WTF!! A new 007? Can this be?

Latest news on Bond 25 (untitled atm) is that Lashana Lynch who smashed her appearance in Captain Marvel as the heroine’s best pal will be the new 007…

Sources say that early on in the film the iconic ‘M will see you now, 007‘ scene will take place, but with Lashana Lynch entering the boss’ office as, you’ve guessed it, the new 007. An insider told The Daily Mail:

‘There is a pivotal scene at the start of the film where M says ‘Come in 007’, and in walks Lashana who is black, beautiful and a woman.

‘It’s a popcorn-dropping moment. Bond is still Bond but he’s been replaced as 007 by this stunning woman.’

This does however show us that she is only the current agent using the 007 number, and that James Bond is still out there. Word is that the movie opens with Bond in retirement (he ended Spectre by walking away from his spy life) but M will be calling him back into action to help stop a new global threat.

This is interesting on lots of levels, especially as it is following Phoebe Waller-Bridge coming on board to look at the script and the film’s female characters. Waller-Bridge wrote the awesome female-led Killing Eve and BBC comedy Fleabag and her recruitment is aiming to help the nearly 60 year old franchise keep up with the times.

Indeed, a lot of Craig’s time as 007 has looked at Bond’s place in the modern world, so having him replaced by a black female agent could be an exciting move – especially as we will see Bond brought back in and having to deal with the changed world around him. Waller-Bridge even went as far to say:

‘There’s been a lot of talk about whether or not Bond is relevant now because of who he is and the way he treats women.

‘I think that’s b******s. I think he’s absolutely relevant now. [The franchise] has just got to grow. It has just got to evolve, and the important thing is that the film treats the women properly. He doesn’t have to. He needs to be true to his character.’

Very exciting words from her tbh, and the idea of seeing a retired Bond coming back to deal with his own potential out-dated-ness (both as a character and in terms of the franchise itself) sounds pretty awesome. Some of the best recent themes have involved Bond’s aging – such as seeing him meet a super young Q, or Skyfall‘s idea of the Double-0 section’ becoming obsolete. So to now have him fully replaced by a very modern woman has some great potential.

Also, it’s an interesting move given Craig’s announcement that this is his last outing as James Bond. This plot point shows that the Double-0 numbers (aka the License To Kill) can be handed down from agent to agent, which perhaps gives the franchise new avenues to explore in the future – perhaps James Bond will end, but 007 will continue on?

Either way, sounds like after a few hitches – injuries, Director changes, toilet-cam-gate – Bond 25 is looking sharp.