Beyond Bond: Hollywood’s Most Memorable Movie Spies

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Beyond Bond: Hollywood’s Most Memorable Movie Spies
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He’s one of the most famous movie characters of all time, with a name that instantly brings to mind exotic locations, thrilling action and smooth one-liners. However, James Bond isn’t the only spy to ever light up the silver screen. Across Hollywood history, a number of secret agents have saved the world in style, creating a legacy that even 007 would eye with jealousy. With the upcoming Matthew Vaughn-directed spy romp Argylle perhaps poised to introduce us to yet more irresistible undercover agents, we take a look at the greatest spies who aren’t named Bond, but who still managed to infiltrate our hearts!

By Victoria Luxford

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Beyond Bond: Hollywood’s Most Memorable Movie Spies.
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Agent Argylle (Argylle, 2024) – Set to premiere in early 2024, big-name action-comedy Argylle sees Henry Cavill in the title role of a dashing secret agent who knows how to cut a rug with fellow operative LaGrange, played by pop megastar Dua Lipa. If you sense elements of 007, that’s probably because director Matthew Vaughn is a self-professed fan of the Bond franchise, particularly the Roger Moore-era films. Cavill has also long been linked with the famous tuxedo-wearing, martini-sipping spy, so who knows? This could prove to be a spectacular addition to the genre – or, at the very least, a fabulously fun popcorn flick.

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Beyond Bond: Hollywood’s Most Memorable Movie Spies.
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Jason Bourne (The Bourne Saga, 2002-2016) – It was a surprise to many when Matt Damon, then known for drama roles like Good Will Hunting, made gritty action movie The Bourne Identity. The character, however, would soon transform Damon’s legacy, becoming one of the most successful franchises of the 21st century and redefining what it is to be an action hero (even Daniel Craig’s turn as Bond seemed to be inspired by the edgier action scenes). Ruthless and exciting, Bourne is not as suave as most big-screen spies, but he makes up for it in his relentless pursuit of justice.

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Beyond Bond: Hollywood’s Most Memorable Movie Spies.
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Lorraine Broughton (Atomic Blonde, 2017) – Many film fans have cried out for a female Bond equivalent, whether that means recasting 007 or creating a new character who’s just as fun. For our money, that character appeared in 2017 with this adaptation of the graphic novel Atomic Blonde. Charlize Theron sets the screen on fire as Lorraine Broughton, a British agent chasing a list of double agents in Cold War Berlin just before the fall of the Berlin Wall. As stylish and sexy as anything you’ve seen in the spy genre, fans of the movie have demanded a follow-up ever since the film’s release.

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Beyond Bond: Hollywood’s Most Memorable Movie Spies.
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Ethan Hunt (The Mission Impossible series, 1996-Present) – A spy that has undeniably thrilled audiences for a generation. Tom Cruise redefined himself as the ultimate action star in this blockbuster remake of the 1960s TV show, now better known as a thrilling series of movies. As Ethan Hunt, Cruise is a secretive, daring agent who has undertaken a number of seemingly, well, impossible tasks across seven films – whether that’s hanging from skyscrapers, racing a motorcycle through Paris, or clinging to the side of a plane at take-off. Despite his superhuman feats, the appeal of Hunt lies in his sense of authenticity – likely aided along by Cruise’s determination to perform every stunt without computer effects, putting the audience right in the middle of the action!

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Beyond Bond: Hollywood’s Most Memorable Movie Spies.
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Charlie’s Angels (2000-2019) – Another spy series adapted from a TV show, Charlie’s Angels are three female agents charged with world-saving missions by an anonymous boss named Charlie. Rebooted in 2000 as a film series starring Cameron Diaz, Drew Barrymore and Lucy Liu, the first two movies became defining hits of the early 2000s, thanks to their fierce energy and high-flying fun. A third film, which introduced a new team of Angels, concentrated on the empowering side of the story and turned actors Kristen Stewart, Naomi Scott and Ella Balinska into action heroes. Heroic and glamorous, it’s a team that won’t soon be forgotten!

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Beyond Bond: Hollywood’s Most Memorable Movie Spies.
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Austin Powers (The Austin Powers films, 1997-2003) – Mike Myers shot to stardom in the late ‘90s in this funky spoof of 1960s spy movies, including the early Bond films. While the sequels focused more on visual gags, the first film in particular was clever in its satirisation of outdated spy tropes – in some ways heralding a newer, more modern era for the genre. Of course, the film makes this salient point alongside terrific jokes and a host of colourful characters, including the unforgettable Dr Evil (a barely disguised spoof of Bond nemesis Blofeld).

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Beyond Bond: Hollywood’s Most Memorable Movie Spies.
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Evelyn Salt (Salt, 2010) – When one of the world’s biggest stars drops out of your movie, what do you do? For the makers of Salt, the answer was to recruit someone just as famous! Secret agent thriller Salt was intended to star Tom Cruise, who had to bow out due to similarities between the film and his Mission: Impossible franchise. When Oscar-winner Angelina Jolie stepped in, the character’s gender was changed, and the rest is history! A stunning action-thriller with plenty of twists and turns, the film was a hit – and can even be enjoyed in three different ways: Jolie shot so much footage that three cuts of the film exist, creating an unofficial trilogy to watch while we eagerly wait for Salt’s return.

