Bond's number is up: black female actor 'is the new 007'

Geoff · Jul 15, 2019

This was posted yesterday in this thread https://www.resetera.com/threads/da...aigs-character-retires-from-mi6.128914/page-2 which was subsequently closed for bad sourcing.

Now the Guardian is reporting it, so go nuts. https://www.theguardian.com/film/2019/jul/15/lashana-lynch-new-007-james-bond-daniel-craig

While Daniel Craig is set to reprise his role as James Bond in the next film, the franchise is set for a shake-up, with reports claiming that black British actor Lashana Lynch has been cast as 007 – taking over Bond’s secret agent number after his character leaves M16.

(that's her on the right)

At this point it just looks like a plot device. Bond leaves MI6, black woman replaces him, ???, Bond comes back and kicks arse. It's still a Bond movie and I expect Bond to be the main character, whether he is 007 or not. But who knows? Maybe this is a lead in for the next movie, where Bond is actually gone and 007 continues as a black woman.

Gorthaur · Jul 15, 2019

This is gonna be good.

I can’t wait to see people rage about this.

gofreak · Jul 15, 2019

Geoff said:
Maybe this is a lead in for the next movie, where Bond is actually gone and 007 continues as a black woman.

That's kind of how I'm reading it - I'm kind of hoping so, that kind of reboot would be a real kick up the bum for the franchise, in a good way. Perhaps Bond has to be 'one way', but 007 can indeed be anyone that can do the job. But we'll see.

Fistfulofmetal · Jul 15, 2019

would be nice if you at least named the actress in the title instead of referring to her as 'black female'

Disco · Jul 15, 2019

I bet it's the 007 that replaces him as hes retired at the start of this film

I dont think it's an actual recasting for this role post-Craig tho

But man its gonna put broccoli's backs to the corner for the next bond if reception to this woman in the role is very positive lmao

HStallion · Jul 15, 2019

I'm kind of surprised they're making such a bold change to the role. I was expecting another white dude, or at least a dude of some kind.

Platy · Jul 15, 2019

yah .. sounds spoilerish, which is why i don't think it will mean much.

I would LOVE to, but i will not get my hopes up

Dan · Jul 15, 2019

It'll happen. In an Never Say Never Again remake.

Eggiem · Jul 15, 2019

Fistfulofmetal said:
would be nice if you at least named the actress in the title instead of referring to her as 'black female'

I agree, but it's just copied from the Guardian.

Geoff · Jul 15, 2019

Fistfulofmetal said:
would be nice if you at least named the actress in the title instead of referring to her as 'black female'

It's just the title of the article

Wackamole · Jul 15, 2019

Fistfulofmetal said:
would be nice if you at least named the actress in the title instead of referring to her as 'black female'

This.... I hate topic titles these days. People just want to sell popcorn, it seems.

Anyway, this will cause tsunamis of man-baby-tears.

Fistfulofmetal · Jul 15, 2019

Geoff said:
It's just the title of the article

not trying to call you out, but the shitty practices of media doesn't need to be perpetuated just 'cuz'

edit; this threads not about this so i'll leave it at that.

WaveBird · Jul 15, 2019

I'll be curious to see how it goes. Could be just for this movie, could be a backdoor kind of pilot if it goes well. Sounds kind of like what they tried to do with Indiana Jones and John McClane though where if it doesn't work out it'll be forgotten about.

Geoff · Jul 15, 2019

whatever - take it up with the Guardian

DOBERMAN INC · Jul 15, 2019

I really hope this is true, I didn't watch the last one but I'll be going back now knowing they're shaking things up.

The Unsent · Jul 15, 2019

Testing the waters for Emily Blunt Bond. :p

Sgt. Demblant · Jul 15, 2019

Even if this is just a plot device for this one film or whatever, I'm not sure the internet is gonna be able to handle this. Structurally, I mean.

Aside from that, I'm no James Bond fan, and I don't much care for the Craig films past the first one but this could get me interested.

APZonerunner · Jul 15, 2019

This is great news for representation, but anybody thinking this has an actual longer-term implication is misguided, I think. The franchise character is James Bond 007, not whatever other agent takes the 007 number, and next movie once Craig is out they will inevitably cast another man to be James Bond. I don't think they have the guts to actually make it a female led franchise or stray that far from Fleming's character.

