The first film featuring Agent 007 released on October 5, 1962. Premiered in London, Dr No, featuring the late actor Sean Connery, started the screen legacy of the spy novels by Ian Fleming. This year marks the 60th anniversary of the James Bond movie franchise that has earned its own sub-genre within the action category.
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Its legacy is a problematic one, with each new film attempting to undo the mistakes of its predecessor, but the franchise, much like the character, has stood the test of time.
In honour of the 60th anniversary, various tributes and commemorations are happening across the world.
A Fabergé egg
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Luxury house Fabergé, renowned for its intricate and bejewelled egg objects, will release a James Bond-themed egg. This collaboration between the franchise and Fabergé comes almost 40 years after Octopussy (1983), which featured a famous Fabergé egg heist plot. The egg used in the film wasn’t an original Fabergé but a film prop set with Swarovski crystals. The upcoming Fabergé x 007 egg object will be a nod to the gadgetry seen in the Bond film franchise.
A corn maze
According to reports, the interest in the 60th anniversary of the James Bond film franchise extended to an adventure farm which has “the world’s largest corn maze” in suburban Chicago. Every year, the owners of Richardson Adventure Farm have a different theme for the maze, created with high-tech corn planter tractors. This year’s theme—James Bond. The maze features three Bond actors—Sean Connery, Pierce Brosnan and Daniel Craig.
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Sean Connery was the first actor to play James Bond on screen.
Bond movie marathon
Die-hard fans of James Bond can watch all 25 films on Amazon Prime Video, available from October 5. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the Bond series was the crown jewel of Amazon’s $8.5 billion purchase of MGM, which closed this year.
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James Bond Day
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UK-based Eon Productions, which makes the James Bond films, announced October 4 as World Bond Day celebration. This included a concert at Royal Albert Hall, ahead of the release of the documentary Sound of 007, on the music of the Bond films. Christie’s also presented a charity auction of 60 lots from all 25 films to mark this occasion, in which an Aston Martin replica D5 stunt car from No Time to Die (2021) sold for £2,922,000. The Octopussy egg went for £327,600.
Single malts and motorcycles
The Macallan released its James Bond 60th Anniversary Collection—six limited edition single malts launched to mark six decades of James Bond films. Each liquid has been cut at 43.7% as an homage to the character’s agent number, 007. Macallan featured in Skyfall (2012) and in Spectre (2015).
Triumph, which featured in No Time To Die, released an “ultra-limited” edition Speed Triple RR Bond Edition. Only 60 pieces of this motorcycle are available.
