Helen Mirren Insists Next James Bond Remain Male as Amazon Hunts New 007

Helen Mirren has reignited the long-running debate over the future of the James Bond franchise, telling Saga Magazine in an interview published 18 Aug 2025 that the iconic spy “has to be” male. “You can’t have a woman. It just doesn’t work. James Bond has to be James Bond, otherwise it becomes something else,” the Oscar-winning actor said. Mirren, 80, described herself as “such a feminist” but argued that altering the character’s gender would undermine the series’ identity. She made the comments during a joint interview with former Bond actor Pierce Brosnan, who also backed keeping 007 male while welcoming a “revitalised” interpretation of the role. The remarks arrive as Amazon MGM Studios prepares the 26th instalment of the franchise. The studio has tapped Dune director Denis Villeneuve to helm the film and Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight to write the script, but has yet to announce a successor to Daniel Craig. Speculation over casting has intensified as producers signal a desire to modernise the series without abandoning its roots.