In 1984, an “important announcement” was promised that would change James Bond movies forever. It never happened

In 1984, producer Kevin McClory advertised plans for a series of James Bond films outside the official Eon Productions franchise, beginning with a film called *SPECTRE*. The promised “important announcement” never came, and the proposed rival series did not materialise.

McClory had co-produced *Never Say Never Again*, the unofficial 1983 Bond film that competed with Roger Moore’s *Octopussy*. He also advertised that some Bond properties, including SPECTRE, were available for licensing or sale. Eon producer Albert R. Broccoli opposed the plans, and years of legal disputes followed; the rights issues were not resolved until 2013, seven years after McClory’s death.