Upcoming Bond 25 movie will see Lashana Lynch take over from Daniel Craig as the new 007 agent
Bond 25 will see Daniel Craig star in his fifth and final performance as the fictional MI6 agent James Bond. News of the movie has many asking who will be cast as the iconic agent in the franchise after his departure.
Suggestions that the new 007 will be a woman or Black have been met with resistance from fans, but if reports are to be believed, the new double agent will be both.
According to the Daily Mail, Lashana Lynch, best known for playing the role of Rosaline Capulet in ABC's period drama 'Still Star-Crossed' and Maria Rambeau in 'Captain Marvel' has been cast as Agent 007 in Bond 25.
However, this doesn't mean that she will be playing the role of James Bond. She's the agent who will be taking over Bond's secret agent number after he departs MI6 to enjoy his retirement.
Indeed, Bond 25 will open with the famous agent retired and enjoying life in Jamaica, only for Spymaster M (Ralph Fiennes) to call him back into service to tackle a new global crisis that is threatening life as they know it.
"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," revealed an inside source. "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," the insider continued. "Well, certainly not at the beginning."
Lashana was cast in the role thanks to the intervention of Phoebe Waller-Bridge, who co-wrote the screenplay with Scott Z Burns based on an early draft by Neal Purvis and Robert Wade.
Waller-Bridge, who has earned quite the reputation for herself after creating, writing, and starring in the comedy-drama series 'Crashing' and 'Fleabag', as well as writing and developing critically-acclaimed drama 'Killing Eve', was reportedly brought in to ensure that the 57-year-old Bond franchise was up to date with the times.
There were questions raised about Bond's sexism and misogyny in recent times, and in an attempt to shed such tags, the franchise will abandon the term "Bond girls" for "Bond women".
"There has been a lot of talk about whether or not Bond is relevant now because of who he is and the way he treats women," Waller-Bridge said. "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."
Waller-Bridge's comedic background will also mean that Bond 25 will have its fair share of humor ingrained in the script. "Lashana is absolutely brilliant and Phoebe's script is as sharp and funny as you would expect," said the insider. "This Bond pays tribute to some of the earlier films with a lot of humor."
"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 added. "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."