The decision to reboot the franchise was a kind of preemptive strike-a recognition that that Jack Bauers and Jason Bournes of the world were starting to make James Bond look a little creaky. Die Another Day, Brosnan's final turn-often written off as a flop today-was actually the highest-grossing James Bond movie of all time.
The decision to reboot the franchise and start fresh with Casino Royale was bolder than it might seem today.