Gillian Anderson: The next James Jane Bond?

Gillian Anderson has got a her fans all a-tizz down at Twitter with a hint that she might be prepared to fill Daniel Craig's shoes as 007. Gillian Anderson's Jane Bond tweet To secure the role, Anderson will have to beat off stiff competition from Idris Elba, Damian Lewis and Tom Hiddleston - all of whom are in the frame for …

[Alister]

"Betteridge's law" is applicable to the headline of this article, with the answer being a definitive "no".

Oh good, I don't need to read it to comment then...

[Anonymous Coward]

You won't believe in the contents of this comment!

At least they've added a footnote, but I guess it is a general trend with all news sites. All articles in CNN are slowly being replaced by clickbait crap like "Is this the most adventurous highway?" and "Why this leopard is so exciting" (two real samples from today's CNN site).

Do they really need to compete with listicle and copy-and-paste humor/gossip sites? (NO)

[Steve Crook]

" will have to to beat off stiff competition"

Really? I mean REALLY?

[Fred Flintstone]

Re: " will have to to beat off stiff competition"

I rather like the double entendre embedded in that sentence - an El Reg classic, as it were.

[h4rm0ny]

Re: " will have to to beat off stiff competition"

Well it's still better than Pierce Brosnan's "I thought Christmas only came once per year". I mean if there's any article where you're going to insert an extra entendre, it's going to be one on Bond.

[Hans Neeson-Bumpsadese]

Re: " will have to to beat off stiff competition"

if there's any article where you're going to insert an extra entendre, it's going to be one on Bond.

So it was inevitable that the author would slip one in

[Steve Crook]

Re: " will have to to beat off stiff competition"

"I mean if there's any article where you're going to insert an extra entendre, it's going to be one on Bond"

I mean if there's any place where you're going to insert an extra entendre, it's going to be one on Bond

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: " will have to to beat off stiff competition"

Meh. As double entendres go, this one's half-cocked and premature. Wait for a story where the double meaning is closer to the truth than the literal interpretation. The kind where you're halfway down the page before you realize "holy shit, that's fucking filthy - and hilarious!"

[Voland's right hand]

Re: " will have to to beat off stiff competition"

Pierce Brosnan's "I thought Christmas

That was quite tame compared to Roger Moore's "Miss Godnight is coming up" and Q's comment in Moonraker "He is attempting reentry".

[TheTrouser]

Re: " will have to to beat off stiff competition"

Anyone but Damian Lewis

Daniel Craig - and even Gillian - look like they could actually kill a man.

The best Lewis looks like he could do would offer someone a limp handshake and ask if they'd like a cup of tea. . .

[Rich 11]

Re: " will have to to beat off stiff competition"

The best Lewis looks like he could do would offer someone a limp handshake and ask if they'd like a cup of tea. . .

I dunno. He made a good job of playing a menacing psycho in The Escapist.

[Anonymous Coward]

Sorry, I just had to, um, pop off.

I'm back now (cough)

[Indolent Wretch]

Can't really change the gender of 007 until they bite the bullet that they should reboot Bond to be MI6s top agents 'identity' and not just a single person. Especially after the pointless Craig reboot where they managed to go from the hot young agent getting his 00 with his second kill at the start and have him a washed up, OAP, well passed his prime by the 3rd movie.... and god knows where he got the old Aston from.

Still given they don't have the guts for that they should make her the next Doctor.

[Anonymous Coward]

It wouldn't even take a reboot, the usual "rebuttal" only proves that Dalton was playing the same man as Lazenby.

[CaptainHook]

Can't really change the gender of 007 until they bite the bullet that they should reboot Bond to be MI6s top agents 'identity' and not just a single person.

*****

Doesn't necessarily have to be "The Top Man", especially not if the man keeps changing and therefore you can never be sure that 007 in this mission is necessarily the best man at the time, but I've always like the idea of a small team of the best of the best, who get promoted into the role when there is a vacancy in the team and remains in that position until death or retirement (i.e the size of the team remains roughly static)

If that theory is correct, then there have probably been lots of 006 Alec Trevelyan's running around as well.

[Alien8n]

One film

Casino Royal.

(The original one, not the remake)

[Dave 126]

Re: One film

The Woody Allen James Bond:

"My doctor says I can't have lead enter my body under any circumstances!"

