The 007 Files

Bond 26 appears to be getting into gear, with reported August auditions giving the clearest sign yet that Amazon MGM’s first James Bond film is taking shape. Bill Koenig, Javi Trujillo and David Leigh look at what the latest casting reports really mean, why the new Bond auditions matter, and what this points towards. The team breaks down the Deadline report on auditions for the new James Bond in A...

Professor James Chapman, author of Licence To Thrill: A Cultural History of the James Bond Films , joins The 007 Files to talk about Bond, film history, and the stories that attach themselves to 007. He begins with his own route into Bond: the films he first saw, how they landed at the time, and how that early interest eventually became serious work on the series. From there, the discussion moves...

In this episode of The 007 Files , Javi Trujillo and Bill Koenig talk to Kim Sherwood about her Double O trilogy and the world she created around a missing James Bond. Kim discusses her own route into Bond, from first watching Pierce Brosnan on television to seeing Die Another Day as her first Bond film on the big screen. She also remembers reading From Russia, With Love at the age of 12, being st...

What does it really take to put on a Bond music tour? This episode breaks down the reality behind successfully performing James Bond soundtracks live—covering the cost, logistics, creative challenges and risks most audiences never see. A Bond music tour looks effortless on stage. In reality, it’s a constant balancing act between ambition and survival. Warren Ringham, founder of Q The Music, explai...

No Bond 26 update at CinemaCon—no cast, no release date, no production news. So what does that actually tell us? In this episode of The 007 Files , Javi Trujillo, Bill Koenig and David Leigh break down the lack of a Bond 26 update at CinemaCon—and explain why it isn’t a cause for concern. The key question driving this episode is simple: why was there no real news about the next James Bond film at...

The Ian Fleming Foundation, founded more than 30 years ago, is evolving. It's still known for its collection of vehicles and props that have appeared in James Bond films. The foundation is involved in other activities, including scholarships. The group also is dedicated to keeping the memory of Ian Fleming alive. Alan J. Porter, the foundation president, chats with the hosts of The 007 Files,...

In this episode, 007GB president Mark Wooldridge joins us to explore the world of James Bond fandom — from the unique role Britain plays in Bond culture to the global community that surrounds it. We discuss the origins and growth of the 007GB fan club, rare Bond memorabilia and collectibles, and the ongoing appeal of the franchise across generations. The conversation also covers Bond music, brand...

What does Amazon’s control of James Bond really mean for the future of 007? In this episode of The 007 Files, hosts Bill Koenig and David Leigh are joined by Fangoria editor-in-chief Phil Nobile Jr. to explore the hopes and fears surrounding the Amazon era of the James Bond franchise — and what the shift from family stewardship to corporate ownership could mean for cinema’s most enduring spy serie...

Season 4 of The 007 Files begins with a look ahead at what 2026 could mean for Bond 26 — from script progress and casting expectations to the real-world challenges shaping the next James Bond film. In this episode, we examine where Bond 26 actually stands today, separating confirmed developments from speculation and media narratives surrounding the future of 007 under Amazon MGM. What should Bond...

This is part three of our three-episode examination of Goldeneye. Bill Koenig, Javi Trujillo, and David Leigh start with Goldeneye 007, a game that didn’t merely succeed but rewired expectations. It showed what a film tie-in could be, helped define the console shooter, and introduced an entire generation to James Bond through split-screen multiplayer rather than cinema screens. From there, the dis...

In this episode of The 007 Files , the hosts continue their discussion on revisit Goldeneye , the film that didn’t just reintroduce James Bond, but quietly rescued the franchise from irrelevance. They look at the change to Leavesden Studios and the symbolic shift away from Pinewood Studios, mirroring Bond’s own need to evolve after the Cold War. They explore the cultural shockwave of casting Judi...

Bill Koenig, David Leigh, and Javi Trujillo mark the 30th anniversary of Goldeneye by revisiting the moment James Bond returned to the big screen and reminding audiences why it mattered. They explore the film’s release in 1995, its immediate impact on the franchise, and how its box office success reshaped Bond’s future after years in the wilderness. The discussion moves into the realities of produ...

The second half of our Licence to Legacy deep-dive sees co-hosts Javi Trujillo, Bill Koenig, and David Leigh return to SPECTRE a decade later to explore how the film sits in the Craig era’s legacy. This time we wonder whether bringing back Blofeld and SPECTRE truly delivered the creative spark the filmmakers were aiming for, and we discuss the scene inspired by Colonel Sun and whether it sets a pr...

