10 Biggest Mistakes The James Bond Series Ever Made

Bond, James Bond. For more than 50 years the name has been seared into the popular consciousness, and if (I stress if) the recent rumours prove true, we may have reached that point when conversations about Bond go into overdrive: with the casting of a new actor in the role.

The purpose of this article isn't really to speculate on where the series should go from here, but if you'll indulge me for a moment: personally, I think it's definitely time for Daniel Craig to move on. Credit where it's due, he's been a revelation, and come what may he's got two of the best ever Bond movies under his belt.

But even ignoring what Craig's said in interviews (that "I'd rather slash my wrists" remark is never going away), one need only watch his performance in Spectre to see how utterly bored he is of the role. To keep on a lead actor who no longer has any interest in playing the part would, I think, be a terrible mistake.

But of course - the Bond series has made its fair share of creative mistakes. Inevitably, after 24 films, there are innumerable moments from the 007 archives which leave us wondering what the filmmakers were thinking.

Let's not forget, a level of knowing silliness has always been key to Bond's appeal. But at times, Bond has just got a bit too silly; and worse yet, some of the silliest moments were meant to be serious...

Including this one does feel rather like shooting fish in a barrel at this point. But anyway you cut it, there's really no denying that Denise Richards' Dr Christmas Jones is the worst Bond girl ever. And yes, I know that's saying a lot.

1999's The World Is Not Enough was the 19th Bond movie, and Pierce Brosnan's third film in the role. The series had, by this point, managed to strike a tricky balance between edginess and absurdity, facilitated by Brosnan pitching his performance midway between Sean Connery and Roger Moore. This had worked perfectly in Goldeneye and (to a lesser extent) Tomorrow Never Dies.

Third time, in this instance, was not a charm. The World Is Not Enough is an oddly schizophrenic movie; on the one hand, it's the most grounded and character-driven Bond movie since On Her Majesty's Secret Service; on the other, it boasts some painfully goofy elements that utterly scupper any attempts at emotional realism.

The worst offender on this front: a world-class nuclear physicist dressed like Lara Croft with a demanour more becoming to a California mall than an Eastern European oil pipeline.

Kiss all sense of pathos goodbye; every time Christmas Jones is on screen, all the movie's efforts toward real drama are completely undermined. It's not just that Denise Richards was miscast, it's that the character belongs in a different movie altogether.