The same film also featured an Ursula Andreas James Bond, and David Niven as the original James Bond, bemoaning the damage to his good name from his masters appointing sex maniacs as his successors.

[allthecoolshortnamesweretaken]

Re: One film / Casino Royale

I liked Peter Seller's Bond in that. And David Niven's (he also drove the proper Betley, with the compressor). And that the super villain turned out to be Woody Allen. But he last 15 minutes or so are so much OTT that I can't watch them when I'm sober.

[a pressbutton]

Re: The future...

"Who is 001?

You are number 6"

Problems with identification everywhere...

[Alien8n]

Re: The future...

@a pressbutton well Bond does seem to become a prisoner in every single film somehow...

[MacroRodent]

Still given they don't have the guts for that they should make her the next Doctor.

No, since she's not British.

[Rich 11]

No, since she's not British.

She grew up here. She does a better British accent than any American actress (with the possible exception of Maggie Gyllenhall).

[EddieD]

Renée Zellweger...just saying...

[Anonymous Coward]

"Can't really change the gender of 007..."

Of course they can! The film starts with Damian Lewis as Bond who gets his nadgers cut off by the Bond Villain and then Gillian Anderson takes over. Simples...

[Jedit]

"they should reboot Bond to be MI6s top agents 'identity' and not just a single person"

I can go with this. Particularly if they cast Gillian Anderson as James Bond without changing the name of the character.

The main issue with casting Anderson is she's 48 this year. This has nothing to do with her being a woman and everything to do with the role. Roger Moore's later movies were made when he was in his 50s, and he was something of an embarrassment in them. I wouldn't want Anderson to suffer the same fate.

OTOH, if they want to make an adaptation of Brian Michael Bendis's excellent period spy comic Velvet, I think Anderson would make a very good Velvet Templeton. For those unfamiliar, the central premise of the book is "What if Miss Moneypenny was a retired 00 agent?"

[Hollerithevo]

Re: "they should reboot Bond to be MI6s top agents 'identity' and not just a single person"

Never heard of Velvet Templeton, have just done The Google and wow! Nice to see an older woman who looks like she can truly kick ass.

[Anonymous Coward]

Velvet Templeton

One look at the images Google showed and it was obvious Claudia Black was born to play her.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: "they should reboot Bond to be MI6s top agents 'identity' and not just a single person"

Nice to see an older woman who looks like she can truly kick ass.

I think you'll find pretty much any woman who has done intensive sport will be able to offer that look, especially ballet dancers and gymnasts are almost scary in how well they retain body trim.

However, do you really want to bend the whole Bond concept just to make it gender acceptable?

Are we so short of good story writers that nobody can dream up an alternative world or even story line with a strong female lead? I thought Lara Croft was not a bad start, or - to stay with the same actress - the "Mrs" in "Mr & Mrs Smith", but that was maybe too much traditional (intentionally, of course).

Even better, could we please, please, please have a female Deadpool? That would crack a number of stereotypes at once and would at least be funny. Most of these super types are way too impressed with themselves.

[Jedit]

"Even better, could we please, please, please have a female Deadpool?"

I don't know if you know, but there actually is a Lady Deadpool. She's part of the Deadpool Corps, a collection of Deadpools from a variety of parallel dimensions that also includes Pirate Deadpool, Deadpool the Kid and Headpool, the severed zombified head of the Marvel Zombies Deadpool who flies around using a helicopter beanie. Unfortunately Deadpool 2 is likely to be Deadpool and Cable, but who knows - maybe in the third?

[allthecoolshortnamesweretaken]

Re: "they should reboot Bond to be MI6s top agents 'identity' and not just a single person"

Mmh. I quite liked Connery in Never Say Never Again. The type of agent that makes up for missing youth by decades of experience - been there, done that, can't be fooled twice, etc. But then again I'll turn 50 later tis year, so maybe I'm a bit biased. Now get off of my lawn!

[John Brown (no body)]

Re: "they should reboot Bond to be MI6s top agents 'identity' and not just a single person"

"The main issue with casting Anderson is she's 48 this year. This has nothing to do with her being a woman and everything to do with the role. Roger Moore's later movies were made when he was in his 50s, and he was something of an embarrassment in them. I wouldn't want Anderson to suffer the same fate."

Funny you should mention Moore and Anderson in the same sentence. I was just thinking how she has a similar acting style and range of facial expressions.

