007 Producer Willing to Entertain Idea of a Non-Binary Bond

James Bond film franchise producer Barbara Broccoli says she's "open" to a non-binary 007: "We just have to find the right actor."

Broccoli has stated in the past that the character of James Bond should remain male going forward, but, TMZ said, she declared herself open to the idea of a Bond who uses they/them pronouns during an interview with the podcast "Girls on Film."

"She reiterated her point about not forcing a gender-bending switch for characters that are traditionally male (like Bond) and said new ones simply needed to be written for females," TMZ clarified, but, when the notion of a non-binary Bond was introduced, Broccoli "didn't shut down the idea outright," the entertainment site reported.

"Who knows, I think it's open, you know?" TMZ quoted Broccoli as saying. "We just have to find the right actor."

"It's interesting she didn't flat out say [no], which means we could be seeing a different type of Bond in the future," Deadline mused. "She definitely wants the character to be British, and male, but maybe everything else is up for discussion."

Broccoli "controls all things Bond via her film company, Eon Productions, alongside her brother," TMZ noted. That puts her in a position to determine the future of the franchise. Indeed, it was Barbara Broccoli who insisted on Daniel Craig taking over the role – a decision she stuck by despite early fan unhappiness with the "blond Bond," and which proved well-founded when Craig made the role his own and brought fresh excitement to the aging film series.

While no prospects have been identified by Broccoli or her production company for Craig's successor, some have spoken up about wanting to see the iconic character portrayed as an out LGBTQ+ person – or at least played by one.

Out actor Ben Whishaw, who plays MI6 quartermaster Q in the latest films, was one such voice. "I really believe that we should be working towards a world where anyone can play anything and it would be really thrilling if it didn't matter about someone's sexuality to take on a role like this," Whishaw told Attitude when asked if he thought casting a gay actor would bring something fresh to the franchise, UK newspaper The Independent reported. "I think that would be real progress."

Another "Bridgerton" star has gained popularity recently as a possible successor in the role: Regé-Jean Page has strong support among franchise fans. Other popular choices include "The Witcher" star Henry Cavill, Tom Hardy, and out actor Luke Evans.