#TomHiddleston ha! pic.twitter.com/iNQcUOO787
— Archie Panjabi (@PanjabiArchie) June 4, 2016
Archie Panjabi posted this ^^ photo on her Twitter a few days ago. She was obviously standing outside the production offices responsible for James Bond. The speculation about casting a new James Bond has reached a fever pitch online and in the UK, with new names being thrown into the ring on a seemingly daily basis. One day it’s Idris Elba, another day it’s Tom Hiddleston, another day it’s Adian Turner. A few weeks back, Gillian Anderson tried to throw her hat in the ring in a “why couldn’t James Bond be Jane Bond?” movement. While I would love to see the Bond casting break out of the “white guy” mold, is the world ready for a female Bond? How about an Asian female Bond? That’s what Archie wants!
Move over, Idris Elba and Tom Hiddleston… Archie Panjabi has said “it’s about time we had an Asian woman playing the part of Bond” – and that she’s more than proved her credentials with her role in The Good Wife.
Speaking to Digital Spy about whether she could take on the iconic role, the British actress said: “I wasn’t being funny about it, I was being very serious about it! I think it’s about time we had an Asian woman playing that role. And I think my skills on The Good Wife have displayed that I’m perfectly capable of playing it! I’m really waiting for that phone call…”
Discussing the possibility of Tom Hiddleston replacing Daniel Craig in the franchise, she continued: “I do think he would be a good [pick] – but they’ve done pretty well in the past [with casting]. It’s a huge decision to make and whoever they go with will be the right choice.”
In my ideal dream-casting situation, both Archie and Idris Elba would be Bond. Like, imagine them both as MI6 agents with licenses to kill… and they happen to be lovers. Wouldn’t that be HOT? Wouldn’t that breathe fresh air into this stagnant franchise? To see James Bond with an equally capable woman? To see a partnership of equals, with two characters around the same age? So hot. So yes, I do think Archie should get an approach from the producers.
Photos courtesy of WENN.
Yes! Yes! Yes!
A hundred time yes and that would be the most amazing slap in the face ever for Julianna Margulies.
Asian women playing Asian women would be a start…(Aloha Emma!)
Well technically that character was part Asian. A small part, IIRC. Like 1/8 or something?
Right?
A quarter according to Cameron Crowe, but yes, only partly Asian.
Agreed! I love Archie.
No No No. She wants an Asian Woman, or any other deviation, to play the Bond character? Then she should create one herself. Relying on her own talents to gain the following James Bond has had for decades. Don’t hijack an established and well loved character because “its time”. How does she explain that? “I can’t get people to care about such a character on her, and my own, merits so I’ll take over a different one for my own uses.” Obviously it isn’t “time” if the only option you have is to rely on someone else’s popularity to get it to the masses.
Well said!
Create your own character and make it popular.
What next? Superman /Batman /spiderman …? are they also targeted for hijackimg?
She is so beautiful, and I love this idea.
I’m sure they could find something similar without her actually trying to slip into the role of James Bond. The role is certainly not meant for a woman. Some things are meant to be left alone and this is one of them.
Bond films have been “left alone” for, what, 40 years? Personally, I don’t even see the point of them any more. The fun gadgets are outdated, promiscuity is normal in the world, and younger generations are accustomed to having prestige television at their fingertips. Why should they go to the movies for their grandfather’s Bond experience when everything else in the world has changed?
You’re talking as if nobody goes to see Bond movies anymore. The last two movies brought in $2 billion combined. The “point” of them is that people enjoy watching them and are willing to pay money to do so.
Well summarized – they’ve been “left alone” for *55* years.
Saraya-
On another thread, someone provided a statistic that (In the U.S, at least) the largest group of movie goers is the retired population (not teenagers, as I had thought). I’d love to see an age breakdown of the current Bond enthusiasts driving those numbers. i.e. Is Bond attracting new viewers or holding onto loyal viewers from the original fan base?
Skyfall/Spectre = $2 billion worldwide
Casino Royale/Quantum of Solace = $1.2 billion
The World Is Not Enough/Die Another Day = $800 million
The franchise is attracting plenty of new fans.
Saraya –
Fair enough. It’s no skin off my nose if millions of people continue to love Bond in its traditional form. I, myself, can only count one time that I’ve paid to see a Bond film, but realistically even if Archie Panjabi played Bond I’d only watch it on demand. I wouldn’t see it in a theater. I’m not the target audience no matter who they cast. I’d love to see her character in The Fall get a spin off, though.
