10 Movie Sequels That Completely Changed Tone

Possibly the most sorely needed change of tone in the history of cinema, the Bond franchise had lost a lot of its lustre in the early-to-mid 2000s. Die Another Day was a real letdown for fans and many thought Bond had finally jumped the shark. It would be four agonising years before the wrongs of DAD were righted, but it was most definitely worth the wait.

Daniel Craig's casting as Bond was initially met with controversy due to his supposed lack of resemblance to the character, but that was quickly washed away when Casino Royale arrived on the scene in 2006.

Taking notes from the Bourne films, James Bond became more grounded in realism, with less of a reliance on gimmicky and increasingly ludicrous gadgets. Casino Royale kicked off in black and white, cross cutting between Bond violently disposing of a henchman with his bare hands and smoothly assassinating a target.

This was then followed with a pounding chase through Uganda, which featured a terrifying jump between two cranes. We were treated to a much darker Bond than we were used to, but it was at the right time and was embraced by the masses.

Despite Spectre being being rather underwhelming, the Bond films are firmly established in modern blockbuster filmmaking, and it's all owed to Casino Royale changing the game.