While were all gunning for more lady-centric spy movies, dont expect James Bond to become Jane Bond anytime soon. While filming gets underway for Bond 25, with man-braid icon Cary Fukunaga at the directors helm to hopefully get Daniel Craig to have fun again in his fifth Bond film, Executive producer of the films Barbara Broccoli talked to The Guardian and ruled out a gender switch for the iconic spy.
“Bond is male,” she said flatly. “Hes a male character. He was written as a male and I think hell probably stay as a male.” Dont take this to mean that Broccoli isnt interested in more representation of women in the Bond films—shes anxious to get a female director or screenwriter on board.
And while certain things she says wont change because of Bonds DNA (like, its not the most feminist franchise, per se), she does think that some aspects of Bond have changed with the times. “But look at the way the world has changed. And I think Bond has come through and transformed with the times. Ive tried to do my part, and I think particularly with the Daniel [Craig] films, theyve become much more current in terms of the way women are viewed.” Broccolis not wrong here: Eva Greens whole existence in the early Craig Bond films is a testament to that (and also her general dreaminess).
While Broccoli wont pull a Dr. Who with the Bond franchise, she, just like us, wants there to be more lady spy movies. “We dont have to turn male characters into women. Lets just create more female characters and make the story fit those female characters.” So, send your screenplays over to Barbara Broccoli. Hopefully shell produce them.
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