When the rumour that Tom Hardy had been cast as the next James Bond found its way online last month, the story generated headlines across the globe. A natural fit for 007 in some respects, it was said at the time that nothing official would be announced until after No Time to Die's release.
Now that the movie's not coming to theaters until next April (after being moved from this November), it seems we'll have even longer to wait, but longtime franchise producer Barbara Broccoli tells Total Film that no decision will be made about the next James Bond until after Daniel Craig's tenure is well and truly at an end.
"I always say: you can only be in love with one person at a time," she tells the magazine. "Once the film’s come out, then some time will pass, and then we’ll have to get on to the business of the future. But for now, we just cannot think about anything beyond Daniel."
She would go on to say that there are no plans to cast an actor who delivers the same take on 007 as Craig. "It will have to be reimagined, in the way each actor has reimagined the role," Broccoli explains. "That’s what is so exciting and fun about this franchise; the character evolves. Eventually, when we have to think about it, we’ll find the right person."
As for what the next Bond might look like, the producer added: "He doesn’t need to be a white man. Not as far as I’m concerned."
That would be a big step forward for the franchise, of course, and one many fans would welcome. For now, though, we're clearly going to just have to wait and see what happens. Broccoli did, however, point out that it won't be a woman (so, that's a no to "Jane Bond"). "We should create roles for women, not just turn a man into a woman," she says.
Who do you want to see as the next James Bond?