All good things must come to an end, and in 2020 we will have to say a fond farewell to Daniel Craig’s steely eyed incarnation of James Bond.
Despite not always showing enormous enthusiasm for the highly coveted role, Craig will undoubtedly go down as one of the greats of the long running film series: cool, stylish and with a wit dryer than his martini.
Craig will be a tough act to follow, with fans left speculating about who could possibly fill Craig’s suave tuxedo.
Favorites to hop into Bond’s Aston Martin currently include Richard Madden, Tom Hiddleston and Idris Elba, all of whom have a very Bond-esque vibe.
However, some people have been wondering whether the part could be given to a female actor, giving the series a thorough shake and stir.
Speaking with Vanity Fair, former Bond girl Eva Green – who played Vesper Lynd in Casino Royale – has spoken out on the matter, arguing how James should never be revamped as a Jane.
Lynd told Vanity Fair:
I’m for women, but I really think James Bond should remain a man. It doesn’t make sense for him to be a woman.
Women can play different types of characters, be in action movies and be superheroes, but James Bond should always be a man and not be Jane Bond. There is history with the character that should continue. He should be played by a man.
Lynd proceeded to speak about the character of Vesper, who arguably had a better developed personality and story arc than the Bond girls of years gone by:
I love the fact that the Bond girls have evolved,
I originally had reservations about being a Bond girl. I didn’t want to be a bimbo. The women are now perceived differently. They are intelligent and sassy and fascinating.
I loved playing Vesper. She’s the only one to get to Bond’s heart and has a big impact on his life.
Lynd isn’t the only person who wants to keep Bond male, with many fans and actors alike arguing how Bond’s masculinity is an integral part of the character’s identity.
Last year, Rachel Weisz made a similar point, according to Vanity Fair, stating:
[Ian Fleming] devoted an awful lot of time to writing this particular character, who is particularly male and relates in a particular way to women.
Why not create your own story rather than jumping onto the shoulders and being compared to all those other male predecessors?
Women are really fascinating and interesting, and should get their own stories.
Bond producer Barbara Broccoli has previously expressed a firm stance that Bond should always be a man, suggesting we won’t be seeing 007 hiding a pistol beneath an elegant cocktail gown anytime soon.
Daniel Craig’s final Bond outing will be released in cinemas as of April 8, 2020.
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Jules studied English Literature with Creative Writing at Lancaster University before earning her masters in International Relations at Leiden University in The Netherlands (Hoi!). She then trained as a journalist through News Associates in Manchester. Jules has previously worked as a mental health blogger, copywriter and freelancer for various publications.