New Doctor Who companion Mandip Gill thinks the next James Bond should be a woman. Currently, the role of 007 is occupied by Daniel Craig, but that will change in the near future. His fifth film in the franchise, which hits theaters next year, will be his final turn as the secret agent. Once Craig bows out, the producers will be on the hunt for the next thespian to portray the character, and everyone has their own opinions on who it should be. Former Bond Pierce Brosnan recently cast his vote for Tom Hardy.
With diversity and inclusivity ever the hot button issue in Hollywood, many fans have been vocal to see either a woman or person of color be Bond. Some big names like Morena Baccarin and David Oyelowo have commented on the matter, hinting that they'd be interested, and series producer Barbara Broccoli is open to the possibility. It remains to be seen if this ever comes into fruition, but now another star of a high-profile franchise has cast her vote in support of "Jane Bond."
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Speaking with Variety while promoting the upcoming season of Doctor Who at San Diego Comic-Con 2018, Gill said that James Bond should be the next traditionally male character who is portrayed by a woman. This year, Jodie Whittaker will debut as the first female Doctor, a development that has excited many audience members.
While it would be cool to see a woman play 007 and embark on thrilling missions for MI6, not everyone is onboard with this idea. The likes of Rosamund Pike and Rachel Weisz (who, it should be noted, have their personal ties to the series) believe actresses deserve their own stories and characters. In particular, Weisz noted Bond was crafted as a "particularly male" individual with a certain set of traits, implying that it would be a drastic shift to change Bond's gender. This is an interesting perspective to have, especially since Hollywood can always use fresh concepts. Last year's Atomic Blonde was seen by many as a female 007, and its solid box office take led to the development of a sequel. Perhaps more filmmakers could come up with ideas along those lines, which would give actresses the freedom to create a character without five decades of baggage.
Having said that, James Bond remains one of the most recognizable and popular franchises in the industry. In an era where several properties are embracing female leads (The Force Awakens, Wonder Woman, Captain Marvel), it's arguably imperative for Bond to follow suit and catch up. Even Mission: Impossible has introduced Ethan Hunt's equal in the form of Rebecca Ferguson's Ilsa Faust. The outreach Bond has is exponentially wider than Atomic Blonde or similar titles, so making an actress the lead of the franchise for multiple films would have a tremendous impact and potentially inspire millions of fans.
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Source: Variety