[magickmark]

If you look carefully, the number plate on the Aston is Skyfall is the same as the one he won in Casino Royal so that's where he got the Aston from. But as to how it got all the upgrades (ejector seat etc) is the real question.

But I think that if you over analyse the films you spoil the 'fun' of them. Just sit back and enjoy the ride.

[Jeffrey Nonken]

Oh, you must be thinking of Casino Royale. No no, not that one. David Niven. Peter Sellers. Ursula Andress. And, you know, Woody Allen.

[Francis Boyle]

"Still given they don't have the guts for that they should make her the next Doctor."

I'd definitely prefer to see her wielding a sonic screwdriver than a PPK. On the other hand maybe I should keep my sexual fantasies to myself.

[Locky]

No no no no no no and no

This goes against everything Fleming wrote, it's a fundimental plot point in so many of the source texts

There is absolutly no way that Bond is a ginger

[Andy The Hat]

Re: No no no no no no and no

... and I'm sure running across rooftops in high-heels would be bad form.

Though "Emma Peel" always managed by changing into a tight jump-suit before a fight scene ...

[Anonymous Coward]

"Emma Peel" always managed in a tight jump-suit

oops, I had to pop out again.

I'm back now ....

[Dan 55]

Re: No no no no no no and no

Imagine a Scottish ginger. It's outlandish.

[adam payne]

Gillian Anderson as a female bond. I would watch it.

[quattroprorocked]

For my money, Gillian or Idris. Lewis looks wrong to me and while Hiddlestone is great, I think he's too obvious.

OMG, an on topic comment.

I'll get my coat.

[h4rm0ny]

There're only two requirements. Firstly, Bond has to be English and posh. (S)he can be gritty and rough as they like but they have to know their way a bottle of wine and be able to pick out the Saville Row suit from the others.

Secondly, they need to be something of a brute. I see this as where the danger with a female bond. I think they will be tempted to make Bond a slinky femme fatale a lá Cameron Diaz in Charlie's Angels or Scarlett Johansen in those Avengers films. They'll want Bond to suddenly be this ninja cat type spy just because he's now female. I would prefer a male bond (I'm female, I like to look Danial Craig - that's half the appeal), but I could stand to see a take on it with a female Bond. But if she doesn't beat someone half to death in a nasty manner and a dollop of sneering contempt for the victim's horribly violent death, it's not Bond.

If they keep the character the same, I might be okay with it. But I suspect they'll want to change it. Bond is a psychopath. That will stand out a lot more to people if he becomes a she and I think most male directors would shy away from that and soften Bond.

[Hollerithevo]

May I offer as an example...

V I Warshawski? Very brutal when she needed to be, willing to kill and is not sorry to wipe out scum.

I would also offer a better example: Modesty Blaise.

One of the great crimes against humanity is that the two Modesty Blaise films have been insulting jokes. Does it need a woman director to be serious about Blaise?

[Dave 126]

Re: May I offer as an example...

I feel Gina Carano would make a better J Bond than Ms Andrerson. Carano, who was a mixed martial artist before her film career, has a presence and muscular power.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gina_Carano#Television_and_film_career

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haywire_(film)#Critical_response

[BernardL]

Re: May I offer as an example...

Gina Carano can definitely do the fight scenes. The afterparty scene in the Shelbourne Hotel showed she can dish it out as well as take it. (Yes, I know they were acting, but it was plausible.)

Claudia Black was born to play Modesty Blaise. Awesomely.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: May I offer as an example...

I feel Gina Carano would make a better J Bond than Ms Andrerson. Carano, who was a mixed martial artist before her film career, has a presence and muscular power.

Yes, Haywire was a very interesting example of that - given her background I'd imaging there wasn't much need for training for the action scenes :).

[John Hughes]

Firstly, Bond has to be English and posh.

Scottish, actually.

[kain preacher]

Idris would be kick ass.

[Dave 126]

>Firstly, Bond has to be English and posh.

Sean Connery was less English than Idris Elba. Even the version of Bond played by Daniel Craig was Scottish (orphaned, raised in an English boarding school)

[h4rm0ny]

>>"Sean Connery was less English than Idris Elba"

But he was playing English. Just very badly!

I meant the character has to be English, not the actor.

[EddieD]

Read the obit in "You only live twice".

