Reports claim that the next James Bond film will show the secret agent passing on the torch to his successor. Fans will be in for a shock as that 007 will be played by British actress Lashana Lynch.
31-year old Ms Lynch broke through in 2019’s ‘Captain Marvel’ as fighter pilot Maria Rambeau.
According to a Daily Mail screenwriter, a movie insider described 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," the source added.
The decision to cast the new 007 protagonist as both black and a woman comes from an apparent intervention by screenwriter Phobe Waller-Bridge, who wrote the hit ‘Killing Eve’.
"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."
The source also said that the term "Bond girls" is now forbidden, adding: "We were all told that from now on they are to be addressed as 'Bond women'."
Referring to claims that the Bond character has become “irrelevant” due to his historic treatment of women, Waller-Bridge said that Bond is “absolutely relevant now... It has just got to evolve.”
Twitter is split on the new casting.
Some complain that it ruins the point of the character and that they will never watch the franchise again.
Others explained that Lynch will in fact not be taking up the mantle as James Bond but only the title of 007 and therefore it does not change the history of the character.
While others pointed out that 007 is a "code name" and can be taken up by anyone.
Some fans described it as a "big WIN" and that haters should "grow up."
Other critics complained that the James Bond franchise is now being "ruined" by "political correctness."