Helen Mirren Has a Better Idea Than a Female James Bond

The creative direction of James Bond is no longer in the hands of the Broccolis. Amazon convinced the family, led by Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson, to take over creative control of the franchise for more money while allowing the family to retain half ownership. So, they’ll be bringing in big bucks while getting to produce theater and avoid angry reactions to every decision they make. I get it. Since the big sale, people have wondered what the next take on the classic character will be. Though, to be fair, those questions have been raised since Daniel Craig’s final outing as the character.

That was part of the issue of Bond going to Amazon in the first place. Amazon attempted to get ideas off the ground but the Broccolis consistently shot them down. If you believe what Amazon is getting out into the trades, former Amazon MGM Studios head Jennifer Salke was to blame as she wanted to turn Bond into a less violent character with broader appeal. If that was Salke’s idea, it makes sense that Broccoli would be against it. Coincidentally enough, it may have appealed to Helen Mirren.

Mirren is an acting legend. That isn’t up for debate. So, it makes sense that she be asked about the goings on in Hollywood. When asked about the potential of a female James Bond reboot, she did not mince words. “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 … The whole concept of James Bond is drenched and born out of profound sexism,” Mirren explained to The Standard recently. “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.” I’d watch that!

Her point is not necessarily a new one, in the sense that we need more new/original ideas when it comes to film. I’m in favor of race and gender-swapping for older properties, but sometimes it’s best to just start from scratch. Don’t just slap Bond onto a female character, create a new female character, steeped in the same world, that can meet or surpass Bond’s legacy. There is room for new stories, studios just need to be brave and innovative enough to see that. That is especially the case with a character that does not have the most sterling history.

Mirren is not wrong about her criticisms of the franchise. While it’s fair to romanticize that one family held creative control over Bond adaptations for decades, it’s not like they had a perfect streak. Plenty of Bond films are not good for a laundry list of reasons. Many of them suffer from sexism as Mirren mentions, but it’s not something that is easily shaken (NAILED IT). James Bond is a sexist character. That is who he is. You probably would not like him if you met him (unless you listen to Joe Rogan). However, Mirren has no qualms with James Bond actors.

You can now watch Mirren alongside former Bond actor Pierce Brosnan on Paramount+’s Mobland. While speaking of Brosnan, she had nothing but nice things to say. “I’m a huge fan of Pierce Brosnan, I mean massive fan,” Mirren noted. “Obviously, he’s gorgeous and everything. And I think he’s fabulous in MobLand, but he also happens to be one of the nicest people you’ll ever have the pleasure to work with. And indeed Daniel Craig, who I’ve met and know a little bit. Again, a very lovely gracious person.” I hope Brosnan is actually lovely and not, like, only lovely to above-the-line type folks. I’ll probably never know.

The point is that what Helen Mirren is saying is not a hot take or even a take. She’s just spitting facts. Women are amazing and deserve their more legendary characters that people obsess over. They can be spies. It’s okay. Meanwhile, the old ways of Bond won’t cut it anymore. Just give me movies about the badass women of the French Resistance. Helen Mirren is right and we should listen to her.