And the telegram rejecting his knighthood in "The man with the golden gun"

[Anonymous Coward]

"Golden Gun", is that the one where M mentions to Bond in a telegram that Her Majesty has proposed a "High Honour" (Possibly a "Katie" to go with his "Charlie Michael George") and Bond declines citing that he is the humble son of a Scottish Crofter?

Either way I am getting very weary of the politically correct rewriting of literature, Bond Is both Caucasian and male, If you want different - create a NEW character.

[Anonymous Coward]

James Bond had a Scottish father and a Swiss mother, and was born in Scotland.

The only thing English was his upbringing at boarding school later on.

[Dave 126]

In support of Idris, this clip from the film Pacific Rim. Idris wears a psuedo-RAF uniform at times. The director asked Idris to use his natural voice for the film (though English, it was his role as a Baltimore gangster in the Wire that really made his name) though in this clip he's generic transatlantic:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cTV7eZIINs4

He's also driven a Bentley really fast. Though Aston Martin (or a Citreon 2CV) is often asscociated with 007, Fleming had him in Bentley:

http://www.bentleymotors.com/en/world-of-bentley/our-story/news/2015/idris-elba-breaks-historic-flying-mile-speed-record-.html

[John Hughes]

in this clip he's generic transatlantic

Last man Standin'

Generic transatlantic?

[annodomini2]

That Idris Elba record is not official as they used the wrong timing gear.

[chivo243]

Which way will a new Bond lean?

Will she also be as "randy" as previous Bonds? Will she also be misogynistic? Wink wink!

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Which way will a new Bond lean?

Hell yes - have you seen that series where she's investigating serial murders in Northern Ireland?

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Which way will a new Bond lean?

The Fall

Good series that.

[The Indomitable Gall]

Re: Which way will a new Bond lean?

The only good thing in The Fall was whats-his-name as the pyschopath. He switched from everyone's-best-pal to stone-cold-heartless at the drop of a hat. Anderson had no charm and no charisma. Her matter-of-factness about her extra-marital affair made me wonder why anyone could possibly develop any sort of lasting emotional attachment to her.

I really can't stand her as an actress. She should only ever play baddies.

[Alan J. Wylie]

Charlie Stross

The Jennifer Morgue

Spoiler alert: to say any more would be giving far too much away.

Loose lips sink ships.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Charlie Stross

The Apocalypse Concerto as well, says Officer Freindly

mine is the one with the Key to the Atrocity Archive or St Hildas... I forget

[PatientOne]

Re: Charlie Stross

Thanks for the reminder: Need to go get the next couple of books and get reading.

[Antron Argaiv]

Bond.

Jane Bond.

No, it just doesn't have the same ring to it, I'm afraid.

// +1 for Mrs. Peel in a jumpsuit.

[Dave 126]

Re: Bond.

I've recently been watching Elementary, with a Dr Jane Watson - played by Lucy Liu... you get used to it!

[MacroRodent]

Re: Bond.

The problem with Lucy Liu as Jane Watson is she plays the role as a too smart character. Dr Watson should be a bit slow, or at least appear to be so in comparison to Holmes.

[Known Hero]

Re: Bond.

@MacroRodent,

Can you imagine the femishitstorm if they portrayed the female as slow ??

Whilst I agree, that's how it has been depicted more often than not, it's not a integral part of the characters, personally I like the slight equalish partnership as portrayed in elementary. Ontop of all that considering it is set in modern times, I have no issue with a woman being either or both characters, had it been set in Victorian England then Yes keep it as x2 men.

[[e-mail]]

Tom Hidlestone?

Oh, you mean LOKI!! What is all this 'Night Manager' rubbish?

[Dave 126]

Re: Tom Hidlestone?

>What is all this 'Night Manager' rubbish?

Ah, but it was such shiny, good looking rubbish! It wasn't nearly as deep, dark or subtle as a Le Carre novel, but at least it had Tom Hollander in it, reprising his role as 'The Fucker' from The Thick of It.

[Muscleguy]

Re: Tom Hidlestone?

I deliberately didn’t watch it, I’ve read and quite enjoyed the book and didn’t want to spoil it as the adaptation inevitably would.

[Dave 126]

Re: Tom Hidlestone?

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy with Alec Guinness is still my favourite Le Carre adaptation... though I like Philip Seymour Hoffman and Gary Oldman in two recent films, the plots need a bit more space to breathe than a feature-length film can provide.