I agree with your sentiment but not your reasoning. I think they should leave James Bond alone because:
1) He’s been done to death already and it’s totally possible to have a good over the top spy story without making a 007 story.
2) Bond is an empty shell of a man and that’s kind of his entire point. Changing that makes it not Bond anymore. He’s such a one-demential character that you can’t mess around too much with that or it’s a totally different person.
3) And for why? I get the name recognition angle, but if you’re going to change everything about who he is (and it ain’t much), just make a new character.
So yeah, I enjoy Bond for what he is, but don’t tell me it’s impossible to make a fun, action packed, intriguing spy story without him. He’s ridiculously formulaic but that’s the whole fun.
I agree. Making him female serves no purpose. Make a new, amazing character rather than just gender-swapping an existing iconic character.
I’d watch it!
I’m always here for it when producers decide to break the mold and get more diverse with their casting. I’d love a female Bond.
I think they should reimagine Lassie using a chihuahua.
I would not watch if she was cast to play Bond.
I wouldn’t watch if she were cast to play Minnie Mouse.
Is the world ready? The world will adjust. The world is like a child, very adaptable. Let’s do this.
Actually no. It is not time for a female James Bond or an Asian James Bond or any other new kind of Bond. It is time for a kickass female movie hero with a brand and a character and a franchise entirely her own.
This. I’d rather see a lady kicking ass in a franchise of her own. It doesn’t have to be an either/or. This is why I’m still bummed about Agent Carter being cancelled.
I agree, but it would still be fun to see the Bond franchise shaken up a bit.
Not stirred?
* * slow clap * *
Yes! As I said above, Bond is a very narrow, limited character and that’s his whole point. There’s a formula that Bond follows closely and that’s a big part of the fun. You know what you’re getting and if I wanted something different I’d go see a different movie. It’s not like there aren’t choices.
yes, i’d love to see her in her own bad ass chick franchise and not beholden to any pre existing formula
i’ve never seen a james bond movie but i’d see archie fighting international crime or whatever he does in those movies any day
Agree! I’d love to see her get her own spy franchise.
I fully agree. James Bond is not a position that one can aspire to. If it were a series about Presidents or the generic spy world, then I’d have no problem them casting in a new direction. But to switch up a well established character because we want a part of the action is ridiculous. Look at the Ghostbusters Reboot, it was much ado about nothing. It didn’t revolutionize the brand or result in other franchises being changed. It tanked and so would a Jane Bond. If we want a place in the genre then women should write a brand new female character and not rely on the popularity of a male character to get the message across.
Ghostbusters hasn’t even been released yet.
@Lucy2 My mistake. I thought I had read they were postponing (possibly canceling it entirely) the release due to little interest from audiences. Thank you for the correction.
I’m all for this in theory, but in practice I want my Bond to also be my eye candy. Idris, please.
Idris can be the Bond boy. Eyecandy here, we’re all happy xD
I love the idea of Archie as new Bond. Yes yes yes.
Ugh. As someone said, garbage collector man.
I’m using your user name to respond to your comment: Huh? What in the world does that mean?
Yeah ummm I don’t think anyone said that
I was really excited by the Idris idea for Bond. He’s sophisticated. He’s elegant. He’s awesome eye candy. But maybe, he’s too smart? I think she’d make an awesome super hero; I will watch her in pretty much anything as I thought she was the best part of the Good Wife.
Can we just leave James Bond as is. A male bond. Women can play tough like him but not bond. Make up something else. Is that hard?
Actually it is hard, very hard. (I agree with your sentiments tho)
I prefer a female action hero with her own franchise. Angelina did it with Salt but too bad she’s not keen on acting anymore. I would absolutely watch if Archie took over Salt or has her own franchise. If I’m not wrong, Michelle Yeoh’s character was the first Bond female character that was an equal to Bond and that’s partly why she took up the role. Do correct me if I’m wrong.
Double plus good to Salt! Loved it, would happily watch more.
Really enjoyed watching her in Wanted, as well.
I was just going to say that Michelle Yeoh did an amazing job opposite and equal to Bond in Tomorrow Never Dies. That motorcycle chase scene! She was pretty lethal and did the job her way. It worked because the two of them were partners rather than her taking a backseat. You didn’t hear her utter the line that’s so popular with women in action films, “What do we do now?!”
