The secret of the Bond series' success lies in its precariously balanced formula. It's a heady mix of glamour, action, gadgets and, of course, sex. It was recently announced that the virtually unknown actresses Olga Kurylenko and Gemma Atherton would be the Bond girls in the tentatively titled 'Bond 22'. They are set to inherit a rich legacy and will almost ensure their place in movie history.

The women who played Bond heroines in the past may have been virtually unknown and even horrible actresses but the fact that they appeared in a 'Bond' film guaranteed that they would be discussed. They all played to a formula and that formula is important.

The premise is that Bond's appeal is too strong for any woman to ignore. She may in the beginning not warm up to him, but soon she will realise what is good for her and give in to him. Some of the women may even be agents of the villain but they switch sides after having a change of heart for Bond. At times they are women he has rescued or even fellow agents.

This presumption that Bond is irresistible sometimes justifies some very sexist behaviour. Bond women are also easily dispensable. There have been a few times when they die and Bond feels bad - but only for a very short time. None of them re-appear in the later films.

The Bond girls are part of the sex equation in the series. The names of some Bond women like Pussy Galore, Holly Goodhead and Xenia Onatopp are double entendres.

But Bond apparently is not always a player. He has at times actually loved a woman. There was Tracy di Vicenzo played by Diana Rigg who was Bond's wife in 'On her Majesty's Service' but she was conveniently killed off at the end of the movie.

The most recent Bond movie 'Casino Royale' which was clearly one of the rawest and most human of all Bond movies had Bond fall for Vesper Lynd (Eva Green). Bond goes as far as to resign from M16 to live a normal life. But he finds out she uses him to help out her other lover.

Kurylenko and Atherton will also have to be aware of the curse of the Bond women. Many of them have slipped into obscurity.

Ursulla Andress who starred in 'Dr. No' ('62) in the scene where she surfaces dripping wet and which was voted cinema's sexiest moment ever became an unknown afterwards.

Others have won worst actress (Lynn-Holly Johnson) awards in other movies, appeared in TV shows, and hosted 'psychic' TV shows. But the newcomers can also take comfort from the fact that a few Bond women like Halle Berry, Teri Hatcher and Sophie Marceau have had better luck.

Berry won an Academy Award and Hatcher gets paid $380,000 per episode of 'Desperate Housewives'.

The Bond series with 'Casino Royale' got a much-needed punch in the arm and has stirred excitement in the series again. Kurylenko and Atherton could capitalise on this and go far.

(Sevanand Gaddala is a film writer and he can be contacted on sevanand@gmail.com)