Being a comparatively recent novel, A Most Delicate Truth could make a good TV series, though perhaps not one for cosy Sunday night viewing - it needs to keep its anger.

[KA1AXY]

Re: Tom Hidlestone?

Liked the TTSS movie, also The Spy Who Came In From the Cold. But LeCarre's books always leave me without any faith in my ability to judge people, and in a pretty black funk. I suppose they're meant to, He is a terribly good author, though.

I don't think I would have the temperament to be a spy.

[Efros]

fans all a-tizz

okay that does say tizz right?

[wolfetone]

James Bond/007 Isn't a Person

So it's entirely plausible that 007 could be a woman.

There is a theory, and a strong one I think, that 007/James Bond is a code name. It's not actually one person played throughout the years but rather something designated to a number of people. As far as I know, this is something MI5 do with their agents, and Ian Fleming worked in those agencies, so it's completely plausible.

But, I draw a line at there being a "black" James Bond or a "female" James/Jane Bond. We need a good actor to play the role of a spy. It should be given on merit, just not what the public think we should have. If Anderson makes an amazing Jane Bond, then give her the part. If Elba makes an amazing James Bond, give him the part. But give it on merit, not the colour of the actors skin or gender.

For the record, I'd quite like to see Colin Salmon be James Bond. He was spoke about before years ago before Craig got the part, and he played a good Chief of Staff in Tomorrow Never Dies. Plus he was brilliant in Clubbed.

[Hollerithevo]

Re: James Bond/007 Isn't a Person

'Merit' -- so many actors are great actors, but what you need is, in a sense, clickbait: someone both men and women will want to pay money to see shooting people and doing absurd stunts on a big screen. iN a sense, I don't want to waste a great actor on Bond. so Elba and Anderson would be wasted. Craig is a darn good actor and I wonder if he is bored out of his skull doing Bond. On the other hand, I believe the role makes you rich as Croesus, so I would wish this good fortune on an actor (m or f) who could make the role feel new.

[Dave 126]

Re: James Bond/007 Isn't a Person

>But, I draw a line at there being a "black" James Bond or a "female" James/Jane Bond.

During the cold war, a black James Bond wouldn't make too much sense- he wouldn't be that covert an operative in a Eastern European casino, for example. With the state of the world as it is today, it is easier to imagine places a fictional MI6 could use a black operative. Indeed, Bond's CIA counterpart, Felix, has been black for the last few films.

Heck, a James Bond of Chinese descent could be dead handy for some missions today! (though of course film producers today keep more than an eye on the Chinese cinema market).

[Chris Hunt]

Re: James Bond/007 Isn't a Person

"Strutter: ‘Kind of obvious you weren't coming out front. Not even with that clever disguise you're wearing.’

Bond: ‘Hmm?’

Strutter: ‘White face in Harlem, good thinking Bond!’

-- Live and Let Die

[allthecoolshortnamesweretaken]

Re: James Bond/007 Isn't a Person

He is a Time Lord, obviously...

[King Jack]

Salt

Rather than mess with Bond, why don't Hollywood just make another Salt film starring Angelina Jolie?

All this rebooting is getting on my nerves. Just write something new for god's sake.

[Known Hero]

Re: Salt

Fully agree with this sentiment, The reason bond did well was because people enjoyed it. A light hearted tongue in cheek action film.

If you want :

Gritty Drama action - Make a new spy film for gritty drama action

Female Super Sleuth - Make a new film for female super spy

[Wolfclaw]

Sorry, can't be a woman !

Idris Elba is perfect, will sleep with anything that has a pulse, and dump a girl after using her, so not unlike Bond !

I prefer Jason Statham.

[Dave 126]

>I prefer Jason Statham.

I really enjoyed Statham's self-paraody in Spy (2015)!

Rick Ford: You really think you're ready for the field? I once used defibrillators on myself. I put shards of glass in my fuckin' eye. I've jumped from a high-rise building using only a raincoat as a parachute and broke both legs upon landing; I still had to pretend I was in a fucking Cirque du Soleil show! I've swallowed enough microchips and shit them back out again to make a computer. This arm has been ripped off completely and re-attached with *this* fuckin' arm.

Susan Cooper: I don't know that that's possible... I mean medically...

Rick Ford: During the threat of an assassination attempt, I appeared convincingly in front of congress as Barack Obama.

Susan Cooper: In black-face? That's not appropriate.

