The first trailer for Spectre, the next installment in the James Bond franchise, arrived—oddly—on Friday evening, and it’s more of what we’ve come to expect from Daniel Craig’s stint as 007. Which is to say, it’s moody and dark and everything is gray and chilly. I’m actually a big fan of Craig’s time in the Bond saddle, but I do kind of miss the sun-drenched aesthetic of Casino Royale. Sam Mendes has brought a literally darker vision to the series, this time aided by cinematographer Hoyte Van Hoytema (Interstellar, Her). Last time out, Roger Deakins did some incredible digital work on Skyfall, but Van Hoytema is returning to film stock for Spectre. There’s no difference in how the two movies look—film vs. digital is a debate for historians at this point.
The trailer is ninety-six seconds long and doesn’t do much to elucidate the plot, except that there is a mystery in Bond’s past and there’s a secret evil organization emerging from the shadows. Especially with the octopus logo teased in the film’s title card, I can’t help but get Captain America: The Winter Soldier vibes from this trailer. I know Spectre’s history as a Bond villain-factory goes way back, but The Winter Soldier was one of the biggest movies of last year, so it’s hard not to draw the comparison. It’s also hard not to get Eyes Wide Shut vibes from that overhead shot of Bond entering a shadowy party in a mansion. I kind of expected someone to whisper, “Fidelio,” as he walked by. But the Craig/Bond era has been—Quantum of Solace aside—exceptionally strong, so I’m willing to give Spectre the benefit of the doubt that it’s a surface similarity only.
