Dame Helen Mirren has said James Bond should be played by a man, even though she is "such a feminist".
In a new interview with Saga Magazine, the Oscar-winning actress says "you can't have a woman. It just doesn't work. James Bond has to be James Bond, otherwise it becomes something else".
Amazon MGM Studios will produce the next iteration of the spy franchise, with Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight set to write what will become the 26th film in the series.
The US production and distribution company previously said it was planning a "fresh" take on franchise but would honour the "legacy" of the "iconic character".
Dame Helen, 80, is currently starring opposite former James Bond actor Pierce Brosnan in the much anticipated film adaption of The Thursday Murder Club, in which she plays a retired spy.
Brosnan, 72, also told the magazine that he believed a male actor should continue to play Bond and he was excited to "see a whole new exuberance and life for this character".
He starred in four Bond films during his tenure as 007, starting with GoldenEye in 1995 and finishing with Die Another Day, which was released in 2002.
Dame Helen has previously been quoted saying that the concept of James Bond was "born out of profound sexism", and that women have always been an "incredibly important part" of the secret service.
The two actors are not the first to push back on the idea of a woman playing Bond.
Source: BBC
