Though there have been numerous instances where Daniel Craig has talked about ending his run as James Bond, it seems like he's actually serious this time when he says this is the end. And so your last chance to see him as that iconic titular character will be this April, when he plays Bond for the fifth and final occasion in No Time to Die.
Obviously that means producers will have to once again fill the role, with the added challenge for them being that it's the role oh-so-many people wish to hypothetically cast. Because of this there have been campaigns of varying significance that have sought to see Bond's suits filled by either a woman, or somebody who isn't white (usually Idris Elba...even though he's clearly sick of being asked about it).
But it's one thing to push for something on social media, or answer an interviewer's loaded question, and it's another thing to actually be in the position to cast the next Bond.
On that subject, Bond producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli (longtime franchise-steerer and the daughter of legendary Bond producer Albert Broccoli) have stated that their next Bond search hasn't wrapped up (or, you know, even begun yet), but when it does it'll be certain that the next Bond will at least be male. Though that's the only casting decision that's been made as of now.
"He can be of any color, but he is male," Broccoli said, reiterating a position she's made public before. "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."
As for Wilson, Indiewire adds that he was supportive of the idea of making Bond an actor of color, stating, "You think of him as being from Britain or the Commonwealth, but Britain is a very diverse place."
Last year actress and former Bond girl Eva Green (who played Vesper Lynd in Casino Royale) publicly endorsed the position of keeping Bond a man when the subject came up on the Dumbo red carpet. (Well, you got to be ready for anything on those, we guess.)
“I’m for women, but I really think James Bond should remain a man. It doesn’t make sense for him to be a woman,” Green said at the time. “Women can play different types of characters, be in action movies and be superheroes, but James Bond should always be a man and not be Jane Bond. There is history with the character that should continue. He should be played by a man.”
Those comments were similar to ones made by actress Rachel Weisz (which gets brought up to her because she's Craig's wife). Previously Weisz stated that Bond creator Ian Fleming “devoted an awful lot of time to writing this particular character, who is particularly male and relates in a particular way to women.”
She added, "Why not create your own story rather than jumping on to the shoulders and being compared to all those other male predecessors? Women are really fascinating and interesting and should get their own stories.”
