Fans Outraged as ITV Edits James Bond Film, Citing 'Woke' Changes
ITV's broadcast of 'Tomorrow Never Dies' removed a scene, sparking backlash from viewers who criticized the network for altering the film's action and tone.
ITV faced significant backlash on Sunday after editing a scene from the 1997 James Bond film 'Tomorrow Never Dies,' with fans accusing the network of "woke" censorship.
The broadcast, which aired at 1:45 PM, notably omitted a sequence where Pierce Brosnan's 007 encounters trouble while piloting a plane, specifically cutting a moment where a character is strangling Bond. Viewers took to social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to express their displeasure, with many stating the alteration "butchered" the film and that ITV "don't deserve the 007 rights."
Complaints described the edit as jarring, with one user writing, "Cutting the guy strangling Bond so now it just looks like Brosnan is screaming in terror at the plane shooting at him." Others argued that such edits diminish the film's thrill and charm, with one commenter stating, "ITV thinking audiences don’t watch movies for the action." Some fans noted a pattern of ITV altering Bond films, citing previous edits to 'GoldenEye' and other installments, and expressing frustration with the removal of both violent and intimate scenes.
Piers Brosnan portrayed James Bond from 1995 to 2002, appearing in four films: 'GoldenEye' (1995), 'Tomorrow Never Dies' (1997), 'The World Is Not Enough' (1999), and 'Die Another Day' (2002).
Meanwhile, the future of the James Bond franchise remains a topic of discussion. Amazon MGM Studios, which acquired control of the film rights after purchasing MGM, confirmed that the casting process for the next actor to embody 007 is ongoing. The studio has stated that further details will be released when appropriate, teasing "exciting 007 news" in the coming months.
Reports suggest that the next James Bond film may not be released until 2028, which would mark the longest interval between installments in the franchise's 64-year history. This extended hiatus, potentially seven years since Daniel Craig's final appearance in 'No Time To Die' (2021), is attributed to a deliberate effort to ensure the next production is handled with meticulous care. Denis Villeneuve is attached to direct, with Steven Knight writing the script. Production timelines indicate that pre-production could begin in early 2027, with filming and post-production extending into the following years.