Despite the set disasters and injuries, James Bond 25 is still in production for an April 2020 release. Though we still know very little about the film itself, it has recently been revealed that Christoph Waltz would return to reprise his character, Blofield. While that would be a cause for excitement for some, the character was introduced (or re-introduced) in one of the weakest installments of the entire franchise. But there is another rumor going around that suggests that the 007 codename could be passed on to someone else. According to this rumor, James Bond (Daniel Craig) will no longer hold on to that famous number and it will be passed on to none other than Captain Marvel co-star Lashana Lynch. More on the report here below.

Now, the rumor comes from The Daily Mail, which doesn’t always have the best reputation for this kind of news, but if it is true, it would be a welcomed change for a franchise that has long seen a white male take the lead role. Now, I have to emphasize that Lynch is taking the 007 codename, not the name of James Bond. Yes, Bond and 007 have been long associated together, but there is nothing that suggests that Lynch would be taking the over from here on out. We’ve known that there has been no intention of changing James Bond to Jane Bond.

In fact, it looks like James Bond is living a retired life on the island of Jamaica, while Lynch’s character will carry on as Agent 007. A movie insider reportedly said that the “popcorn-dropping moment” involves “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.” But something will draw Bond back into the spy life, and presumably take back the 007 codename.

Set photos show that Bond seems to be living a carefree life, so it looks like some parts of this story checks out.

If this change is true, according to the report, you can thank Fleabag star and writer Phoebe Waller-Bridge. Additionally, Bond Girls have been renamed as Bond Women.

How long Lynch’s character will hold onto the 007 codename remains to be seen. Again, Bond and 007 are pretty much inseparable, so don’t expect her character to hold onto the number for very long. But it will be interesting to see if Lynch’s character can be used to launch a new wave of spinoffs within the Bond universe or just female-led spy movies in general.

Though Lynch’s career has just popped up on all of our radar’s, she made a big splash as Maria Rambeau in Captain Marvel, where she played as Carol Danvers’ (Brie Larson) best friend and closest confidant.

James Bond 25 still has no title, but it will be released on April 8, 2020.

[Source: Daily Mail]