The Forgotten James Bond Spin-Off That Vanished From View
James Bond Jr, the animated series about 007’s nephew, ran for 65 episodes but has never seen an official home release, leaving it largely erased from Bond history.
When the Broccoli family handed over creative reins of the James Bond franchise to Amazon MGM Studios, a certain phrase began to haunt long-standing enthusiasts: shared universe. Since Marvel’s Iron Man changed the landscape in 2008, audiences have come to expect sprawling webs of sequels, prequels, and spin-offs. Bond, however, has always stood apart, resisting the urge to dilute its core with endless tie-ins. If Eon Productions had ever fancied broadening the 007 world, it would have happened long ago. Yet, under new management, even a reality series like Road to a Million has managed to secure two series, and it seems only a matter of time before supporting characters from Fleming’s world are given their own outings.
Yet, this sort of expansion isn’t entirely new. There was, in fact, a previous attempt—one that the current custodians would likely prefer to forget. For those who grew up in a certain era, the animated series James Bond Jr remains a curious memory. Despite running for a full 65 episodes, it was quietly cancelled and has never been officially released on VHS, DVD, Blu-ray, or any streaming platform. In the digital age, episodes have surfaced on YouTube, but the series remains largely absent from official Bond lore.
The Curious Case of James Bond Jr
The premise is as straightforward as it is perplexing. James Bond Jr, rather than being 007’s son, is his nephew. He attends Warfield Academy, where he teams up with IQ (the grandson of Q) and Gordo Leiter (Felix Leiter’s son). Together, they face off against a cast of villains, including Goldfinger’s daughter, Goldie Finger, and familiar foes like Oddjob, Nick Nack, and Jaws. The show never quite reached the heights of its cinematic counterpart, and it’s clear why those in charge have tried to keep it out of the spotlight.
“The fact remains that after almost 30 years, this show about James Bond, or rather, his nephew, has never officially been released on DVD to the public, as far as I know,” writer Terrence McDonnell shared. “If it’s true, that says a lot. Maybe someday everyone will get a chance to see it, maybe not. Maybe the owners want to leave it and let it die a quiet death.”
Behind the Animated Experiment
Why did Eon allow such a project to go ahead? Part of the answer lies with Kevin McClory, who held rights to certain elements of the Bond universe and used them to produce Never Say Never Again. He had ambitions for an animated series of his own, prompting the official Bond team to pre-empt him by launching their own version. Debuting in September 1991, during the franchise’s longest hiatus between Licence to Kill and GoldenEye, the series was an attempt to keep Bond in the public eye and perhaps generate new revenue through merchandise.
For children of the 1990s, James Bond Jr might be a faint but fond recollection. For many others, it’s a footnote—an experiment quietly brushed aside, never to be officially revisited.