Last year, Bond fans the world over tenderly polished the crystal on their Omega watches in a vain attempt to hide the relief exhaled on their breath. MGM may have managed to secure funding for the much-beleaguered Bond 23, but the devout amongst them were more surprised by the fragility of the franchise than they were by the ambivalence Bond showed to his Martini being shaken or stirred in Casino Royale - a near-sacrilegious affront in itself. Yet Bond is back and with more product placement, unadulterated beauty, and beloved pastiche than ever. The hype remains untouched and, considering this years warm global embrace of all things British, few minds are dwelling on the bleak financial past or, for that matter, Bonds life after Skyfall. With this in mind, it may seem a little overconfident to predict anything but economic rumours and Pinewood drama for the franchise but, for the giddy joy of it, lets assume that any ostensible hanging by a thread fate is all a cunning marketing scheme put in place to rekindle cinema-goers devotion to the man they want to be or to be with. So, if youre comfortable in your downy bed of delightful denial then lets set off on our indulgent endeavour ... whats life without a little indulgence, after all? Click within to reveal our ten predictions for the James Bond franchise after Skyfall...