[Ziane G] Bond, NEXT Bond… Who Cares!?

The next James Bond needs to be someone who can build on what came before and usher in a new era for the franchise.

As the world’s most popular fictional spy, James Bond’s character has changed considerably over the years. He’s gone from a rough-and-tumble secret agent to a suave ladies’ man and back again. In short, he’s gone through a lot of changes. Or has he?

He’s been portrayed by some of the biggest names in Hollywood, including Sean Connery, Pierce Brosnan, Roger Moore, Daniel Craig and others. Despite this diversity in casting, James Bond has remained one of the most iconic characters in film history.

In his early years, Sean Connery was the quintessential Bond, who embodied the qualities that make him so memorable: he was suave, sophisticated and sexy. His presence on screen made him an immediately recognizable character for audiences around the world.

However, when Roger Moore took over from Connery in 1973 as 007, people were shocked at what they saw: a less-than-sophisticated man with a thick Scottish accent who could not help but make fun of himself for being “a bit of a berk.”

One person who didn’t think it was so funny was Pierce Brosnan who took over—from Moore or Timothy Dalton?— in 1995 and stayed with the franchise until 2002. While he had some good moments as Bond (especially in Goldeneye), his comedic timing was often off. Then came the Daniel Craig era. Craig has been playing the role since 2005 and has done a great job at it. Tough, fun and charismatic, he could bring his own touch to the franchise as a whole.

Bond, NEXT Bond: Who Should Play the Next 007?

After several decades of Bond being played by men, it’s time for a change. It’s time for a woman to take on the role of 007. Word on the net, there aren’t any women who can pull off this part. Really!?

With recent changes in gender norms and racial politics, an actor of any gender or race could bring their own brand of charm to the role.

The most exciting thing about James Bond is his ability to change from film to film depending on what kind of story he’s telling or what kind of character he needs to be at that time. So for me, the next James Bond should be someone who can make that kind of magic happen again—someone who can create a character with enough baggage to make us care about him. But that is the question: why should we even care? But before answering that question, let’s dive into a couple of possible scenarios of how this franchise could branch out.

Next James Bond Should Be a Black Actor?

Daniel Craig’s portrayal of 007 is so perfect that he makes the character his own. But it’s time for him to give up the mantle. If it lasted for his predecessor, it wouldn’t have come to him in the first place. It won’t last for the newcomer actor either. That’s why the next Bond should be a black actor, if just for the sake of change and experimenting and breaking new ground. Why not give it a try? As it is a try each time there is a new actor and with each new movie.

There’s been a lot of talk lately about who should play the next James Bond. The usual suspect is Idris Elba. Long rumored for the role, Elba is overdue for a starring role in the 007 franchise.

I know what you’re thinking: this is just an article about political correctness, right? This is just another example of an anti-white article on BuzzFeed or something like that. But I mean it! It has nothing to do with race or identity politics; my point is simply that James Bond should be played by a black actor.

You want to see how a black actor would fare in such a role? Just look at how Samuel L. Jackson plays Nick Fury in the Marvel Cinematic Universe — he does an amazing job portraying a badass character who is meant to inspire fear in his enemies but also has some fun while doing it.

Next James Bond Should Be a Woman?

The James Bond franchise has long been open to portraying women in the lead, but that never came to be. It would be nice to see more female characters who are more than just eye candy. Sure, there are plenty of actresses out there who could fill that role quite well — Angelina Jolie has proved her ability to carry an action movie on her own (and then some). I think it’s time for audiences to cast their eyes toward someone else: Gina Carano. But here, another hurdle arises: Bond is traditionally played by British actors. Come on! This is why we’re here in the first place: break from traditions.

If this were a real life situation, then I would say that I’m a huge fan of Daniel Craig — he’s done a great job as James Bond. But if there was ever going to be a female James Bond, then Lashana Lynch would be my first choice. Yes, while we’re at it, why not a black actress?

In No time to Die, she’s played Nomi, an up and coming MI6 agent. I think she’s already shown that she can handle the character well.

I also think that Naomie Harris could be a good choice too because she looks like she could easily play 007. She has also been in plenty of other action movies.

That said, to all women out there: you are eye candy whether you like/want it or not, but yuo can be a lot more on top of that too!

Yes, But Why Should we, the Public, Even Care?

Next James Bond should and could be a black actor or a woman. But why should we, the public, even care? The answer is simple: because it’s important. It’s not just important for us to see ourselves represented in pop culture — it’s important because it will affect change. It will affect how people see themselves and how they treat each other. Besides, it just would be a lot of fun!

Representation matters. So why do we continue to see white men as the standard for everything from presidential candidates to movie stars? Why do we continue to see them as superior beings? Why do we continue to think that having a white male president would mean more than say having a black female president?

The reason behind this is because of gender stereotypes — the idea that men are better than women, that they have more power, that they make more money, etc. When these ideas are reinforced over and over again in our society, then when someone like James Bond comes along who doesn’t fit within those boxes of what’s acceptable or not.

This could also be an opportunity for us as consumers to try something new by trying less male-whitewashed-products.

Hey!
You can call me Zed. I'm a freelance writer, and I love it!

I write just about everything from environmental conservation to the best ways to stop hiccups, but my favorite topics to write about are science, ethics, politics, and literature.

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