Why Helen Mirren hates the idea of a female James Bond

Even long before Amazon MGM Studios purchased the rights to the James Bond franchise, conversation, debate and argument over who should be the next 007 raged. And while we all have our picks and predictions, it seemed entirely plausible that James would be turned into Jane. Yet, most were actively against this, with the likes of Roger Moore, Bond girl Ana de Armas and even Jenna Ortega speaking out. Now we can add Helen Mirren to that list.

Helen Mirren may have never been a Bond girl but her cousin Tania Mallet did play Tilly Masterson in 1964’s Goldfinger. Whether it’s that or six decades in the movie industry that makes her qualified, we still want to hear her out. According to Mirren, 007 could never be a female because “the whole concept of James Bond is drenched and born out of profound sexism. Women have always been a major and incredibly important part of the Secret Service, they always have been. And very brave. If you hear about what women did in the French Resistance, they’re amazingly, unbelievably courageous. So I would tell real stories about extraordinary women who’ve worked in that world.”

Helen Mirren would add, “The whole series of James Bond, it was not my thing. It really wasn’t. I never liked James Bond. I never liked the way women were in James Bond.” That said, she remains a huge fan of Pierce Brosnan and Daniel Craig. She has yet to share the big screen with any of the former James Bond portrayers but both she and Timothy Dalton are on 1923.

Helen Mirren is pretty much in line with what we all expect: most fans simply don’t want – nor will they ever want – a female James Bond. Knowing that so much is on the line for the studio and the franchise itself, it has at least been confirmed that 007 will remain male and British. That’s probably enough to satisfy many but we still don’t know exactly who will be taking over the role of James Bond from Daniel Craig – and that, as we all know, is the single most important decision to be made.

Do you agree with Helen Mirren about the perception of women in the James Bond franchise?

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