I think there's a chance for Bond to be a black man next time, though. They've acknowledged the thirst for Idris in the role too many times, and though Idris is probably very close to aging out of Bond (considering whoever takes it has to be willing to sit in the role for a decade and Idris is only a few years younger than Craig), but there's a bunch of young black British actors who'd be great for it.

However... EON has had ambitions for a female-led spin-off for years. They first kicked around the idea for Michelle Yeoh's character in Tomorrow Never Dies, then they actually had a script for a solo movie for Halle Berry's character from Die Another Day... but then Die Another Day was terrible and a combination of the Bourne movies and real-world events like 9/11 turned the espionage movie genre upside down, so that got canned alongside another Brosnan movie to make way for the Craig reboot.

Anyway, what I'm getting at is that the Bond producers have talked multiple times in the past about setting up a secondary franchise within the Bond universe to work as a 'Winter Olympics' to the main Bond's 'Summer Olympics' (their analogy, not mine), and they talked a lot about it in a pre-MCU world... so you could certainly see Lynch's character being a potential opening for that again. And maybe this time that'll work.

I just hope she doesn't get offed or incapacitated in the course of this film (which is usually the fate of other 00s in this franchise). I'd generally like Craig's supporting cast (Wright, Fiennes, Wishaw, Harris and now hopefully Lynch) stick around in a continuity-free way into his successor's movies.

Hagi · Jul 15, 2019

Bodes well for when they recast Craig in 2027.

Rosenkrantz · Jul 15, 2019

Petition to boycott and reshoot the film incoming in 5...4...3...

Now we know the real reason behind Tommy Robinson's planned exodus from the UK.

Shroki · Jul 15, 2019

See, this is a good idea. A new 007, not "Jane Bond".

Deleted member 44129 · Jul 15, 2019

I'm indifferent to this. If anything, in my mind 007 is a man, but whatever. On the other hand, this will upset dickheads, so I'm in support of it.

Dwebble · Jul 15, 2019

People are aware that this doesn’t mean that they’re recasting Bond, right?

I’d put a sizeable chunk of change on Bond being 007 again by the end of the movie.

NateDog · Jul 15, 2019

ScarJo must be sickened, she would have been perfect to play a black Bond.

Deleted member 15428 · Jul 15, 2019

Gorthaur said:
This is gonna be good.

I can’t wait to see people rage about this.

Why would you encourage this?

DragonSJG · Jul 15, 2019

The salt mines will be high

Deleted member 15428 · Jul 15, 2019

APZonerunner said:
This is great news for representation, but anybody thinking this has an actual longer-term implication is misguided, I think. The franchise character is James Bond 007, not whatever other agent takes the 007 number, and next movie once Craig is out they will inevitably cast another man to be James Bond. I don't think they have the guts to actually make it a female led franchise or stray that far from Fleming's character.

I think there's a chance for Bond to be a black man next time, though. They've acknowledged the thirst for Idris in the role too many times, and though Idris is probably very close to aging out of Bond (considering whoever takes it has to be willing to sit in the role for a decade and Idris is only a few years younger than Craig), but there's a bunch of young black British actors who'd be great for it.

However... EON has had ambitions for a female-led spin-off for years. They first kicked around the idea for Michelle Yeoh's character in Tomorrow Never Dies, then they actually had a script for a solo movie for Halle Berry's character from Die Another Day... but then Die Another Day was terrible and a combination of the Bourne movies and real-world events like 9/11 turned the espionage movie genre upside down, so that got canned alongside another Brosnan movie to make way for the Craig reboot.

Anyway, what I'm getting at is that the Bond producers have talked multiple times in the past about setting up a secondary franchise within the Bond universe to work as a 'Winter Olympics' to the main Bond's 'Summer Olympics' (their analogy, not mine), and they talked a lot about it in a pre-MCU world... so you could certainly see Lynch's character being a potential opening for that again. And maybe this time that'll work.

I just hope she doesn't get offed or incapacitated in the course of this film (which is usually the fate of other 00s in this franchise). I'd generally like Craig's supporting cast (Wright, Fiennes, Wishaw, Harris and now hopefully Lynch) stick around in a continuity-free way into his successor's movies.

