Is the world finally getting its first female 007? With the release of the first trailer for the new James Bond movie, No Time to Die, fans are wondering if the film could be setting the franchise up to pivot to a female spy as the titular character. In the trailer, which was released Wednesday morning, fans were introduced to Lashana Lynch‘s brand new character, Nomi.
Nomi and James Bond, who is played by Daniel Craig for the fifth and final time, will work together on a mission that takes Bond out of retirement. As fans learned in the trailer, Nomi also carries the license to kill, prompting fans to wonder if Bond will go out in flames or potentially gracefully hand off the mantle to her.
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As the trailer made headlines and new movie posters made their way across the internet — including one of Lynch in a full spy suit complete with a large gun — several social media users made it clear they would welcome Lynch’s character as the next 007. Even Lynch’s friend and former Captain Marvel co-star, Brie Larson joined in on the fun.
Oh my 😍 I am officially in love with Lashana Lynch as 007.
— Griffineye (@Griffineye2) December 3, 2019
Lashana Lynch and Ana De Armas really are saving the James Bond franchise, huh? pic.twitter.com/js8Biq8Zq6
— ahmad (@ephwinslow) December 4, 2019
RUNNING AROUND MY HOUSE SCREAMING “MY SISTER IS 007!!!!” SO PROUD SO IN LOVE WITH @LashanaLynch IM BALD YALL TODAY IS A NATIONAL HOLIDAY https://t.co/PyI9ynOUWB
— Brie Larson (@brielarson) December 4, 2019
Still others were crossing their fingers that the rumor wasn’t true. “Just seen the #NoTimeToDie trailer and I already don’t like Lashana Lynch’s character. She ain’t 007. I really hope this trailer doesn’t mask the woke mess this may turn out to be,” one Twitter user wrote.
A Bond insider told the Daily Mail that Nomi will be taking over Bond’s secret agent number after he leaves MI6. “There is a pivotal scene at the start of the film where M says ‘Come in, 007,’” and reportedly in walks Lynch. “It’s a popcorn-dropping moment. Bond is still Bond but he’s been replaced as 007 by this stunning woman,” the source said.
“Bond, of course, is sexually attracted to the new female 007 and tries his usual seduction tricks, but is baffled when they don’t work on a brilliant, young black woman who basically rolls her eyes at him and has no interest in jumping into his bed,” the source continued. “Well, certainly not at the beginning.”
The trailer shows some playful banter between Bond and Nomi. “Stay in your lane. You get in my way, I will put a bullet in your knee,” Nomi says. Then, after a beat: “The one that works.”
The movie finds Bond having left active service and living a quiet life in Jamaica when his retirement is interrupted by his friend, CIA officer Felix Leiter (Jeffrey Wright). Leiter asks Bond to help him find a missing scientist, who was mysteriously abducted. On his mission to save the scientist, Bond will reportedly face “a danger the likes of which the world has never seen before.”
The 25th Bond film overall, No Time to Die features Craig’s fifth and final performance as the super spy and brings back other past characters played by Ralph Fiennes (M), Naomie Harris (Moneypenny), Ben Whishaw (Q), Rory Kinnear (Bill Tanner), Jeffrey Wright (Felix Leiter) and Léa Seydoux (Dr. Madeleine Swann).
In addition to Rami Malek — who makes his Bond debut as the villain, Safin — other notable newcomers to the cast include Ana de Armas, Lashana Lynch, David Dencik, Dali Benssalah and Billy Magnussen.
No Time to Die is due in theaters in the UK on April 2, 2020 and in the US on April 8, 2020.
Photo credit: MGM, Universal Pictures
