With Eon Productions looking for a new James Bond in the wake of Daniel Craig's departure, commentators are speculating that the next 007 may break from the straight, white - and even male - mold. However, one former "Bond girl" has weighed in on the search, suggesting that the film's producers not stray too far from tradition. In an interview with The Times, Gemma Arterton discussed the possibility of a female James Bond, but didn't have much enthusiasm for the idea.
Says Arterton, when asked about a woman filling Bond's impeccably tailored shoes: "They talk about it, but I think people would find it too outrageous. Sometimes you just have to respect the tradition." She also poked back at her identification as a "Bond girl," given her limited role in the film: "I don’t regret doing a Bond film, but I am perplexed why it has followed me around. I was only in the film for five minutes." Arterton starred in Quantum of Solace as implausibly named consular employee Strawberry Fields, who helps Bond as he hunts down villainous entrepreneur Dominic Greene and his Quantum organization; naturally, she and Bond also briefly become lovers. She comes to a gruesome end when Greene has her drowned in crude oil; her oil-covered body serves as both a symbol of Greene's sadism and as a nod to Goldfinger, where one of the titular villain's henchwomen is killed by beng coated in gold paint.
Who Will Be the Next James Bond?
Craig's turn as Bond came to a decisive end in No Time to Die, which ends with Bond sacrificing his life to save the lives of his ex-lover Madeleine Swann (Lea Seydoux) and their young daughter Mathilde. With producers Michael Wilson and Barbara Broccoli staying as tight-lipped as Oddjob regarding the next chapter in the Bond saga, rumors are flying about who might next don the iconic super-spy's tuxedo. Collider's Liam Gaughan has a proposition - bring Pierce Brosnan out of retirement for one last mission.Other aspects of the film are also the subject of discussion, including who might take the director's chair. Edward Berger, director of Conclave and All Quiet on the Western Front, was rumored to helm the film, but as he confirmed to Collider's Steve Weintraub, "These are rumors that are just not true, so just put a bucket on it. Let’s make film by film. I don’t know what will be next."
No Time To Die did feature a female 007: Nomi (Lashana Lynch) inherited Bond's code-number when he retired from Her Majesty's Secret Service, and later served as an ally (and an annoyance) to Bond when he was reluctantly drawn back into action. She's open to reprising the character in a future Bond film.
The hunt for the new James Bond continues; all previous Bond films can currently be streamed on Prime Video. Stay tuned to Collider for future updates.
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Quantum of Solace
Release Date October 31, 2008
Director Marc Forster
Runtime 106
Writers Paul Haggis , Neal Purvis , Robert Wade
Studio Columbia Pictures, MGM
Tagline For love, for hate, for justice, for revenge.