All we know about the ongoing casting search for the next James Bond is that it may or may not be underway, with longtime producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson keeping their cards very close to the chest for what could be the most important reinvention of 007 yet.
After all, the next incumbent of the tux has a completely blank slate to play with after Daniel Craig’s heroic sacrifice at the end of No Time to Die made the shocking move to kill off the iconic secret agent, thus ensuring his five-film tenure lives on as its own self-contained franchise with a single narrative throughline from beginning to end.
Virtually every rising British star under the sun has been touted for the title role – and a few Irishmen, too – but Roger Moore’s son couldn’t have made it any clearer in an interview with The Express that he wouldn’t condone the idea of an American inhabiting the suave spy.
“I mean, there’s a lot of talent out there, but he has to be English. It’s ridiculous to consider Bond being an American. You know, even if he’s got a flawless accent, he’s got to be British. It is an English franchise. It’s butterscotch and red telephone boxes and His Majesty the King.”
While an American playing Bond doesn’t sound right, let’s not forget Sean Connery’s replacement George Lazenby was Australian, while Hugh Jackman turned down the part before it went to Craig, underlining that actors from outside the United Kingdom aren’t off the table.
Moore’s boy Geoffrey also shut down the concept of a woman taking over, which is fair enough when it’s a sentiment shared by the producers, although his wording does indicate he failed to grasp the existence of Lashana Lynch’s Nomi.
“Well, then it’s no longer James Bond. I mean, she could be 006, 008, or 009…”
Just for sh*ts and giggles, let’s have the next James Bond be an American woman, if only for no other reason than to watch the internet have a collective meltdown.