Daniel Craig is set to play James Bond for the fifth and final time, amid rampant speculation on a possible replacement. He's not sure who will step into 007's famous shoes, but said he doesn't think they're a good fit for an actress.

He doesn't question whether a female could play the famous British spy with a license to kill; instead, Craig feels the role is ill-fitting because it was specifically shaped around a male persona. "There should simply be better parts for women and actors of color," he told Radio Times (via the BBC). "Why should a woman play James Bond when there should be a part just as good as James Bond – but for a woman?"

There were persistent rumors, at one point, that Lashana Lynch (Captain Marvel) might take over as Bond in No Time To Die, the franchise's latest installment. She actually stars as fill-in MI6 agent Nomi, during a period when Craig's Bond is in self-imposed exile.

Nevertheless, Lynch remains an intriguing option as producers move forward with the franchise, which also added Phoebe Waller-Bridge (Fleabag) to the writing team.

Through it all, Bond remained Bond. Waller-Bridge's presence "spice[d] it up," Craig said, but as a longtime fan of Bond, she "wasn't about to take him in a different direction."

No Time to Die opens on Sept. 30 in the U.K. and on Oct. 8 in the U.S. Craig said his official goodbyes to the cast and crew in a preview clip released last week from the upcoming Apple TV documentary Being James Bond. "I've loved every single second of these movies and especially this one, because I've got up every morning and I've had the chance to work with you guys," Craig said. "And that has been one of the greatest honors of my life."

 

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