He may be an endless symbol of masculinity, but Britain's most renowned spy could classify as "non-binary" in the future, 007's producer has offered.
Barbara Broccoli has revealed suggestions the part could go to a woman… but in a new interview, she admitted a future Bond could be "non-binary" – someone who considers themselves neither male or female, and regularly prefers to be referred to as "they" rather than "he" or "she".
Speaking to the Girls On Film podcast, Ms. Broccoli talked about the search to substitute Daniel Craig, who is withdrawing from the role after No Time To Die.
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When host Anna Smith asked if she thought 007 would always be male, she replied: "I do, because I don't think that we should be making films where women are playing men.
"I think we should be making more films about women. I think Bond will be a man."
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Smith suggested, "Non-binary, perhaps, maybe one day?' to which Ms Broccoli replied: "Who knows? I mean, I think it's open. We just have to find the right actor."
Ms. Broccoli, who controls the 007 franchise through her Eon Production company, also said the next Bond might not be white, adding: "We want the actor to be British… and British, as we know, can be many things."
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Names linked with the role include Idris Elba, Bridgerton's Rege-Jean Page, Mad Max star Tom Hardy and Bodyguard actor Richard Madden. Last night, one Hollywood producer said: "Bond has to adapt to the times but a non-binary 007 might be hard for fans to accept."
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Daniel Craig: "Deciding to leave Bond behind has been bittersweet."
It's potentially the future of the James Bond franchise, as Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson has officially established he'd like to be the next 007.
"I would like to follow in his footsteps and be the next Bond. I don't want to be a villain. Gotta be Bond," Dwayne told Esquire, citing his grandfather Peter Maivia, who played a villain in the 1967 Sean Connery Bond film You Only Live Twice.
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Every time a new Bond actor leaves the role, there's a period where fans begin their guesswork about who will pick up Bond's penchant for binge drinking and gadgets next. Other names to have been thrown around ahead of the next phase of Bond include Richard Madden, Idris Elba, and Rege-Jean Page.
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When Daniel Craig took on the role in 2006 some Bond purists slammed his selection because he was the first blonde Bond. An entire website was even established for a campaign to remove the actor from the role.
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