On the Eve of His Comeback, James Bond Resonates for a Reason

“Young Americans, myself included, need to resist the impulses of the day and keep striving. We may never be Bond types, but the quest for self-improvement is the point. To strive is to live.”

The return of James Bond is just days away. With No Time to Die—the franchise’s 25th official installment—set for release on Friday, October 8th in the United States (and earlier in the United Kingdom), hundreds of millions of fans are ready to watch their beloved Brit in action one more time.

“Hundreds of millions” is no hyperbole. One in five people around the world has seen at least one Bond film. No Time to Die is expected to gross $1 billion worldwide, in the middle of a pandemic no less.

Why is James Bond so resonant? Why has the Bond character endured since the early 1950s, when Ian Fleming first put pen to paper?

On some level, the appeal is superficial. Bond movies are easy on the eyes. From exotic locales and stylish Omega watches to beautiful women and world-record explosions, there is something for everyone in a Bond adventure. Similarly, there is something for everyone in the Bond character. As the old adage goes, “Men want to be him, and women want to be with him.”