The Global Story: The battle to save James Bond from becoming slop

**Asma Khalid** (0:00)
Hi there, I'm Asma Khalid.

**Tristan Redmond** (0:01)
And I'm Tristan Redmond, and we're the hosts of the Global Story Podcast from the BBC, and we're here with a bonus episode for you.

**Asma Khalid** (0:09)
Now, if you are new to our show, let me just take a moment to explain a bit about what we do. Every weekday, we dive deep into one big story in depth that looks at where the world and America meet.

**Tristan Redmond** (0:21)
This week, we've been exploring the growth of predictions markets and why they're being targeted towards young guys.

**SPEAKER_3** (0:27)
These prediction markets are marketed to young men as quite a fun way to get involved in gambling, but the real money is going towards the hedge funds, who, in the word of one commentator we spoke to, said that they're essentially eating their lunch.

**Asma Khalid** (0:41)
We've also been looking into why Hassan Piker and another left-wing American commentator were barred from entering the UK.

**SPEAKER_4** (0:48)
Ultimately, it's a damning indictment on civil society and the flourishing of democracy or lack thereof in the UK.

**Tristan Redmond** (0:55)
And now that scientists are warning that a super Godzilla El Nino could be on its way, how have similar climate events shaped history?

**SPEAKER_5** (1:04)
Humanitarian crises, environmental crises, price shocks, economic shocks are great for those in positions of power because they are very closely correlated towards high levels of centralisation.

**Asma Khalid** (1:16)
If you want to hear these stories in full and listen to our new episodes every day, just search for The Global Story wherever you listen.

**Tristan Redmond** (1:23)
For now, here's one of our favourite shows this week about the future of the James Bond franchise and whether it can interest Gen Z.
Casting is finally underway to find a new James Bond and the next actor to play him could make or break the future of the film series. But why has it taken five years to even start looking for a replacement Bond? Even if you're not into Bond films, stick with us. Because today's episode is really about something bigger. It's a David and Goliath story about what happens when an old school family business clashes with a tech giant. And its stake is a question about what movies are supposed to be. Is there still space left in them for cultivated mystery and rarity? Or should we accept that showbiz these days is about extracting every penny from a piece of intellectual property?
From the BBC, I'm Tristan Redmond in London. And today on The Global Story, the battle to save James Bond from becoming slop.
I love James Bond films. I love watching The Spy Who Loved Me on Christmas Day with my family when everyone's slumped on the sofa. I love that character, Jaws, the henchman who's got those metal teeth. I love all that old stuff. But if James Bond is gonna survive, he needs a new generation of fans. And we're gonna start today's episode by speaking to one of the members of our team who has a James Bond secret. So Zandra Ellen, you'll very often hear her name in the credits of this show. She's one of our producers, and she's The Global Story's New York Bureau Chief.

**Zandra Ellen** (3:19)
I actually have a confession to make. I've never seen a James Bond movie.

**Tristan Redmond** (3:24)
I cannot believe you've never seen a James Bond movie.

**Zandra Ellen** (3:28)
I'm so sorry. I hope you haven't lost respect for me.

**Tristan Redmond** (3:32)
I would never lose respect for you, Zandra.

**Zandra Ellen** (3:33)
But it's okay if you've lost a little bit.

**Tristan Redmond** (3:35)
No, no, not even a little bit. But can I ask, what age bracket would you put yourself in, Zandra?

**Zandra Ellen** (3:42)
I would say I'm either the youngest possible millennial or the oldest possible Gen Z.

**Tristan Redmond** (3:49)
Okay. So you are in the group of people that potential makers of James Bond films might want to be attracting to their franchise to give it new life.

**Zandra Ellen** (4:01)
Yeah.

**Tristan Redmond** (4:01)
How much do you know about James Bond?

**Zandra Ellen** (4:03)
I know that he's a spy. I know Shake and Not Stirred. I know Bond, James Bond.
I think that's basically it.

**Tristan Redmond** (4:12)
Yeah. Okay. What is it that doesn't attract you to these films?

**Zandra Ellen** (4:18)
I think it's two things. I think the main thing is just taste. I don't really like spies. I don't really like action movies. I've always put James Bond and like, that's boy stuff and I don't really like boy stuff.
I think there actually is something about the fact of it being a franchise and a series where it actually feels like there's quite a high barrier to entry. And it's a little harder to come in cold. So it just wouldn't be my first instinct to pick on a random night to watch a movie. This is a part of a canon, I guess.