Since the dawning of the James Bond franchise, each U.S. president has had their time with the 00 agent. While there were some gaps between films spanning upwards of 4 years, the presidents at those times all had two terms, so they at least got one Bond movie during their presidential run.
With Joe Biden’s win making Donald Trump a one-term president and the coronavirus pushing an already delayed No Time to Die into 2021, this is the first time since the dawning of the series that a president didn’t get a James Bond movie. And guess what? GOOD.
(NBC)
As Forbes reported, even presidents before who were only one term still managed a Bond movie. John F. Kennedy, who was assassinated before he could complete his first term, loved the franchise and (going by the U.K. release dates) got two Bond movies during his short presidency.
“For reference, Dr. No opened in the UK in October 1962 while From Russia With Love opened in the United Kingdom in October of 1963. John F. Kennedy famously chose From Russia With Love as one of his favorite novels, and the film version was allegedly the last movie he saw before being assassinated. Lyndon B. Johnson was president when Goldfinger (1964), Thunderball (1965) and You Only Live Twice (1967) cemented the Sean Connery series as Hollywood’s biggest action franchise.”
The entire Forbes piece details each movie that came out during these presidents’ terms, but I’m more interested in the fact that Donald Trump didn’t get his own James Bond movie—and especially because it was Bond 25. Just imagine how much of a baby he would be about this if someone asked him:
Reporter: “Mr. President, did you know that you’re the only sitting president since the beginning of the franchise that didn’t get a James Bond movie?”
Trump: “That’s fake news. I would have had the best James Bond movie yet if the media didn’t lie about the coronavirus hoax. They didn’t want me to have my own James Bond movie, and one that has a man of color directing it. See, I’ve done more for men of color than any president before me.”
Look, I’m woman enough to admit that Trump would have gotten a James Bond movie, and from the looks of it, one that I will probably love most of all. That being said, that just makes it worse. His mishandling of the coronavirus, which led to the deaths of nearly 240k Americans (THUS FAR), took the franchise’s big 25th entry away from him, and honestly, I’m going to be petty and be happy that he doesn’t have this one thing.
I come from a family of James Bond fans, and I also come from a family of people who absolutely hate Donald Trump. So, this small victory is what I’m going to be grateful for this Thanksgiving. (While rewatching James Bond movies, of course.)
(via Forbes, image: MGM/Universal)
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