“Bond 25” hasn’t had the easiest time getting to the big screen, what with all the new writers and rewrites, a delayed release date, a near delay in production, and a significant injury for its star Daniel Craig. That said, the picture is starting to come together. We know that Christoph Waltz is returning as Blofeld, but not as the main villain (that’s Rami Malek) and now new reports are surfacing that are already disturbing the 007 status quo. The U.K. DailyMail is reporting that Lashana Lynch, Brie Larson’s best friend character in “Captain Marvel” will be playing a pivotal role in the movie.
READ MORE: Confirmed: Christoph Waltz Will Reprise Role Of Blofeld For Cary Fukunaga’s ‘Bond 25’
We know that in “Bond 25” directed by Cary Fukunaga, James Bond has retired and left active service. His tranquil life (with Lea Seydoux’s character) is disrupted when his old friend Felix Leiter (Jeffrey Wright from “Casino Royale”), enlists his help in the search for a missing scientist. That turns into the discovery that the scientist has been abducted and a new global crisis draws him back into the fold.
READ MORE: Scott Z. Burns Hired To Rewrite ‘Bond 25’ For Director Cary Fukunaga [Exclusive]
But there’s more. According to the new Daily Mail report, since Bond has retired, a new Mi6 agent has been given the code of 007, and that’s rumored to be Lynch. Now, this isn’t confirmed, nor is it a Baz Bamigboye report, the U.K. reporter who’s generally the only writer who works for an English tabloid worth trusting. But, it is a Daily Mail report piece, the same place where Bamigboye works, so maybe there’s something to it. Furthermore, it does stand to figure with Bond retired; someone has to take that new code number.
It doesn’t sound completely far-fetched and additionally, what way to make a controversy that will drive press than to make the new 007 a woman and a black person, but not actually cast her as the new Bond, given she’s a different character. In fact, if this rumor pans out, it would not surprise if “Bond 25” pulls a kind of “Scream” and this new 007’s life and the title is short-lived. That’s speculation of course, but it would raise the stakes in a way that demonstrates to Bond that he needs to stick around and see this new threat through.
READ MORE: Léa Seydoux Teams Up With Daniel Craig’s 007 Once Again In ‘Bond 25’
The move appears to be the work of “Fleabag” writer Phoebe Waller-Bridge who was brought on to rewrite the script a few months back, following the first significant rewrite from “Contagion” screenwriter Scott Z. Burns. Waller-Bridge has strong feminist sensibilities, so it all seems to point in the direction of truth to this report.
READ MORE: ‘Bond 25’ Producers Throw Out Boyle/Hodge Script In Favor Of Purvis & Wade Treatment
The Daily Mail says, “A movie insider said: ‘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. 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.’”
Cue the outrage from racists? Pay it no mind. Whatever happens, the still-untitled “Bond 25” lands into theaters on April 8, 2020. More info when it arrives.