After a very long wait, Daniel Craig finally confirmed his return for James Bond 25 last month after seemingly endless speculation on the matter. That means that the upcoming installment of the long-running franchise is going to have a bit more of the same before passing the torch to another actor down the road. But could the franchise be getting some new perspective as well in the form of a female director? According to producer Barbara Broccoli, it is absolutely something that they would consider.

Barbara Broccoli, who has been in control of the James Bond movies along with Eon Productions ever since her father, Albert "Cubby" Broccoli passed away, recently spoke with Screen Daily about her upcoming movie Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool. During the conversation, she was asked about whether or not she would consider having a female director helm a James Bond movie in the future. Her answer was short, but definitive.

Of course.
No James Bond movie has ever been helmed by a female director in the more than 50 years that the franchise has been around. Granted, the 007 series has never been particularly modern when it comes to the title character's treatment of the opposite sex. As Judi Dench pointed out in Goldeneye, Bond is a "sexist, misogynist dinosaur. A relic of the Cold War." But Hollywood is changing and for the James Bond franchise to continue beyond James Bond 25, things will need to change. Bringing in a female director would certainly be a way to do that. Barbara Broccoli also discussed diversity in the film industry, which she feels is important both in front of and behind the camera.

There are a lot of women working on this production [Film Stars] which pleases me very much. It's incredibly important to support change in front of and behind the camera. I love working with women. It's a different vibe.
So, could we possibly see a female director for James Bond 25? It isn't overly likely, but we can't totally rule it out. Sam Mendes, who directed both Skyfall and Spectre, isn't going to return for the next installment. However, it has already been revealed that Yann Demange ('71), David Mackenzie (Hell or High Water) and Denis Villeneuve (Arrival) are the top choices for James Bond 25, with Demange rumored to be the frontrunner. Though, the actual choice hasn't been revealed yet, but we should be hearing some official news shortly since James Bond 25 is slated for release on November 8, 2019.

Movies like Wonder Woman, which was directed by Patty Jenkins, are going to change the landscape of major blockbusters in the years to come. Jenkins and other female directors like Ava Duvernay (Selma) are leading the charge and we will see more female directors tackling major franchises in the future. Will the James Bond franchise be one of the next to let a female director take the helm? If Barbara Broccoli remains in charge, there's a decent chance of that happening in the future.

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