Happy Holidays and a fantastic 2024

Dear Bond friends, dear Bond Buddies,

The past year has been quite a rollercoaster for 007 enthusiasts. Two years after No Time to Die, the successor to Daniel Craig as James Bond remains shrouded in mystery. Rumors are rife, yet solid, concrete news remains elusive. As a James Bond platform, we find this somewhat unfortunate, but we recognize the complexity of creating a new film from scratch.

However, our editorial team remains confident that EON Productions is doing everything possible to announce the next Bond actor in the best way possible. This year, the producers launched their first official spin-off, 007: Road to a Million, of which we can expect a second season in 2024. Ian Fleming Publications introduced a new novel, with Charlie Higson returning as a Bond author after 15 years, penning On His Majesty’s Secret Service within three months. Additionally, Ian Fleming Publications has a new novel slated for next year. With the announcement of A Spy Like Me, Kim Sherwood delivers the second book in her Double O trilogy, promising deeper insights into the other 00 agents of MI6.

For James Bond Nederland, 2023 was a remarkable year, albeit quieter in Bond news. Nevertheless, we remain committed to sharing the latest Bond updates, our perspectives, and adventures through written and video content. Our projects, such as commemorating the seventieth anniversary of Casino Royale in London, Gosse’s expedition to Istanbul, and the electrifying Shaken Not Stirred event, were particularly enjoyable. Our sincere gratitude to all of you for reading and engaging with our articles and projects this year.

In the upcoming year, we aim to delve further into Bond 26, hopefully covering the start of production, though if that will happen in 2024 remains uncertain. Anyhow, we’ve kept ourselves busy at James Bond Nederland; Jorrit will unveil a video next year extensively testing the Aston Martin DBS from Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace, sharing his experiences. As expected, these will be positive—after all, it’s a Bond car! Furthermore, in 2024, we’re launching a new podcast called Bondgenoten in Dutch – or Bond Buddies for English episodes – where we’ll engage in weekly discussions on various 007 topics, aiming to deliver fresh content to our listeners. Detailed updates on both projects will follow in early 2024.

A Bond film often revisited in December is On Her Majesty’s Secret Service from 1969, featuring the Christmas song Do You Know How Christmas Trees Are Grown. A year post-film release, Dutch singer Martine Bijl presented a Dutch rendition titled Waarvan Wordt Een Dennenboompje Groot. It’s a somewhat lesser-known connection between the Netherlands and James Bond, but something we would like to share with you this Christmas.

On behalf of the editors at James Bond Nederland, we extend our warmest wishes to you — our readers, partners, donors, and all Bond enthusiasts — for a healthy and joyous 2024!