lost Gold
Maibaum and Wilson’s unproduced scriptwould’ve been an origin story revolving around a twentysomething Bond. Motivated by his family legacy, Bond would join the Secret Intelligence Service and embark on a mission to Asia with an older agent — the current 007 — who would mentor him. The villain would be a warlord named Kwang, who operates within the Golden Triangle as an arms and opium dealer.With its jungle setting, its villain searching for lost gold, and its final battle set in a tomb, this script sounds more like anIndiana Jonesmoviethan a James Bond movie.
Broccoli did like the script, but he felt that the underlying premise was fundamentally flawed. He thought audiences would reject a story about a rookie Bond still learning the ropes.
Although Maibaum and Wilson were happy with their script, it ended up being scrapped by producer Albert R. Broccoli. Broccoli did like the script, but he felt that the underlying premise was fundamentally flawed. He thought audiences would reject a story about a rookie Bond still learning the ropes, especially after the box office failure ofYoung Sherlock Holmes. Ironically, a decade after Broccoli passed, his daughter Barbara Broccoli produced a 007 origin story,Casino Royale, that became one of the most popular Bond films.
Why James Bond’s Indiana Jones-Style Movie Plan Would’ve Been A Risk
It Could’ve Been Another Moonraker
In theory, anIndiana Jones-styleJames Bondmovie sounds cool.Indiana Joneswas heavily influenced by the Bond franchise, after all. But Indy’s adventures have their own pulpy style that goes outside the norms of a Bond film.If the Bond franchise had delivered a movie in the style ofRaiders of the Lost Ark, then it might’ve come off as too gimmicky and outlandish, likeDie Another Dayorthe bizarre (but underrated)Moonraker.
Source: “The Lost Adventures of James Bond” by Mark Edlitz.
James Bond
The James Bond franchise follows the adventures of British secret agent 007 as he combats global threats. With a license to kill, Bond faces off against various villains and criminal organizations, employing high-tech gadgets, espionage, and charm. The series spans multiple films, featuring exotic locations, thrilling action sequences, and memorable characters. Bond’s mission to protect the world and uphold justice remains central, making the franchise an enduring icon in the spy genre.
