Pierce Brosnan’s latest James Bond comments may leave the franchise’s more sexist fans shaken—and perhaps even a little stirred. Brosnan played the dashing 007 four times—and now he feels it’s time to pass the torch to a woman. Speaking with the Hollywood Reporter recently, the actor said, “I think we’ve watched the guys do it for the last 40 years; get out of the way, guys, and put a woman up there. I think it would be exhilarating, it would be exciting.”

There’s a solid chance Brosnan’s wish could come true. This summer rumors emerged that Lashana Lynch, a confirmed co-star in the upcoming 25th Bond film, would wind up being crowned the new 007. A representative for the film’s production company did not respond to V.F.’s request for comment at the time.

Either way, Daniel Craig, who will take his last turn in the iconic role in this film, has endorsed the idea of a female successor as well. “I think that ­everybody should be ­considered,” Craig said in April. “Also for women and for African Americans, there should be great parts anyway, across the board.” Idris Elba, who was long rumored to be in the running to become the next Bond, is also into the idea of a woman taking the role.

According to the Daily Mail, Lynch will assume the mantle of Bond during a “popcorn-dropping moment” in the spy series’s upcoming 25th entry. The film’s title was finally released in August: Whoever they are, the new Bond will apparently have No Time to Die.

The Daily Mail’s source explained the hand-off like so: “Bond is still Bond, but he’s been replaced as 007 by this stunning woman. 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. Well, certainly not at the beginning.”

That said, Brosnan seemed to doubt that a hand-off to a female 007 would take place as long as the film’s current producers are in charge. “I don’t think that’s going to happen with the Broccolis,” Brosnan told THR. “I don’t think that is going to happen under their watch.”

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