In 2006, theJames Bondfranchise received a substantial makeover that was a breath of fresh air for fans of 007. Daniel Craig introduced a darker, grittier (and blonder) version of MI6’s most prized asset, along with a sense of narrative and tonal continuity between movies which prioritized authenticity over glamor. This reinvention ofBondwas an unprecedented critical and commercial success, particularly in the cases ofCasino Royale, with its tragic climax, andSkyfall, with its emotionally-charged personal story. But 2015’sSpectrechanged things up again, by bringing back themost iconic Bond villainin history, Ernst Stavro Blofeld.
Blofeld wasn’t back in his original form as depicted inIan Fleming’sJames Bondbooks– a maniacal, cat-stroking supervillain – but recast as 007’s jealous foster brother. Played by incomparable big-screen baddie Christoph Waltz, this Blofeld was even retroactively made responsible for the events of 2008’sQuantum of Solace, which previously had any involvement from Blofeld’s SPECTRE. Far from enhancing Daniel Craig’s 007 story, however, the imposition ofBlofeld and SPECTRE overcomplicated and undermined it for viewerswho had grown attached to the distinctive elements of this more grounded version of James Bond.
The Blofeld & Spectre Retcon Was Awkward
It Didn’t Fit Into Daniel Craig’s James Bond Universe
From 1981 onwards , Eon productions effectively gave up therights to Blofeld and his terrorist organization SPECTRE in furtherJames Bondmovies, with the character at the center of a legal dispute between Eon and producer Kevin McClory. Once Eon acquired the rights to McClory’s estate – which included the Ian Fleming script from which Ernst Stravro Blofeld originated – in 2013, they were free to use the villain and his evil organization again. They didn’t waste much time, either,reintroducing Blofeld at the earliest opportunity, in 2015’sSpectre.
These bizarre twists made it feel as though the team behindSpectrewere overreaching in their introduction of Blofeld.
This movie not only retconned one of the oldest and best-known villains in theJames Bondmovie franchise into Daniel Craig’s 007 universe, four films in. It somehow made Christoph Waltz’s iteration of Blofeld the mastermind behind Quantum’s attempted monopolization of Bolivia’s water supply in the earlier Bond movieQuantum of Solace. What’s more,Spectregave Ernst Stavro Blofeld a whole new backstory, making him the adoptive brother of none other than James Bond himself.
These bizarre twists made it feel as though the team behindSpectrewere overreaching in their introduction of Blofeld. Theirrewriting of Bond and Blofeld’s history felt awkward and jarringin the context of the coherent world-building achieved by the first three 007 movies starring Daniel Craig.
Christoph Waltz Was Great, But He Didn’t Need To Be Blofeld
The Actor Could Have Played A New & Original Bond Villain
Few actors working today can claim to play a villain as well as Christoph Waltz, who’s big break in Hollywood was giving one of theperformances that defined Quentin Tarantino’s careeras a director. It was surely Waltz’s show-stealing turn as Hans Landa inInglorious Basterdsthat landed him the role of Ernst Stavro Blofeld in the Bond filmsSpectreandNo Time to Die.
The actor is perfectly suited to playing one of the most significant Bond villains of his generation. It just didn’t have to be a character who’d already been done to death in theJames Bondfranchise, and who didn’t fit intoDaniel Craig’s Bond timeline. Waltz would have been much better as an original villain, who he could have shaped on his own terms, without beinghamstrung bySpectre’s botched attempts to pay homage to previous iteration of Blofeld, while crowbarring him into this new version ofBondat the same time.
Giving Bond An Evil Brother Would’ve Been Better If It Wasn’t Blofeld
This Major Rewrite Of Blofeld’s Backstory Undermined His Credibility As A Character
The sibling who’s strayed to the dark side is an age-old storytelling trope, that could have worked quite well in a James Bond narrative, if onlySpectre’s screenwriters hadn’t chosen to make 007’s evil brother his greatest adversary in the history of the franchise.Christoph Waltz himself has defended this Blofeld twistin terms of the sheer drama it invokes. But pretty much everyone else who’d ever heard of Ernst Stavro Blofeld before seeing the movie must have found it clumsy and contrived.
According to Ian Fleming’s novel series, James Bond was orphaned when his parents died in a mountain-climbing accident.Spectrebroke with canon by suggesting Bond was then fostered by Blofeld’s parents.
Blofeld is part of cinematic traditionmore than any other antagonist to James Bond. Trampling all over this legacy for the sake of a dramatic conceit was never going to be well-received, even among moviegoers who wouldn’t consider themselves fans of the franchise.
Daniel Craig’s 007 Story Would Have Made More Sense Sticking With Quantum
Trying To Bring Blofeld & SPECTRE Into The Mix Backfired
When production finally starts forJames Bond 26, perhaps there’ll be room to reboot Blofeld andSPECTREonce again. But for Daniel Craig’s Bond cinematic universe, there was simply no need to introduce such a major villain so late in the day. Quantum, the evil organization headed by Mathieu Amalric’s Dominic Greene inQuantum of Solace, could have served precisely the same purpose without the awkward retcon that introducing SPECTRE involved.
The arrival of Blofeld onto the scene alsodid a disservice to one of the Daniel Craig era’s best Bond villains, Jesper Christensen’s Mr. White, whose reintroduction inSpectrewas underplayed to make room for Waltz’s new character.SpectreandNo Time to Dietried to have their cake and eat it, by continuing to take theJames Bondfranchise in new and exciting directions while harking back to the past. The convergence of these contradictory motivations ultimately backfired, as exemplified by the criminal misuse of Christoph Waltz as an actor.
Blofeld’s Role Added Very Little To No Time To Die
His Death Scene Cameo Proved How Unnecessary The Character Was
Waltz’s role asBlofeld in 2021’sNo Time to Dieis effectively a cameo, which adds next to nothing to the plot of the movie at the same time as exposing just how badly the actor was mishandled by the franchise. If those behind the movie had nailed their colors to the mast by reintroducing Blofeld inSpectre, then they could at least have tried to make his return work inNo Time to Die. Most fans were initially expectingBlofeld to be the movie’s main Bond villain instead of Lyutsifer Safin, which would have given Christoph Waltz the larger role he deserved.
On the contrary, his actual part in the most recent movie of theJames Bondfranchise may as well not have been there.No Time to Dieunderscored how unnecessary bringing Ernst Stavro Blofeld into the world of Daniel Craig’s James Bond was in the first place. Unfortunately, Blofeld’s return ended up devaluing the legendary character, as well as the actor playing him.
James Bond
The James Bond franchise follows the adventures of British secret agent 007 as he combats global threats. With a license to kill, Bond faces off against various villains and criminal organizations, employing high-tech gadgets, espionage, and charm. The series spans multiple films, featuring exotic locations, thrilling action sequences, and memorable characters. Bond’s mission to protect the world and uphold justice remains central, making the franchise an enduring icon in the spy genre.
