We may not be getting a woman James Bond any time soon (sigh), but at least Killing Eve and Fleabag creator Phoebe Waller-Bridge is making sure that the ladies of the 007 universe are treated like actual human beings.
The James Bond franchise (which is going into its 25th film) has long been criticised for sexism. While there are exceptions (such as Judi Dench's M) the women of the James Bond universe have not always received their due on screen. Many women over the course of the franchise's long history have been treated as nothing more than eye candy, while others were quickly discarded victims of violence.
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Waller-Bridge — who, as an actress, stars in Fleabag and last year appeared in Star Wars: A Solo Story — opened up to the Hollywood Reporter's Awards Chatter podcast about her new job writing the next James Bond film. Waller-Bridge is one of several writers on the project, and reportedly secured the job after discussing with returning star Daniel Craig how she would polish the script with a touch of added humour. One thing she made clear that she will definitely do on the podcast? Treat the Bond Girls well.
"It's mainly about making [the Bond girls] feel like real people, you know? Which they do in the previous films," Waller-Bridge said on the podcast.
She added that she thinks the current iteration of Bond films, starring Craig, are already on the right track.
"I think Daniel's films have had really fantastic Bond girls, so it's just keeping it up."
It's hard to imagine Waller-Bridge's Bond story being anything but feminist. Her TV series, while vastly different in subject matter, feature complex, nuanced women, who aren't afraid to toe the line (or sometimes just downright cross it) when it comes to societal norms.
The Bond girls are in good hands with Waller-Bridge. The 25th film in the Bond franchise hits cinemas in 2020.