Live and Let Die: fun blaxploitation sendup, but through to Moonraker? View to a Kill?
The Living Daylights: 80s darkness with characterisation for a change, but Licence to Kill was unwatchably bad.
Goldeneye: Sublime rethink of the franchise, but remember Bond surfing on a tsunami in Die Another Day?
Casino Royale: Edgy, gritty complete reboot, shouting its Bourne influence from the rooftops, but even Craig accepts the script for Quantum of Solace was a dud.
Mendes needs to blend traditional 007 (the rebooted Q is making his first appearance) with a definitive voice for the franchise; continuing the Bourne send-up will just put people off. Can he do it? For me the jury's out - the producers have never allowed his predecessors to succeed, but that teaser gives off all the right signals. We'll see in November.