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Beyond Bond: Hollywood’s Most Memorable Movie Spies.
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Eggsy Unwin (The Kingsman films, 2015-Present) – How do you turn a smart but troubled youth into a dapper secret agent? That’s the question posed by Matthew Vaughn’s wild and entertaining Kingsman films, starring Taron Egerton as Eggsy, a tough kid moulded into a highly trained operative for British outfit Kingsman. Renamed Agent Gallahad, the contrast between his streetwise attitude and the upper-class world he enters makes for great viewing, and over the course of two films we see plenty of nods to the Bond franchise. A third film, Kingsman: The Blue Blood, is on the way, meaning this organisation will be coming to the rescue well into the future.

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Beyond Bond: Hollywood’s Most Memorable Movie Spies.
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Spy Kids (2001-Present) – In the early 2000s, director Robert Rodriguez pitched a film that he saw as a mixture of Willy Wonka and James Bond. The result was Spy Kids, the ultimate escapist fantasy for children, which imagined the son and daughter of a secret agent team having to enter the family business when their parents are kidnapped. Family-friendly and bursting with adventure, the series now encompasses five movies featuring different teams of kids entering the fray. The films have always featured Latin American leads, creating a more diverse landscape for the genre.

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Beyond Bond: Hollywood’s Most Memorable Movie Spies.
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Black Widow (The Marvel Universe, 2010-2021) – The most prolific and successful female spy in Hollywood, Scarlett Johansson’s trained assassin is more of a secret agent than a superhero, with no specific powers other than a special set of skills taught to her from a young age. Holding her own alongside gods, mutants and technological wizards, Black Widow became a standout member of the original Avengers line-up before bravely sacrificing herself in the climax of Avengers: Endgame. Saving the universe and billions of lives definitely makes her a spy to be reckoned with!

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Beyond Bond: Hollywood’s Most Memorable Movie Spies.
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Johnny English (2003-2018) – Who’d have thought a character inspired by a commercial would become a multi-million dollar franchise? Johnny English, Rowan Atkinson’s accident-prone secret agent, is loosely based on a character the actor played in UK adverts during the 1990s. While English is hardly on par with Bond, he has saved the world repeatedly across three movies, co-starring with the likes of Gillian Anderson, Emma Thompson and Daniel Kaluuya. Even former Bond Girls Rosamund Pike and Olga Kurylenko have joined in the fun during the sequels!

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Beyond Bond: Hollywood’s Most Memorable Movie Spies.
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Jack Ryan (1990-2023) – Tom Clancy’s heroic naval officer has a solid claim on the title of “American James Bond”, having been played by multiple actors over a number of movies. Alec Baldwin first portrayed him in 1990’s The Hunt for Red October opposite Sean Connery, while Harrison Ford took on the role in two movies during the rest of that decade. Ben Affleck, Chris Pine and John Krasinski have all taken up the mantle, with performances that depict a calm but efficient operative who uses his brains, charm and physicality to continually pull the world back from the brink of disaster.

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Beyond Bond: Hollywood’s Most Memorable Movie Spies.
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Alicia Huberman (Notorious, 1946) – How about some classic Hollywood espionage? Filmed just after the end of World War II, Ingrid Bergman played the daughter of a convicted Nazi spy who is coerced by a US agent (Cary Grant) into infiltrating a group of escaped Nazis in order to bring them to justice. A fine example of a spy movie that doesn’t rely on death-defying stunts, Alfred Hitchcock’s classic is regarded as one of his greatest films, mixing sweeping romance with his typical flair for tension. Bergman, who had played a spy of sorts in 1942’s Casablanca, becomes every bit as engrossing as her co-stars, and steals the show.

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Beyond Bond: Hollywood’s Most Memorable Movie Spies.
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Xander Cage (The xXx films, 2002-2017) – Not content with being the heart of the Fast & Furious franchise, Vin Diesel gave spycraft a try in the early 2000s as an extreme sports blogger recruited to become a secret agent. Though the xXx series puts more focus on stunts than espionage, it became a big hit and inspired two sequels; if you like your spy movies with more carnage than casinos, xXx is the franchise for you. With a fourth film still in development, it looks like more surprises are yet to come!

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Beyond Bond: Hollywood’s Most Memorable Movie Spies.
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Susan Cooper (Spy, 2015) – We end with a character who perhaps isn’t quite an elite agent, but won us over nonetheless! Comedy legend Melissa McCarthy plays Susan, a spy agency office worker who is thrust into the field when her agent goes missing, along with a portable nuclear device. Directed by Paul Feig (Bridesmaids), it’s a hilarious and warm movie that sends up genre conventions while also delivering a hit of action and excitement. There’s even a taste of what might have been, as Jude Law (once linked with the James Bond role) plays the very 007-like agent Bradley Fine.

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Beyond Bond: Hollywood’s Most Memorable Movie Spies

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