In this Licence to Legacy episode co-hosts Javi Trujillo, Bill Koenig, and David Leigh revisit SPECTRE on its 10th anniversary of its release. We start with our first viewings back in 2015 and how our opinions have shifted after a decade of rewatching, reflection, and franchise changes. The conversation explores how SPECTRE performed at the box office compared to Skyfall and how Mexico’s tax credi...

In this episode we’re joined by Edward Biddulph to explore the real-world Britain behind James Bond. His new book, The James Bond Lover’s Guide to Britain , brings together locations from Fleming’s novels, the films, and Fleming’s own life — all chosen with one thing in mind: places anyone can actually visit. We dive into the adventure of visiting these sites as Edward talks about the thrill of st...

Licence to Legacy: It’s been 40 years since A View to a Kill was released — Roger Moore’s final outing as James Bond — and this week we look back at one of the most divisive entries in the series. After a brief detour to the Mexico Grand Prix, we dive into the film’s release and reception, sharing personal memories of seeing A View to a Kill for the first time and how opinions have changed - if th...

Richard Maibaum helped define James Bond — but did he ever get the credit he truly deserved? In this episode of The 007 Files , Bill Koenig talks to writer, producer and New York Times bestselling author Lee Goldberg, whose 2022 book The James Bond Films 1962–1989: Interviews with the Actors, Writers and Producers collects his remarkable 1980s interviews with the people who built 007’s world — fro...

S03E005: In this episode of The 007 Files , Bill Koenig is joined by Javi Trujillo and David Leigh for a wide-ranging conversation with soundtrack producer Neil S. Bulk about La-La Land Records’ expanded 60th anniversary edition of Thunderball . Neil shares his passion for the project - and for the film! - as we explore the challenges of restoring classic Bond soundtracks, the discovery of new mat...

S03E004 In this episode we discuss season 2 of 007: Road to a Million . Was it really better than the first? We weigh up the contestants, the challenges, the Controller, and how effectively the Bond IP and music were used this time around. And as always, we look ahead: will there be a season 3, and if so, would we watch it? But before we get into that we look at the 60th anniversaries of three TV...

S03E003: In the second half of our Thunderball discussion, Bill Koenig, Javi Trujillo and David Leigh turn to the film’s legacy and cultural impact. We look at how Thunderball shaped popular culture — from underwater spectacle to the parody of Austin Powers. Along the way we consider whether the film influenced our own styles, explore the ground-breaking underwater photography and the challenges o...

S3E002: Bill Koenig, Javi Trujillo and David Leigh kick off a two-part celebration of Thunderball on its 60th anniversary. In this episode, they revisit their first viewings and the impressions the film left behind, then dive into Kevin McClory’s influence on the Bond series. The discussion turns to SPECTRE and Blofeld—was it for the best that Eon dropped them in the 1970s, and why did their event...

S3 E001: The 007 Files returns for its third season as Bill Koenig is joined by co-hosts Javi Trujillo and David Leigh for an engaging conversation with special guest Joseph Darlington — author of Being James Bond and host of the long-running podcast of the same name. Joseph talks about the newly revised Volume I of his book, what’s coming in Volume II , and how his approach to writing, podcasting...

In this episode, we dive into our immediate reaction to Denis Villeneuve being confirmed as director for Bond 26 —and how our views have shifted just three days later. We explore what Villeneuve might bring to James Bond, what this could mean for the tone of the next film, and take a closer look at the three young actors reportedly in the running for 007. Plus, we discuss the rumoured 2028 release...

Bill Koenig and Javi Trujillo are joined by writer and Bond expert Mark Edlitz, author of Keeping 007 Alive: Conversations with James Bond Continuation Authors (and other books), for an in-depth look at the world of continuation novels. They ask: what challenges do authors face when stepping into Ian Fleming’s shoes? What might Ian Fleming Publications' current strategy tell us about the direc...

In this episode of The 007 Files , Javi Trujillo, Bill Koenig and David Leigh dive into a flurry of new Bond news. We begin with Ian Fleming Publications’ surprising pivot: a forthcoming book series featuring a retired James Bond teaching kids to be agents, aimed squarely at 8–12-year-olds. Is it a clever way to get children reading—or a misunderstanding of what kids really respond to? We also unp...