Cary Joji Fukunaga, the director of the upcoming James Bond film No Time to Die, has revealed that the film will see the character re-enter the spy game after a five-year hiatus.

After the events of 2015’s Spectre, the MI5 superspy, played once again by Daniel Craig, had left the service. In a new behind-the-scenes featurette, Fukunaga confrimed that Bond has been out of action in the interim.

The new film, says the writer-director, was an “essential” oppurtunity to discover exactly who the character of Bond is. 

“Where is he?” he asks. “After five years of retirement, who has he become?”

“He’s sort of a wounded animal, struggling with his role as a double-o. The world has changed. The rules of engagement aren’t what they used to be. The rules of espionage are darker in this era of asymmetric warfare.”

No Time to Die: First character posters for new 007 film unveiled

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Fukunaga also teased some big reveals for the enigmatic character, promising: “Everything that was left unsaid will finally be said.”

No Time to Die will be Craig’s fourth outing as the iconic character, following in the footsteps of actors such as Sean Connery and Pierce Brosnan. Many have been speculating whether we will learn more of Bond's backstory in this new film, and Fukunaga's comments seem to confirm this.