Daniel Craig is about to take his final bow as James Bond when No Time to Die finally hits theaters this October. Afterward, it’s anyone’s guess who the next James Bond will be.
While there has been plenty of speculation and fan casting, nothing is set in stone. But when asked if a woman should play the next Bond, Craig said that would be a disservice to female actors.
“There should simply be better parts for women and actors of color,” Craig tells the RadioTimes when asked about a female Bond. “Why should a woman play James Bond when there should be a part just as good as James Bond, but for a woman?”
This comment echoes the sentiments of longtime James Bond film producer Barbara Broccoli who said in 2020, that “James Bond can be of any color, but he is male,” adding, “I believe we should be creating new characters for women — strong female characters… I’m not particularly interested in taking a male character and having a woman play it. I think women are far more interesting than that.”
In this regard, No Time to Die will have a female 00 agent who isn’t James Bond. Lashana Lynch is set to play another agent in the movie alongside Craig and you can see Lynch in several of the film’s trailers.
After multiple delays, No Time to Die will finally arrive in theaters in the US on October 8. Directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga, No Time to Die will see several returning characters plus newcomers Lynch and a villain played by Rami Malek.
Matt T.M. Kim is IGN's News Editor. You can reach him @lawoftd.