Why did you call Daniel Craig by his last name and Idris Elba by his first name?

Deleted member 176 · Jul 15, 2019

Dwebble said:
People are aware that this doesn’t mean that they’re recasting Bond, right?

I’d put a sizeable chunk of change on Bond being 007 again by the end of the movie.

this is my thought as well. they don't show all the other James Bonds retiring before the new guy comes in to replace them. the fact that Craig is there at all makes it seem not final.

ProstatePuncher · Jul 15, 2019

Birdseye said:
Why would you encourage this?

Its priceless seeing gammons go bright red over a woman doing anything.

Deleted member 38573 · Jul 15, 2019

cop out. it'd be like if Jodie Whittaker played a new Time Lord instead of The Doctor.

slightly different considering time lords are genderless but they coulda made it work via a soft reboot

ConanEd · Jul 15, 2019

This will never going to happen (as in a female lead Bond movie) just on the account that Bond's main advertiser are BMW, Austin Martin and luxury watches and shit. Now go to a magazine and see how many full page advertisement of these luxury goods use a black female model.

Forearm_Star · Jul 15, 2019

Whelp
In for this and the little mermaid.

Dan Thunder · Jul 15, 2019

There's no way on God's green earth that Daniel Craig won't be 007 by the end of the film. There's a formula, a very successful formula, to making these films. They ain't gonna change it. Look at what happened to Danny Boyle when he wanted to do something different.

There are countless stories that could be told about a female spy, there's literally no need to shoehorn it into the Bond series. Anyone thinking that the next James Bond/007 isn't going to be a man (very likely a white man) is kidding themselves.

HStallion · Jul 15, 2019

Dwebble said:
People are aware that this doesn’t mean that they’re recasting Bond, right?

I’d put a sizeable chunk of change on Bond being 007 again by the end of the movie.

This seems pretty lame to make a movie about a black woman taking over the job only to drop her in the same movie.

Geoff · Jul 15, 2019

coconut milk said:
cop out. it'd be like if Jodie Whittaker played a new Time Lord instead of The Doctor.

slightly different considering time lords are genderless but they coulda made it work via a soft reboot

I think making a new character with the same code number is a good compromise if you want to use a black woman going forward. Insisting on still calling the character 'James Bond' just seems limiting.

Sweeney Swift · Jul 15, 2019

HStallion said:
This seems pretty lame

Welcome to the history of James Bond pre-July 2019

Kirblar · Jul 15, 2019

Disco said:
I bet it's the 007 that replaces him as hes retired at the start of this film

I dont think it's an actual recasting for this role post-Craig tho

But man its gonna put broccoli's backs to the corner for the next bond if reception to this woman in the role is very positive lmao

Yeah, this is a finale for Craig's run, there's a good chance they just have a new "Casino Royale" style kickoff for the next actor.

Duffking · Jul 15, 2019

So is this another Craig Bond movie where he gets disavowed or whatever? Like, can't he just go on a fucking mission or something?

Messofanego · Jul 15, 2019

Birdseye said:
Why did you call Daniel Craig by his last name and Idris Elba by his first name?

Because this is the last of Craig and Idris is beginning next for the first time.

Deleted member 38573 · Jul 15, 2019

Geoff said:
I think making a new character with the same code number is a good compromise if you want to use a black woman going forward. Insisting on still calling the character 'James Bond' just seems limiting.

I guess so. It fits the current "serialised" direction of the franchise too. It makes sense but isn't really the most satisfying outcome after years of the internet crying for a minority Bond lol.

Duffking said:
So is this another Craig Bond movie where he gets disavowed or whatever? Like, can't he just go on a fucking mission or something?

They want it to be Mission Impossible so bad. Don't blame them. As of late, MI >>> Bond.

Olaf · Jul 15, 2019

inb4 she dies early on and James Bond comes back to save the day!

Honestly they should just start a new franchise with a female 008. Let James die in peace.

StraightToHell · Jul 15, 2019

Dan Thunder said:
There's no way on God's green earth that Daniel Craig won't be 007 by the end of the film. There's a formula, a very successful formula, to making these films. They ain't gonna change it. Look at what happened to Danny Boyle when he wanted to do something different.