I really love Michelle, she’s amazing in action movies (and in pretty much any role).
+1
I don’t know if I want a female Bond though.
More bad-ass female spy movies though, hell yeah.
I think it’s time for James Bond to hang up his shaken, not stirred, martinis. That old dog was never anything but a campy, sexist fantasy anyway.
I think I agree with this. Since Casino Royale everything has been a snooze. Seen one you’ve seen em all type of thing.
James Bond is a character as created by Ian Fleming over half a century ago. People should just shut up and stop trying to change it. It is what it is and my vote is for Daniel Radcliffe to play him.
If 007 were ever to be casted as a woman, I can totally see Archie! She is fantastic! If nothing else, can she please join the cast as some kick ass woman character? Not a Bond girl but one who has gumption and power?
I like Bond the way it is, you know you aren’t going to see an academy award winner, you aren’t going to see the fantastic acting, you’re going for the good old spy thriller it is. Is it overdone? Yes. Is it outdated? Yes. Do we still love it? Absolutely.
So leave Bond alone, but give these women a new franchise where they aren’t under the shadow of Sean Connery, Peirce Brosnan and Daniel Craig, and will only be judged in comparison!
Just leave it alone to be the male character it’s meant to be There’s no ambiguity there. It’s a male. Women need their own character. Don’t try to just shoehorn a female into that role for the sake of diversity. It’s crass. Create a female lead to rival that franchise.
Crass?? 🤔
I would love this! Also, it would be amazing if they kept the name James Bond and didn’t change it to Jane. I know of a few women named James and I think that would just be really cool.
i think James Bond should still be a guy. but:
(a) would it be fun to have a transgender guy?
(b) use the James Bond vehicle to introduce a female equivalent and make a spinoff on that. i admit i was bummed they did not expand on Michelle Yeoh’s character and give her a proper story arc of her own.
(c) use James Bond’s existing female character and make a spinoff on that, sort of like Agent Carter spinoff off Captain America: Moneypenny anyone?
i think the Moneypenny angle will be the most uncontroversial to develop. she is already an established character, much like Q and M she’s supposedly seen a lot of top secret docs and lot of 007 agents in her time and perhaps help train them, even covering their “six” both administratively and practically!
she may even be a badass agent herself since people tend to dismiss secretaries you know.
even if its not for the big screen but a TV show, it will be an amazing running gag to see how Moneypenny kicked ass in the background then go back to her typewriter just in time for Bond to step into her office for an appointment with M. she batting an innocent eye, “rough day at work, 007?” types away as if nothing happened with the internal satisfaction of having saved the Double-0’s arse without him realizing.
Moneypenny was a field agent in Skyfall.
This thread is depressing. “Let Bond be a man, it can’t be a woman, it’s not canon!” Who cares? By that standard, women shouldn’t be acting at all. Since, after all, traditionally, women weren’t allowed to act. And why is James Bond such a sacred cow? This is whole thread is nuts.
Lol, yeah, like Bond is great literature or something.
Lol ok?? I mean, seriously. Sitting here reading this like what in the world is going on? People definitely act as if Bond is sacred.
I didn’t read that from most of the comments. Most people said let bond be a man and create a completely new kick ass role for a woman and I agree I’m over remakes and changing gender roles in remake. I want new action movie made for a female leads that kicks ass.
As for why Bond is sacred I have no clue. I don’t know why the actors race or class is a factor for some people on who plays him, he’s a fictional character so he could be played by anyone.
No. Write new roles for women. We don’t need rehashed roles.
Workin on it.
James Bond is a sexist, racist franchise. I would be thrilled to see it evolve and improve by adding Archie to the role, or at the very least casting Idra.
Archie would make an amazing Bond. It’s too bad they’ll basically have to wait for Barbara Broccoli to pass before they can move forward into this century. That said, I think Marvel should give Archie a call. That woman can play a completely kickass character. I want to see her in something!
You know… I’m really confused why almost everyone insists that to recognize and honor women and minorities in movies that we HAVE TO take over well known and established characters… Why do we HAVE TO take away from one to give to another?
Ms. Panjabi… Don’t you want to be your own character? Don’t you feel it would be better to create a new role, a new franchise that will honor your acting capabilities? Do you not think you, or any woman and minority, deserves their own unique chance to be a “leader” for their particular group?