Everyone knows that James Bond movies to go unmade. One such project was conceived by Richard Maibaum and Michael G. Wilson, and would have delved deep into the spy's past, revealing his first mission and how he first ed MI6.

Beginning with a twenty-something James Bond at a loose end, Britain's future hero would have been scouted by M and sent to Asia to spar against the warlord General Kwang in a jungle-based adventure full of the franchise's usual danger, thrills, and sex. Ultimately, the idea was axed in favor of The Living Daylights, with Albert Broccoli feeling that audiences would prefer to see Bond in his prime, not honing his craft (via The Lost Adventures of James Bond by Mark Edlitz). The story did, however, contain a fascinating origin for Bond, as well as his 007 agent handle.

An Unmade Timothy Dalton Movie Revealed The Story Behind Bond's "007" Code Name

Bond Wasn't Just The Seventh To The Division

After being dispatched by M and landing in Singapore, Bond would have met future allies Felix Leiter and Q, but also a lesser-known figure in James Bond mythology by the name of Bart Trevor - a Double-0 agent in charge of the operation and responsible for keeping the rookie Bond in line. Bond and Trevor effectively tackle the movie's mission as a dynamic duo, with the latter imparting pearls of wisdom whenever his young partner shows signs of youthful folly or espionage inexperience. Initially skeptical of each other, Bond and Trevor develop into firm allies, which, inevitably, means the older spy is required to die at the end.

Bart Trevor sacrifices himself to let Bond and the story's main female character, Betje, escape a sticky situation, thereby leaving MI6's greenest recruit to finish the mission alone. Bond succeeds, of course, earning his status as a Double-0 agent. This unmade Bond movie would have ended with the Double-0 division's newest member receiving Trevor's old code name at M's suggestion. That code name, of course, being 007.

Introducing Bart Trevor Would Have Made Bond's Code Name More Meaningful

Timothy Dalton Almost Made James Bond More Human - Before It Was Cool

James Bond has never been known for emotional attachments, least of all to his job. More often than not, the super-spy seems irritated to be working for MI6 at all. Bond is, however, unerringly loyal to his friends and allies. The 007 code name paying tribute to one such ally would have added a poignant touch to James Bond's backstory - a representation of how Bond carries Trevor's teachings throughout his entire MI6 career.

Timothy Dalton's loss was Daniel Craig's gain.

More importantly, the addition of Bart Trevor to James Bond's backstory would have made the cinematic version of Ian Fleming's creation more human, following a string of Roger Moore Bond movies that did the exact opposite. Knowing James Bond was once a glorified intern making mistakes, and that he would have died if not for his mentor's sacrifice, could have dispelled the notion of Bond as an invincible warrior who can do no wrong.

The 1980s perhaps weren't ready for such a radical change, but Timothy Dalton's loss was Daniel Craig's gain. Casino Royale thrived by leaning fully into the concept of a more human Bond, and while the idea of a mentor wasn't recycled, portraying 007 as a more fallible hero became a hallmark of Daniel Craig's James Bond movies.

Sources: The Lost Adventures Of James Bond (Mark Edlitz, 2020).