With the new James Bond movie currently in production, details and rumors about the roles and characters in the 25th instalment of one of the most popular spy movie series are slowly being revealed.
Set to be actor Daniel Craig’s fifth and final role as British Secret Service (MI6) agent James Bond, there has been a huge debate recently as to who should be his replacement with many calling for more diversity – that is either a female or black 007.
As the conversation goes on, it looks like the next instalment will likely come with a huge surprise. In a revelation by a movie insider to the Mail on Sunday, black British actress and Captain Marvel star, Lashana Lynch is James Bond’s replacement in Bond 25.
According to the source, Lynch takes over as the new 007 after Bond’s retirement. Bond’s retirement is, however, cut short after he is called back into service.
“There is a pivotal scene at the start of the film where M (a spymaster played by Ralph Fiennes) says ‘Come in 007’, and in walks Lashana who is black, beautiful and a woman,” the source told the Mail on Sunday.
“It’s a popcorn-dropping moment. Bond is still Bond but he’s been replaced as 007 by this stunning woman.
“Bond, of course, is sexually attracted to the new female 007 and tries his usual seduction tricks, but is baffled when they don’t work on a brilliant, young black woman who basically rolls her eyes at him and has no interest in jumping into his bed. Well, certainly not at the beginning,” the source added.
The source also claims the new Bond instalment will appeal to the younger generation as well as the #MeToo movement.
“This is a Bond for the modern era who will appeal to a younger generation while sticking true to what we all expect in a Bond film,” the source said. “There are spectacular chase sequences and fights, and Bond is still Bond but he’s having to learn to deal with the world of #MeToo.”
This announcement comes in the wake of black British actor Idris Elba revealing he was troubled over the racist backlash he received over playing James Bond.
Elba as Bond has been in the news since 2014, when, according to media reports, emails released during the massive Sony hack revealed that then-studio co-chair Amy Pascal told a colleague, “Idris should be the next Bond.”
Elba has, however, for some years now maintained that he is not going to play James Bond, even suggesting that a woman should play that role. It has now emerged that even though many wanted the Luther star to take the Bond role, others felt that such a role should not be played by a black man or someone who is not white or British.
These comments hit hard at Elba.
“You just get disheartened,” he told Vanity Fair. “When you get people from a generational point of view going, ‘It can’t be.’ And it really turns out to be the colour of my skin. And then if I get it and it didn’t work or it did work, would it be because of the colour of my skin? That’s a difficult position to put myself into when I don’t need to.”
He, however, admitted that he is intrigued by the idea of a black James Bond and that if the role was offered to him, he would take it.
“James Bond is a hugely coveted, iconic, beloved character that takes audiences on this massive escapism journey,” he said.
“Of course, if someone said to me, ‘Do you want to play James Bond?’ I’d be like, ‘Yeah,’ that’s fascinating to me.”
“But it’s not something I’ve expressed, like, ‘Yeah, I wanna be the black James Bond. Because by the way, we’re talking about a spy. If you really want to break it down, the more less-obvious it is, the better.”
