James Bond producer Barbara Broccoli has suggested that the franchise is “open” to making its lead character non-binary in future.
Since Daniel Craig made his final appearance as 007 in No Time to Die earlier this year, speculation has been rife over the future of the character.
While it is widely expected that the next actor to play the iconic spy will be a British man – something that Broccoli herself seemed to confirm last week – it has also been suggested that the role could be given to someone of a different gender.
Speaking to Anna Smith on the Girls On Film podcast, Broccoli was asked about the prospect of a gender-switched version of the character.
She responded by saying that Bond would remain a man, stressing the importance of creating new and distinct roles for women.
However, Smith then asked whether the character could be non-binary in the future.
“Who knows, I think it’s open, you know?” Broccoli replied. “We just have to find the right actor.”
The question of whether a woman should be cast as the fictional spy is one that has provoked strong reactions from fans and commenters in the past.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer is among those to suggest that the role should be given to a woman, while UK prime minister Boris Johnson has said that the next Bond has “got to be a man”.
