Daniel Craig is wrong, the next James Bond should be a woman
Daniel Craig has spoken out against casting a woman as the next James Bond, but his vision of the future of the franchise misses the mark. James Bond has been a movie icon for almost 60 years, with legendary twists from the likes of Sean Connery, Pierce Brosnan, and Timothy Dalton. The character has been a symbol of all things cool and masculine for over half a century, but can a woman play the tuxedo-clad spy? Despite Craig's thoughts on the subject, it's time for the series to make a bold change.
Fans love to speculate on the next artist to become James Bond, with Tom Hardy in the mix. Over the years, there has been endless discussion on the subject, with particular enthusiasm surrounding the idea of Idris Elba as the notoriously prankster spy. Daniel Craig has carried the torch for the past 15 years after a riveting debut at Casino Royale, but with his latest appearance in No Time to Die, the discussion about the next Bond has returned to the forefront. As was so often the case with Doctor Who, another British screen icon, the focus has been on the possibility of a female lead. It's a controversial idea and Daniel Craig has made clear his opinion that Bond should continue to be played by a man. So if even James Bond himself is advocating for another male lead actor, why should the next Bond be a woman?
In short, the franchise needs to evolve. Ian Fleming's first James Bond novel was published in 1953, almost 70 years ago, and while the film series is beloved, it is always in danger of becoming outdated. No Time to Die is the 25th James Bond film, and the series must be open to change if it has any hope of lasting 25 more. The franchise has always been at its best making new decisions and taking the character in new directions. If the next Bond continues to be chosen based on the traits Bond has always had, the character will invariably end up trapped in the past.
Despite its association with a classic, even old-fashioned sensibility, the Bond franchise has always relied on reinvention. Even Sean Connery was a notable departure from Ian Fleming's original conception of James Bond. Compared to Fleming's sophisticated Etonian vision, Connery, the working-class Scotsman, was practically a brute. This kind of change probably seemed as shocking as suggesting a woman for the role, but Fleming changed his tune after seeing Connery's legendary performance in Dr. No. Daniel Craig's casting garnered similar disapproval. Whether it's because of his looks or his relative lack of celebrity, many fans weren't satisfied with the choice. The announcement that his first movie, Casino Royale, would function as something of a soft reboot, ushering in a brave new take on the franchise, would only add more fuel to the fire. The decision to follow the style of The Bourne Identity seemed anathema to all things Bond. But those changes were exactly what the franchise needed. Looking back, it's almost impossible to imagine the series without that transformation.
The James Bond franchise also needs to move beyond its troubled past. Part of staying fresh is knowing which existing elements need to be left behind, and Bond's checkered past with its portrayal of female characters is the first thing to go. This type of criticism dates back to Fleming's novels which, over the decades, have been accused of racism and misogyny. In recent years, the very concept of "Bond Girl" has become controversial. Opinions are divided, with the honorary title highlighted as an example of the franchise's sexism and a feminist counterpoint to Bond. There have already been efforts to drop some of this baggage, such as casting Dame Judi Dench as M in Golden Eye, despite being played by a man on screen for over 30 years. Her rendition of M of her has become one of the most famous and popular in James Bond history. Steps like this are necessary to modernize the series and prevent it from being burdened by decades of outdated values.
While a female James Bond might have seemed radical in the past, female-directed action movies are now a box office staple. Whether it's Scarlett Johansson in Marvel’s Black Widow or Charlize Theron in The Old Guard, audiences have no problem accepting a female lead in an action movie. A James Bond woman would have no reason to throw the blows out of her. The Bond franchise itself is increasingly known for its strong female performances. Whether it's Eve Moneypenny's dynamic portrayal of Naomie Harris beginning in Skyfall or Lashana Lynch's exciting new performance in No Time to Die, a woman in a Bond movie is no longer relegated to little more than a setting. At this point, there is simply no reason to doubt that a woman could pull off the dramatic drama required for Bond.
Fans have already welcomed the idea that James Bond is a title rather than a name. While the fan theory that James Bond is a codename is not supported by any of the movies or novels, it remains popular with the fandom. Audiences have celebrated this way of embracing the entirety of the Bond film canon while avoiding the franchise's notoriously messy continuity. Despite the legendary finale of Heaven Falls in Bond's childhood home, many fans are still happy to think of James Bond as a codename passed down through the generations. This is especially true for modern moviegoers who might get riled up at the idea of a spy telling his full name to all the criminals he knows. If fans can support the name becoming a title, it only makes sense that the title could be passed on to a woman.
For the James Bond franchise to feel relevant in another 50 years, it has to be open to change. At this moment, Bond is a character rooted in the past, built on a set of old-fashioned values that we no longer celebrate. If the series refuses to change, it won't be long until it looks like the dusty old franchise our parents saw instead of the one we love. James Bond needs fresh ideas and new blood to stay interesting, and that means taking a big leap with the character himself. While the idea may be uncomfortable for some, it's time to break the mold with a woman. James Bond.
