James Bond could be a non-binary character in the future, the boss of the 007 franchise has suggested in an interview.
It comes following the release of No Time to Die which is expected to be the final instalment to star Daniel Craig as the iconic role - which was created by author Ian Fleming.
The 53-year-old's upcoming departure from the franchise has led to speculation over the future of the character - including who might be playing him in the next film.
And there's also questions over diversity of the role, such as being non-binary - with the character potentially being referred to as 'they' or 'them,' and identifying as neither male nor female in the future.
Barabra Broccoli, who co-owns Eon Productions - the production company behind the franchise - didn't rule this out in a recent interview on the Girls on Film podcast.
The 61-year-old producer said she thinks James Bond should be a man's role - as more films should be made about women, rather than having women playing traditionally male roles.
She added: "So I think Bond will be a man."
And when podcast host Anna Smith asked whether the role could be non-binary in the future, Barbara said: "Who knows? I mean, I think it’s open. We just have to find the right actor."
The producer - whose credits within the franchise include GoldenEye and Skyfall - then revealed that the next actor to take on the role may not be white.
She said: "We want the actor to be British. [That's] the key thing. And British, as we know, can be many, many things."
However, she warned not to expect an announcement any time soon - with executives only set to begin thinking about the future next year.
She said this is to allow Daniel to "have his time" with the release of the latest film and for that to be celebrated.
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Barbara took over Eon Productions from her father, Albert R. 'Cubby' Broccoli, in the mid 90s - running the production company with her brother Michael G. Wilson since then.
No Time to Die is now available on digital platforms. It's set to be released in physical format on December 20.
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