Caution: spoilers ahead for No Time To Die
Casino Royale in 2006, Daniel Craig has helped remold a Bond formula that was looking decidedly tired in the wake of Pierce Brosnan's departure, turning the storied James Bond movie franchise into a sleeker, harder-hitting beast that feels historic, rather than prehistoric.
No Time To Die continues that crusade of change, making several bold creative calls never seen previously on the big screen. Despite No Time To Die's ongoing drive to shove James Bond into the future, however, Cary Fukunaga (director/writer), Neal Purvis, Robert Wade and Phoebe Waller-Bridge (writers) make plenty of time to honor 007's past.
Throughout Daniel Craig's final chapter, there are numerous references to the current Bond's prior entries, as well as homages reaching further back. From iconic songs getting a reprisal and déjà vu dialogue to wayward desk ornaments and familiar vehicles, No Time To Die's Easter egg hunt extends across the entire James Bond spectrum.
No Time To Die's Gun Barrel Sequence Has No Blood
In true James Bond tradition, No Time To Die begins with the classic gun barrel sequence... almost. Daniel Craig's Bond turns and shoots toward the audience as usual, but where a trickle of blood should roll down the screen, that familiar trail of red is conspicuous by its absence. In place since 1962's Dr. No, the lack of blood is strange indeed, especially in the violent modern era, but the meaning becomes clear some 2-and-a-half hours later when James Bond realizes he does have time to die after all. No Time To Die's blood-free opening is an early sign that 007 doesn't win this fight.
Mr. White's SPECTRE Ring In No Time To Die
No Time To Die's introductory flashback finds a young Madeline Swann running from the vengeful Safin, come to slaughter her SPECTRE agent father, Mr. White. As Madeleine tries hiding in White's safe room, the camera glides over a SPECTRE ring atop a stack of (presumably forged) ports. The octopus-branded piece is worn by all Blofeld employees, both in the classic and modern James Bond movies.
Daniel Craig's Bond Honors Sean Connery In Dr. No
In one of Dr. No's most iconic scenes, Ursula Andress' Honey Ryder emerges from the ocean to greet Sean Connery's 007 on a beach. It's no coincidence that No Time To Die's first glimpse of Daniel Craig's Bond and Léa Seydoux's Madeleine Swann is something of a less gratuitous reenactment, with the woman surfacing from the water and Bond arriving on land to meet her.
James Bond's Aston Martin DB5 Returns In No Time To Die
Back on dry land, Bond and Swann cruise through the mountainous beauty of Matera, Italy in a silver Aston Martin DB5. The iconic vehicle debuted in 1964's Goldfinger, and has made cameos throughout the series. Daniel Craig's incarnation of 007 won himself a DB5 in Casino Royale (without the classic license plate), before finally getting the proper Connery version in Skyfall.
Daniel Craig's "All The Time In The World" Line Honors George Lazenby
Madeleine implores Bond to put the Aston Martin DB5's engine to good use by flooring the gas and going faster, but Bond hazily replies, "We have all the time in the world." Here, No Time To Die references a famous moment from George Lazenby's sole 007 performance in On Her Majesty's Secret Service, where Bond cradles his deceased wife's body. Again, the Easter egg acts as a prelude to the tragedy to come, and the line is repeated in No Time To Die's final sequence, as a soon-to-perish James Bond bids Madeleine farewell over radio.
James Bond Is Still Haunted By Vesper Lynd
No Time To Die's Matera sequence is dominated by the specter of Eva Green's Casino Royale character, Vesper Lynd. Bond fell in love with Lynd during Daniel Craig's cinematic debut, before discovering she'd betrayed him and then watching her die in a dramatic finale. Over subsequent films, Bond has valiantly tried to prove Vesper's innocence and confirm their love was real, and despite finding new romance in No Time To Die, the ex-007's reason for visiting Italy is to pay his respects at Vesper's grave.
James Bond At Vesper Lynd's Grave Mirrors Roger Moore
Shortly before SPECTRE arrives to spoil No Time To Die's tranquil introduction, Daniel Craig's James Bond stands solemnly over the grave of Vesper Lynd. Though the locale is more exotic, this image creates a close echo of Roger Moore in For Your Eyes Only, who paid a rare visit to the grave of Tracy Bond. Also following the For Your Eyes Only formula, Bond falls victim to a graveside ambush, never permitted a moment's peace.
No Time To Die Uses Vesper Lynd's Casino Royale Theme
Another Vesper Lynd Easter egg during No Time To Die's graveyard scene is the music, which reuses "Vesper's Theme" from Casino Royale, composed by David Arnold. Hans Zimmer later weaves elements of On Her Majesty's Secret Service into his own score, hammering home the Lazenby influence.
No Time To Die's Title Sequence Easter Eggs - Dr. No, OHMSS & Thunderball
No Time To Die's title sequence is comprised of the typical sensual imagery and 1960s pomp, but also bears a striking resemblance to the corresponding intro of On Her Majesty's Secret Service. The 1969 opening featured Union Jack flags, hourglasses, clock faces, and a statue grasping a trident. All of those elements accompany the sound of No Time To Die too, reinforcing Cary Fukunaga's biggest James Bond influence. The new titles include colored dots in tribute to Dr. No, and a diver very reminiscent of Thunderball's opening.
No Time To Die's Hazmat Suits Look Like Dr. No's
MI6's secret bioweapon scientists are clad in white hazmat suits when arming the Heracles virus for Safin's henchmen. The gear is almost identical to the protective clothing worn by Dr. No's scientist henchmen in 1962. The red suits inside Safin's base, meanwhile, also take inspiration from Dr. No's followers.
