BOND: No Time To Die

Clients: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Eon Productions

Category: Design & VFX - Film & Broadcast

No Time to Die is the 25th entry in the iconic James Bond franchise, this time 007 must save a kidnapped scientist from a mysterious villain who is in possession of deadly technology.

Science and Technology

Technology has always had an important role to play in the Bond franchise. Whereas early Bond films championed the use of mechanical weapons technology and digital technology appeared in later Bond films, No Time to Die’s gadgetry and innovation comes from the world of bio and nano tech. For this iteration of the Bond franchise, there were many opportunities to dive into future advances and next-gen technology. These were key to the plot and Cary Fukanaga’s ambition for the technology and science in this film were huge. We were challenged to inform and bring those ambitions to life. Research into nanotechnology, molecular biology, toxin behaviours, AI reconstruction, sonic lidar mapping and XR screen surfaces saw us bolstering our visual approach to the various laboratories and systems we were required to demonstrate.

Heracles (Nanobots Toxin)

One of the biggest challenges was the design of No Time To Die’s ultimate weapon, the Heracles Nanobot. It’s a very specific weapon that plays a critical role in the film’s plot, so this required working closely with Cary to ensure his vision for this genius, but deadly technology was just right.

The team created designs that were informed by research into nanotechnology and molecular building blocks, as well as the ways in which DNA could be organically tagged and detected. As well as creating a view of the virus’s behaviour under microscope view, DNA and toxin research screens were designed for the many laboratories that feature throughout this film.

C Minus 2

The first of many laboratories we see throughout this film, C Minus 2 is the home to DNA and toxin research and the place where we first meet the nefarious scientist Valdo Obruchev.

Screens throughout this lab consist of security protocols through to otherworldly toxin monitoring – pushing the technology of the screens from flat display surfaces into volumetric containers with a ‘digital skin’. This included an extremely complex story-telling sequence where Obruchev decrypts, downloads and steals the Heracles weapon.

MI6

Outside of biotech and laboratories, Territory Studio also created screen graphics that featured in the MI6 building and technology used by M and Q. Whilst set in modern-day, there are technologies featured in the Bond franchise that is not only cutting edge, but they’re also near-future premonitions of how technology and UI will develop. Therefore the team researched heavily into AI Image processing, facial recognition mapping and surveillance techniques.

The two main sets in MI6 were the Bullpen which acts as the central nervous system of MI6 and M’s Office which featured heavily in the third act as M monitors Bond’s final mission through communication with Q on the C17.

Q Tech

Q as the Quartermaster of M16 can essentially see anything and do anything. As such his tech has a little more of a hacker-like aesthetic compared to the rest of MI6. There are three main sets that saw us building Q’s world on screen, his lab in MI6, his home apartment and his mobile lab in the C17 aircraft.

Q's Lab

Q’s Lab has monitors and screens everywhere – designing gliders, testing aerodynamics of cars, developing watches, weapons and more – we glimpse all of what you’d hope to see in this iconic laboratory and more.

Q's Mobile Lab / C17

The QDAR was one of the key story-telling elements for us to nail in the final action-packed sequence. Once deployed the QDAR maps the interior of Safin’s lair which creates a full visual of the entire facility that Q could then use to guide Bond.

Q's Apartment

Q’s personal space in which he’s caught off guard by Bond and Moneypenny who urgently need data decrypting and Q’s the only one that can help. We see revelations on the extent of Safin’s weapon and plans played out across military hardware and ultrawide screens.

Poison Island

In classic Bond villain style, Safin has his own lair, aptly named ‘Poison Island’, on which the final act takes place. Bond and Nomi infiltrate the Island in order to take out Obruchev’s Laboratory. Which is of course situated underground beneath a heavily fortified missile silo where Nanobot technology is being manufactured at a huge scale ready for a global roll out.

Screens seen throughout the lab are monitoring the Nanotechnology and controlling the flow of enzymes and combination processes to produce a stockpile of bots, ready for DNA tagging.

One of the screens in this lab runs simulations on the effect and spread of the weapon and we see the penny drop for Bond and Nomi as to the extent of the weapon’s power.

This was such an unbelievable opportunity for Territory to take on arguably the best-known franchise in film. Bond is iconic, timeless and unique and these are some of the qualities that we really wanted to bring to our work. It was probably one of the closest working relationships we’ve ever had with a director since the work was so integral to the story, which made it all the more important and challenging.

Andrew Popplestone, Creative Director at Territory Studio

Research and Development

Asked by the director, Cary Joji Fukunaga to develop a wide range of concepts that would help to inform the technology throughout the film and help to tell crucial plot points, the team embarked on a huge research and development process. Cary really wanted to push the notion of ‘next-gen’ technology yet still keep it rooted in real-world believability. This led our research to focus on current cutting edge technologies and then imagining how we might be able to push them further, but of course always with the focus on clarity of story-telling.

MI6 - AI Facial Recognition & Surveillance

Looking at the different real-world processes of how AI sorts, reconstructs, and invents imagery, a clear aesthetic begins to appear that seems universal. A constantly shifting, morphing, artificial and slightly eerie style that we would look to incorporate into our on-screen graphics.

Organic UI & Digital Skin

One of the ideas we discussed a lot was the notion of ‘liquid ink’ or ‘digital skin’ which is already used in tablets today.

Toxins & DNA Tagging

Cary loved the sense of ominous depth the ‘digital skin’ aesthetic allowed, particularly when used in the C-Minus 2 lab creating a shadowy unnatural feel for the toxin experiments.

This could then be applied to a translucent “skin” style of screen for the DNA sequences / Toxin UI. So that all UI has an organic/fluid/sinister aesthetic and style of animation. Hinting at an impression of poison running through an organic material within the UI itself.

Nanobot Development

The task of getting the design of the Nanobot right was quite an epic journey that required huge amounts of research and development but was a lot of fun designing these creepy critters.