James Bond Producer Offers Update on Franchise's Post-Daniel Craig Future

James Bond producer Barbara Broccoli just gave fans an update on the franchise's future after Daniel Craig. She spoke to The Guardian while promoting the new TV show, 007: Road to a Million. While that reality show tries to harness some of what makes James Bond so beloved, they're not even close to casting the next actor to wear the tuxedo. Broccoli said there's "a big road ahead" for the titular secret agent. Even more interesting are her comments that the character has to be "reinvented for the next chapter." So, it's clear a thorough modernization of the cinema icon is underway in the coming years. That's before we even get to the question of who will be driving that Aston Martin. Check out what else she had to say right here.

Broccoli mused, "I go back to GoldenEye when everyone was saying 'the cold war is over, the wall is over, Bond is dead, no need for Bond, the whole world's at peace and now there's no villains' – and boy was that wrong!"

"Daniel gave us the ability to mine the emotional life of the character … and also the world was ready for it," she would add. "I think these movies reflect the time they are in, and there's a big, big road ahead reinventing it for the next chapter and we haven't even begun with that."

Who Will Direct The Next James Bond?

While a director has not been decided upon yet, there's one filmmaker that knows he won't get the job. This week, Matthew Vaughn spoke to Josh Horowitz on the Happy Sad Confused podcast about his chances. He told the host, "I would say I've got more chance being cast as Bond than directing Bond. Ask them. They're not keen on me." Apparently, he got really close to doing Casino Royale and then it fell apart.

"It was a really weird time when I got a phone call saying, "would you be interested in meeting about doing Casino Royale?" And I was like 'oh my god, yes, I would.' So I had this. I read the book again and went and met with them," Vaughn explained. "We all got on, actually, I thought, really well. And then, welcome to Hollywood, I got a phone call from MGM saying 'you've got the gig, don't tell anyone.'"

"And like okay, I get it. And they said, you're going to go meet EON and they're going to tell you. So I go for this meeting, and I'm pretending that I don't know, and all I'm thinking is 'come on can we cut to the chase?' I'm ready to go," he mused. "And ironically, we talked about who I'd cast, and I said 'what about Daniel?' And they're like, we're not sure about Daniel. And I was like, okay, and then MGM told me I had it. And then I had the lunch, I had the meetings, and at the end of it, I wasn't offered it." 

What's The Deal With The New James Bond Show?

Amazon bills the reality competition series as: "007: Road to a Million will see contestants competing in teams of two on a global adventure to win the ultimate prize of up to £1 million. Filmed in iconic Bond locations – from the Scottish Highlands to Venice and Jamaica – this cinematic format will be a test of intelligence, endurance and heroism. In addition to conquering obstacles, the contestants, who will compete in two-person teams, must correctly answer questions hidden in the different locations around the world to advance to the next challenge."

What do you want to see out of the next James Bond? Let us know down in the comments!