Five Things We Learned From The First Teaser Trailer For Spectre

Things are getting pretty serious for James Bond. 

The first teaser trailer for Spectre, the twenty-fourth film in the James Bond franchise appeared over the weekend, giving us a minute and a half glimpse of what we can expect from Sam Mendes’ new chapter. Daniel Craig reprises his role as Bond and looks as world-weary as ever. He’ll be joined by returning castmates Ben Whishaw, Ralph Fiennes, and Naomi Harris as well as newcomers Christoph Waltz, Monica Bellucci, and Lea Seadoux (the latter of whom isn’t seen in this clip). Here’s what we learned from the trailer: 

1. We’re in for a bleaker James Bond. 


Tonally, the trailer feels quite somber – think muted colors and a menacing score. There’s not a single one-liner or moment of levity in the teaser, save for a hero shot of the Aston Martin DB10. Our first glimpse of the beautiful Monica Bellucci sees her donning a veil at what appears to be a funeral. And even the iconic James Bond theme is played on glockenspiel instead of guitar and, as a result, transforms into a sad, elegiac tune.

2. It picks up directly after the events of Sky Fall.


One of the first things we see is the still-charred remains of MI6, which was blown up by Javier Bardem’s Raoul Silva in Sky Fall. That means James will have little time to deal with the residual effects of M’s death, as other problems seem to have cropped up rather quickly.

3. 007’s past is once again his present. 


It looks like Sam Mendes will be diving further into Bond’s tragic upbringing. In the teaser, Naomie Harris’ Moneypenny reveals that some of 007’s “personal effects” were recovered from the rubble of Sky Fall, one of which is a burnt photograph showing a man standing with two children, one of whose face is missing. Could this be young James and his father alongside a never-before-mentioned brother? Spoiler alert: Some interesting family dynamics are certainly going to play out.

4. Christoph Waltz is probably (maybe?) Blofed. 


While he’s listed as Oberhauser in the credits, Christoph Waltz’s menacing accent, shadow-cloaked face, and folded-arm stance hints at what many have suspected already: He’s Blofeld, the nefarious cat-stroking, scar-faced leader of the Spectre organization. Sure, his silhouette seems to have hair and Blofeld is notoriously been bald, but come on. Why else would they name this movie Spectre?

5. Spectre is terrifying. 


The 007 series has dealt with its share of nefarious organizations, but Spectre seems like a much different beast. The trailer seems to tease that they’ve infiltrated as high up as the papacy. They strike fear into characters like Mr. White, the former intermediary for Quantum who popped up in Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace, and makes an appearance in the trailer. Wild-eyed and alone in a cabin, the very thought of Spectre seems to send a tremor of fear through his body. “You’re a kite dancing in a hurricane, Mr. Bond,” he says. Aren’t we all Mr White, aren’t we all. 

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