James Bond producer discusses who will play next 007 after Daniel Craig

Daniel Craig is set to farewell James Bond when No Time to Die comes out in April, as the producer discusses who could fill his shoes.

We don’t really want to entertain the thought just yet, but Daniel Craig is about to hang up his 007 boots.

No Time to Die, coming out in April, is the British actor’s final outing as the suave agent after five hugely successful movies.

And someone else will eventually have to take control of the Aston Martin.

As for who that will be, James Bond producer Barbara Broccoli has only ruled out one idea.

“He can be of any colour, but he is male,” Broccoli said.

“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.”

Daniel Craig as James Bond in Skyfall. Picture: Sony Pictures

It’s got many people shaken not stirred online, with uproar over Broccoli’s comments.

American conservative political commentator Ben Shapiro’s tweet mocking calls for a female to play 007 has sparked a divided debate.

It's time to cancel the executives in charge of the James Bond franchise for acknowledging the obvious fact that men and women are different, and that iconic male characters cannot simply be made female without fundamentally damaging those characters pic.twitter.com/EYZ0UdUOto

— Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) January 15, 2020

Uhh ok who is this James Bond producer, Barnard freaking Sanders?!?!? pic.twitter.com/98fVx6NOwP

— Oggdo Bogdo (@WillieTromboner) January 15, 2020

Women can do anything...including be an international spy with a licence to kill!
Listen up, #JamesBond producers, it’s 2020, and it’s time to get over the misogynistic views of the past and start fully embracing #GirlPower
We want a diverse Bond https://t.co/Y2wckpyvOc

— Michelle Thomas (@EllaBullet) January 15, 2020

007 is a job title, not a gender. 007 can be a lady 🤷‍♀️

— Emily 🌵 (@emeemay) January 15, 2020

It's an assigned number! His name isn't double-oh-seven. Why can you be (almost) any race but not gender? It just doesn't make sense to me. It feels like just being stubborn and reminds me of Doctor Who all over again.

— Travon Free (@Travon) January 16, 2020

But there were others who were fiercely against the idea, arguing the point changing an iconic character’s gender would be going backwards in the quest for equality.

For some iconic male characters their masculinity is incidental. For others, it's of their essence. Bond is virtually a charicature of masculinity. All his strengths and all his flaws derive from this. You can no more have a female Bond than you can have a female Othello.

— rob churchill (@r0bChurchill) January 15, 2020

They make Bond a woman and I'm done; I will never see another Bond movie. This has got to stop with changing characters like this. How would women feel if Bond was a female and they made her a man? Exactly. STOP!

— Blueceltic (@JBoBeanie) January 15, 2020

I agree. Not everything has to be inclusive when it doesn’t fit the narrative. You want a female agent? Start a new franchise. Having 007 stay as a male in no way hinders any progress on the feminist front. #JamesBond #Bond25 https://t.co/g1hqrc9ynV

— Becca🐝 (@Rebecca_Kings) January 15, 2020

It is definitely thought-provoking discussion and clearly has the internet divided.

Meanwhile, British actors Tom Hiddleston, Idris Elba and Harry Styles, as well as Scottish actor Richard Madden, have all been flagged as potential candidates.

Idris Elba could be the first black man to play James Bond. Picture: Stefanie Loos/AFP

Craig, whose five Bond films are all streaming on Foxtel Now, is reportedly getting paid $25 million for No Time to Die, making him the highest-paid actor in Hollywood.

He is also supposedly taking home a cut of the film’s profits, which could boost his pay cheque beyond $100 million.

Let us know what you think about Broccoli’s statement in the comments below...