The announcement that the new 007 would be Lashana Lynch, a black woman, left people shaken and stirred. Photo / AP
The announcement that the new 007 would be Lashana Lynch, a black woman, left people shaken and stirred. Photo / AP
This week's announcement that the new 007 was gonna be Lashana Lynch, a black woman, left a lot of people shaken but plenty more stirred.
For years intense discussion and online squabbles raged about who should take over when Daniel Craig, the current 007, exchanged his Licence to Kill fora Licence to Chill after completing his tour of duty with the next movie.
There were passionate, sometimes idiotic, arguments over the merits and flaws of many actors. But as the years slipped by most names slipped off the list as two clear frontrunners emerged.
The first was Idris Elba, a black man best known for his chilling portrayal of ice cold drug lord Stringer Bell in one of television's best show's ever, The Wire. The second was Gillian Anderson, a white woman who became a sci-fi icon as sceptical FBI agent Dana Scully in another of television's best show's ever, The X-Files.
Although Anderson was born in America both actors are English, just like the character creator Ian Fleming wrote about in his 12 novels. Neither, however, are a white male, which is how Fleming envisioned Bond in his books.
This caused predictable outrage from predictable tossers who considered anyone other than a 'mid-30s white man' to be not suitable for the part. Why? Racism and sexism mostly. Sure, it was disguised under the arguments of staying 'true to character,' and 'being faithful to the books' and blah blah blah but really, that's what it was.
Fleming's source material was an important factor when the character was first being established on the big screen, but the franchise really doesn't need those dusty old books anymore. How many people sitting in a cinema stuffing popcorn into their face watching a Bond movie has ever read - or has any interest in reading - a Bond book? Double-O None I'd bet.
So we really don't need to slavishly adhere to their outdated views anymore. If these Bond blubberers can accept that the secret agent a) stowed away on a trip to the moon (Moonraker), b) windsurfed on a tsunami (Die Another Die) and, most fanciful of all, did not like The Beatles (Goldfinger), then it shouldn't be too much of a stretch to accept a non-white dude playing Bond.
The cast of the upcoming Bond 25. Current Bond Daniel Craig in middle, new 007 Lashana Lynch far right. Photo: Getty
Because there's no denying that both Anderson and Elba would slay as the suave super spy. Anderson was totally badass as a steely detective in the intense crime drama The Fall, while Elba has the physicality and charisma to be utterly believable foiling evil plans, defeating goons and smoothly acquiring intel.
Both seemed keen to play Bond as well. Teasing their fanbases with hinting posts and photos on social media. It's easy to imagine either actor stepping out of 007s famed Aston Martin, literally dressed to kill in a sharp suit, and wryly announcing their arrival with 007's iconic introduction, 'The name's Bond. James Bond.'.
Can a woman be named James? Well, Johnny Cash sung about a boy named Sue, so sure, why the hell not? Although I guess if Anderson had won the part Bond's first name would have been explained away if not outright changed.
Anyway, the issue of the next 007 was prickly for the producers. Their options were cast another white guy and be accused of being unwoke and out of touch, or cast a non-white guy and be accused of virtual signalling by toxic online mobs spewing bile on social media.
Before filming began on the still untitled Bond 25 Craig was quoted as saying he'd "rather slash my wrists than play Bond again,". His mind was changed - and his wrists made safe - only after trucks began rolling up to his home to dump piles of money in his driveway.
But buying him back wouldn't work a second time. Facing a no-win situation the producers decided their best course of action was to simply die another day.
The new 007 would be a woman of colour, they announced when naming Lynch, but the new 007 would not be the new James Bond. Because there wouldn't be a new James Bond. Lynch would inherit Bond's code number but not his name or boozy, sleazy approach to spycraft.
This frees the franchise from the weight of its history and allows it to rumble ever onward while also allowing for fresh and exciting new stories to be told within the established framework of Bond's much loved cinematic world.
If it works, cool, there'll be many more 007's with many more new spins on modern spying. And if doesn't then Anderson, Elba or someone else will no doubt get the call to suit up.
It's a genius move and a cop out and probably the best solution going. But most of all it proves that just because Bond's days are numbered that doesn't mean 007 won't live on.