Wasn't Boyle was the one that refused to kill Bond? It's a story that originated in The Sun, which is a PoS so I won't post a direct link to it.

Duffking said:
So is this another Craig Bond movie where he gets disavowed or whatever? Like, can't he just go on a fucking mission or something?

It's a shame to see them play that card in 2 out of what will be 5 movies with 1 actor as Bond. Although I blame Mendes for not knowing what to do with Bond in Spectre. I would love to know what Craig would have liked for Bond's arc.

SJRB · Jul 15, 2019

My guess:

Bond quits at the end of Spectre;
Another agent gets his 00-code;
Bond returns, reclaims the code or quits altogether at the end of the new movie.

StraightToHell · Jul 15, 2019

Olaf said:
Honestly they should just start a new franchise with a female 008. Let James die in peace.

I'd like to see the series take a more drastic direction, and make subsequent each film a stand alone piece with a unique combination of creators and actors and let them set it in any time period they want. And also, don't be afraid to leave a good 3-4 years between each release.

coconut milk said:
They want it to be Mission Impossible so bad. Don't blame them. As of late, MI >>> Bond.

Bah, M:I2 got its stuff from Goldeneye!

Forkball · Jul 15, 2019

Have there been other non-Bond 007s? I find it hard to believe that 25 movies in this idea hasn’t been done before.

PJV3 · Jul 15, 2019

Dan Thunder said:
There are countless stories that could be told about a female spy, there's literally no need to shoehorn it into the Bond series. Anyone thinking that the next James Bond/007 isn't going to be a man (very likely a white man) is kidding themselves.

I struggle with the idea of trying to make the world Ian Fleming wrote into a progressive one, it's a world full of establishment wankers and old school tie tossers, half the fun is kinda hating James Bond for being a prick.

Rand a. Thor · Jul 15, 2019

I'm indifferent to this change to be honest. But at some point people need to start being critical of these character repurposings, not because of the actual change but because of the creative bankruptcy and almost immoral reasoning behind them. Its far too easy for Hollywood to take an established character, change their race and gender and coyly go hey "look at us we're progressive, we're hip!" Yes yes old franchises and characters have mainstay power and are easier to draw people in, but at some point they need to start making new characters and worlds that will eventually have the same legacy and fame. Hijacking is just gonna eventually lead to a dead end.

Jam · Jul 15, 2019

From her name I don’t remember her in anything? Not against a black female in the role, just don’t know the actress from memory.

I agree it’s probably a temporary plot device and the next real Bond is going to be a white or possibly black Male. I am curious though if they continue trying to make it a solid continuity or soft reboot post-Craig.

Edit: I think I’ve only seen her in Captain Marvel, I mean she was fine in that but it doesn’t fill me with excitement for a 007 role. Could be good, we’ll see.

Dan Thunder · Jul 15, 2019

StraightToHell said:
Wasn't Boyle was the one that refused to kill Bond? It's a story that originated in The Sun, which is a PoS so I won't post a direct link to it.

I don't believe for one minute that the Broccolli's would let Bond be killed off, let alone request it. it's their cash cow. If I remember correctly they wanted Boyle to work with their usual scriptwriters rather than his usual partner John Hodge so he left.

Ushojax · Jul 15, 2019

I'm very interested to see if James Bond takes a break after this movie and they realign it as being about 007, whoever that may be. If that is the plan then I'm excited. This way we don't have to hear all the "but James Bond is a white guy" stuff but we can still have a completely different 007.

Dan Thunder said:
I don't believe for one minute that the Broccolli's would let Bond be killed off, let alone request it. it's their cash cow. If I remember correctly they wanted Boyle to work with their usual scriptwriters rather than his usual partner John Hodge so he left.

Obviously Bond dying in this film would not be the end of James Bond. It would just be an end to Craig's version. Nothing would stop them bringing him back in a new series. There have been many different versions of Batman, Spider-Man etc so why is James Bond any different?

Bond's number is up: black female actor 'is the new 007'

Self-requested ban

Features Editor at VG247.com

User requested account closure

User requested account closure

User requested account closure

Alt account

User Requested Ban

User requested account closure