3. The Rock (1996) – John Mason Is Actually A Retired James Bond
This theory is one of the most plausible fan theories out there, and it concerns one of the longest-running and most overrated cinematic franchises and a relatively forgettable ’90s action movie.
The Rock stars the often underrated Nicolas Cage as FBI agent Stanley Goodspeed alongside Sean Connery’s Captain John Mason, and the theory posits that Connery’s character is actually the same one he played during his time as 007.
The theory goes hand in hand with the one that claims that James Bond is a code name given to various agents, and that Mason was once one of them. This fits with the character’s backstory as set out in The Rock, as Mason begins the film as a federal prisoner detained for three decades for stealing national secrets. It’s later revealed that Mason was a highly-trained MI6 agent and SAS Captain, which very much fits with the theory that he was once James Bond.
In addition, Mason’s age matches roughly with him being 007 before his imprisonment, and in terms of the James Bond franchise, it explains why Connery was replaced without having died – he was illegally detained for all that time. Moreover, the theory technically makes The Rock a James Bond movie, which is perhaps the most interesting implication of this remarkably plausible idea.