Rick Ford: I watched the woman I love get tossed from a plane and hit by another plane mid-air. I drove a car off a freeway on top of a train while it was on fire. Not the car, *I* was on fire.

Susan Cooper: Jesus, you're intense.

[Uncle Slacky]

Johnny English Reborn

She did a decent turn as a British secret agent in that, too, so why not?

[Duffaboy]

Jason statham

Just for the stunts and the action sequences, as he can't act or may be he could be the Baddie

[Known Hero]

Re: Jason statham

Stratham would make a great Baddie !!!

Where is my stroking pussy icon

... did i just word that wrong !!!

[Duffaboy]

On a Serious Note

David Tennant. He owned the Doctor Who role, he would need to beef up a bit though

[KBeee]

Re: On a Serious Note

David Tennant doesn't have that "physicality" needed by Bond.

I always thought before Pierce Brosnan got the job, that "Chancer" Clive Owen would make a terrific Bond. Still think he'd have been the better choice, and was (then) young enough to stay Bond for a long time.

[Anonymous Coward]

No way Daniel Craig is giving up the job when he stands to make millions to return...

Trust me - this is PR for the next movie coupled with Daniel Craig's agent looking to negotiate maximum salary.

[allthecoolshortnamesweretaken]

All this suddenly reminded me

of that Schweppes ad with John Cleese announcing an all-new, family-friendly Bond who "wouldn't uzi a fly" while absent-mindedly dispatching half a dozen hitmen or so. Anyone else remember this?

[TheProf]

Yes please

Don't stop with Anderson being Bond, let's run through the whole of the motion picture back catalogue and remake everything with a male lead.

Currently up for grabs are:

Hawkeye and Trapper from M*A*S*H

Sherlock Holmes (bound to be better than Lionel (sic) Richie's versions.)

Douglas Bader (Reach For The Sky)

Thick and Thicky from Dumb and Dumber

Dirty Harry

The Battle of Britain.

Ghostbusters. (What?)

Seriously, if Anderson is anything like she was in the 6 episode X-Files reboot she won't even pass the audition. Speak up and stop mumbling Gill, the audience need to hear what you're saying.

[Børge Nøst]

Henry Cavill?

How about Henry Cavill? He seemed to be very up from it when they talked about it on Graham Norton.

I could see him work if they buffed him up a bit and gave him the right manners.

[YARR]

The next bond...

The media keep hinting the next bond could be a female, or black, etc. but what about ageist discrimination? Why not bring back Roger Moore or Sean Connery? With one of those DARPA exo-skeletons and a viagra pill they could bring some silver Bond action back to the silver screen.

[Bakana]

Let the Gnashing begin

I'm in favor of it just for the fun of watching various Heads Explode over the "Sacrilege" of casting a woman in the part.

Let the Wailing and Gnashing of outraged Teeth Begin.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Let the Gnashing begin

People act like it's something new. Famke Janssen was seriously considered as Jane Bond before she was cast as Onnatopp.

[lorisarvendu]

Jane Bond...sounds familiar

I knew I'd heard the name before. Must have been a conversation in the pub or something...ahem...

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0141421/

[Anonymous Coward]

What's your name?

Bond..

As in James?

No, as in Uni, i wanna fill ya cra.........................

[The Vociferous Time Waster]

Headline in buzz feed format.

Thousands voted for her to be the new Bond but what she did next will amaze you...

[The Vociferous Time Waster]

Headline in buzz feed format.

Thousands voted for her to be the new Bond but what she did next will amaze you...y

[ShadowDragon8685]

A female Bond...

Well, honestly, I've hated Craig Charles. But then, Pierce Brosnan defined James Bond for me, so...

A lady 007 would be good, but if there's a female Bond before a female Doctor, I'll be kind of disappointed. Then again, maybe it would kick the BBC right in the arse...

[Anonymous Cow Herder]

So long as they don't interfere with the Bond "plot"

Bond goes to swanky casino and has sarcastic exchange with villain.

Bond shags woman closely associated with villain (later girl is killed)

Bond is captured (somehow) and tortured by villain (always in person) who fails to take opportunity for an easy kill.

Bond somehow manages to escape (you can make this as ludicrously improbable as you like).

Bond leads a large group to attack villain's secret hideout defended by improbably large number of henchmen.

Bond kills villain.

Chuck in a speedboat / car chase at any point you like.

Simples!