Ever since Daniel Craig announced in 2015 that he was ‘done’ with playing Bond, speculation has been rife about who will take over the role once played by luminaries such as Sean Connery and Pierce Brosnan. Current cultural trends have even led to conversations about whether a woman might take on the role. So, could we about to get a female James Bond?
Why has there been more talk about a female James Bond in recent years?
Female James Bond
If you’re a film and TV fan, you might’ve noticed a trend in the past few years of studios switching up the sex/race/age of famed characters. The move is, ostensibly, to give these characters a new lease of life and offer a dynamic way of exploring long-established storylines (although the fact that it also allows studios to tick the box of promoting the idea of ‘representation’ likely doesn’t harm either). To that end, we’ve seen numerous films that have been given female twists or have had prominent female-led reboots, sequels, or reinterpretations in recent years. Among them, 2016’s all-female Ghostbusters, the all-female Oceans spin-off Oceans 8, and even the Time Lord himself- sorry, herself - Doctor Who (played by Jodie Whittaker from 2017-2022).
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Even within the James Bond franchise, there has already been a female twist on characterisation. In 2021’s No Time To Die, the character of Nomi (played by Lashana Lynch) was introduced as a new agent operating under the 007 number (although Daniel Craig was still very much the main character). With this being a consistent trend across much mainstream media, there has been much talk about a female James Bond. Daniel Craig officially hung up his tuxedo in 2021, meaning the opening is there. Discussions immediately began to bubble about who might take on the role.
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Who might be a suitable female James Bond?
Female James Bond
We’re not even sure what she might be called. Jane Bond? Jemma? Jemima?
Anyway, we’ll leave that up to the scriptwriters. Due to the nature of the discourse, there has been a lot of news and speculation around who might be a suitable female version of James Bond. Several names have been prominently floated, and some actresses have even had their own two cents on the idea. Indian actress Priyanka Chopra told Complex in a highly publicised interview: “F**k that, I wanna be Bond!” While Game of Thrones actress Emilia Clarke said in 2016, “I’d love to play Jane Bond.”
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Other names have been mentioned in the conversation. Among them is Aussie actress Cate Blanchett. Vogue deemed her suitable for the role due to her sophisticated look (especially in a suit) and for the fact that she was the lead in Ocean’s 8, a previous gender-swapping reboot. Similarly, high-profile figures like Scarlett Johansson, Emily Blunt, Angelina Jolie, and Kate Beckinsale have all been mentioned (although none of them have publicly commented on the suggestion). Eva Green has also been included in the conversation, although considering she played a Bond girl in 2006’s Casino Royale, this might very well disrupt the Bond-universe-continuum.
Who is the actual most likely next James Bond?
Bookmakers have their own ideas on who might be the next James Bond - and most of them don’t believe it will be a female. Indeed, since Daniel Craig’s departure, bookmakers have been jumping over themselves to offer the most competitive odds for who’ll play 007 in the next iteration.
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Idris Elba’s name was floated for a long time, with the star of Luther and The Wire considered to be a solid choice. However, there was also speculation that either Superman star Henry Cavill, Avengers and Kick-Ass star Aaron Taylor-Johnson, or Happy Valley star James Norton might fit for the role. Now, though, odds have been slashed on Divergent star Theo James taking the top job. The actor, who has received praise for playing sauve, sophisticated roles in The White Lotus and The Gentlemen recently, is considered a very, very strong favourite.
Will we likely see a female James Bond in the near future?
Female James Bond
The topic has generated a significant amount of debate, not just from Bond fans but from the culture at large. Much of this is to do with what James Bond represents in the public consciousness. Since Sean Connery first embodied the role over 60 years ago, ‘Bond’ has come to epitomise cool, sophistication, and - perhaps most importantly - a certain type of masculine ideal. Throughout the 25 films in the series, we’ve witnessed Bond seduce any number of women, often with a sauve, slightly dangerous, but inherently masculine charisma.
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That’s not to say that the character hasn’t also evolved as the series has progressed. Indeed, Daniel Craig’s take on Bond was more nuanced and vulnerable than most audiences had expected it to be. In films like No Time To Die and Spectre, we witnessed Bond move away from the tired womanizing into something like relationship stability (with the character of Madeleine Swann). But even with this development, many find it hard to picture Bond as a woman. A change of this kind would likely redefine what the franchise is, and perhaps result in it losing its audience base.
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Granted, it may open it up to a whole new audience base - especially women, who haven’t been as keen on Bond films if the statistics hold true - but it’s a financial risk and a cultural minefield that many studio execs might want to avoid. Relatedly, the fact that Amazon MGM Studios now has creative control over the James Bond franchise means that we’re more likely to see some direct-to-streaming female spin-off storyline than a gender overhaul of the existing franchise.
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So, will we be likely to see a female Bond in the near future? Well, we’re still not even sure when work might begin on the next Bond film, but from where things stand at the moment, we highly doubt a female might play the role. Sorry, Cate Blanchett.
