'James Bond' Reboot Title and Plot Officially Revealed

The last few months have seen several James Bond announcements, including the name of the new actor who’s taking up the mantle in one of the upcoming reboots. Now, we have even more 007 news to bring you — and it’s likely to shake (not stir) the fanbase.

More than 60 years after Dr. No introduced audiences to the world’s most famous secret agent through Sean Connery’s performance, the James Bond franchise continues to evolve across film, games, and other tie-in media. And things just took a very interesting turn.

The cinematic reboot — currently in early development under Dune and Blade Runner 2049 director Denis Villeneuve with Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight penning the script — is still without its new 007 actor, but excitement for the next era of Bond is already building.

Meanwhile, the world of interactive espionage is preparing its own mission. “007 First Light”, the upcoming third-person action-adventure video game from IO Interactive, which stars Dexter: Original Sin‘s Patrick Gibson as a young Bond, is due out in March 2026.

While both the film and gaming side of the franchise are gearing up for new beginnings, another corner of the expansive Bond universe is stepping back into the light.

James Bond: From Ian Fleming to Vaseem Khan

Ever since Ian Fleming’s original novels defined the suave yet ruthless secret agent, a long line of authors has continued his legacy. Writers such as John Gardner, Raymond Benson, Sebastian Faulks, Samantha Weinberg, and most recently Kim Sherwood have each reinterpreted the character and his world through new eras and perspectives.

Now, Vaseem Khan — best known for “The Malabar House” crime series — becomes the latest to join that distinguished list, with a bold new direction for the literary 007 universe.

Related: Meet the New James Bond in the Upcoming ‘007’ Reboot

Q Takes the Lead in “Quantum of Menace”

Rather than focusing on Bond himself, however, Khan’s “Quantum of Menace” shifts the spotlight to Q, the MI6 quartermaster whose gadgets and inventions have long fueled the series’ escapades.

The novel, the first in a new line from Ian Fleming Publications titled “The Q Mysteries”, follows Major Boothroyd (Q) as he returns to his hometown to investigate the death of an old scientist friend — a mission that exposes deeper conspiracies and unexpected personal entanglements, including a romance with Miss Moneypenny.

Khan’s interpretation of Q draws from Fleming’s sensibilities but expands the emotional depth of the character, painting him as a man balancing intellect, loyalty, and vulnerability. The story explores the line between invention and destruction — and what it means to serve Queen and Country from behind a desk that’s far more dangerous than it looks.

The author has said that his version of Q will differ from the one seen in Daniel Craig’s No Time to Die (2021), where the character was portrayed as gay. Khan’s take presents him as heterosexual, with references to a past fiancée and a romantic connection to Miss Moneypenny, while keeping the tone consistent with Fleming’s grounded espionage style.

In film, Q has been portrayed by several actors, with Desmond Llewelyn – who played him in 17 films between 1963 and 1999 – and by Ben Whishaw in three films opposite Daniel Craig’s Bond: Skyfall (2012), Spectre (2015), and No Time to Die–  being the two most notable.

Khan told RadioTimes.com that the Q in “Quantum of Menace” is someone who lies somewhere “in the middle of these two iconic representations on-screen”.

The book is available to order now.

What’s Next for James Bond

The follow-up, “The Man with the Golden Compass,” is set for release in October 2026, continuing Q’s journey deeper into the moral gray zones of British intelligence.

Meanwhile, another new novel titled “James Bond and the Secret Agent Academy” from M. W. Craven, which is aimed at younger readers, is also due out next year.

Between the new film, the upcoming video game, and the novels, the James Bond franchise shows no signs of slowing down.

And for the first time in decades, Q has stepped out from behind his laboratory door, and in doing so, he may have given the 007 universe its most unexpected reinvention yet.

Are you a fan of the James Bond novels? Let us know in the comments below!