What happened to Felix Leiter?

wollastonblue

This is something has bothered me regarding the Brosnan era of Bond films.

Why did they replace Felix Leiter with Jack Wade, as Bonds CIA friend?

John Gardner has never left Felix out of the equation in his novels, although Felix does become a PI in Bensons Doubleshot. This was a strange decision IMO.

7289

Good question.

I liked the Jack Wade charecter. There was no reason he couldn't have been named Leiter.

Prehaps the producers were worried people
expected Leiter to have only one leg after LTK.

Jarvio

I've always wondered this. I guess Leiter may have retired after his traumatic experience in LTK? I dunno.

Leiter ruled. Jack Wade totally sucked. They should have just stuck with Leiter.

radar180

It’s because the Pierce Brosnan era of films continue the continuity of the Timothy Dalton era of films. If you don’t understand that then you are not a real James Bond fan.

caractacus potts

when last seen in License to Kill he had been half-eaten by a shark. Maybe he was no longer employed by the CIA? When this happened in the books he was let go and when next seen was working for Pinkerton's.

Therefor when Bond next encounters a CIA agent while working abroad it has to be a new character. In Die Another Day he meets yet another CIA agent.

A good question is why does Bond not ask Wade, Jinx or Jinx's mean boss how his old pal is doing.

caractacus potts

and @radar180 : welcome new Agent!

please  come tell us all about your Secret Origins, Unseen Missions, and Character Revealing Backstory in the Welcome & Comings & Goings thread.

(but resist the urge to tell fellow agents they're "not real Bond fans": wollastonblue has even read the Bensons(!!!), obviously a more committed fan than I am)

John from Cork

I thought it was obvious that Wade had replaced Leiter due to the events of licence to kill.