A MeToo makeover for James Bond: Fleabag star Phoebe Waller-Bridge is drafted in by producers to meet Daniel Craig and work on new film script
- James Bond is too be given a makeover for the MeToo era by Fleabag
- Phoebe Waller-Bridge has been drafted in by producers for the latest film
- One plot considered involves Bond retired and now living in Jamaica
They are both insatiably promiscuous and never short of a ready quip.
And now James Bond is to be given a comprehensive makeover for the MeToo era by Fleabag, The Mail on Sunday can reveal.
Phoebe Waller-Bridge, creator and star of the acclaimed BBC comedy and also the writer of Killing Eve, has been drafted in by Bond producers for the latest film in the series.
She flew to New York earlier this year to meet 007 star Daniel Craig before agreeing to work on the script for the 25th Bond.
While the work is said to be still in flux, feminist Ms Waller-Bridge appears to have already made her mark on the story.
Phoebe Waller-Bridge (left), creator and star of the acclaimed BBC comedy and also the writer of Killing Eve, has been drafted in by Bond producers for the latest film in the series
Daniel Craig has played James Bond since 2005, first appearing in Casino Royale. He has since appeared in Quantum of Sollace, Skyfall and Spectre. The latest Bond film will be the 25th in the series and also Craigs last film in the series, after he confirmed that it will be he last project in 2018
One plot being considered involves Craig’s ageing Bond retired and now living in Jamaica – the island where 007 author Ian Fleming had his Goldeneye retreat. The 007 number has been taken up by a new agent – a woman – who embarks on a mission which forces Bond to come out of retirement.
Despite Bond’s legendary reputation as a womaniser, the new 007 manages to resist his charms.
A source said last night: ‘Phoebe is the hottest young writer in the UK and Hollywood at the moment.
‘Everyone wants her. She’s a natural choice for Bond. She flew to New York and met Daniel and they immediately hit it off. He thinks she’s a genius.
Pheobe Waller-Bridge (pictured here in Fleabag) has been drafted in by Bond producers to write the latest film in the series. The 33-year-old already boasts a Bafta for her peformance in Fleabag and her adaption of Killing Eve helped make the thriller a huge hit in the UK and USA last year.
‘Her dialogue is sharp and brilliant. It’s young, it’s fun and it is all about female empowerment.
‘This will be a very modern Bond for the MeToo era.’
For Ms Waller-Bridge, the coveted position of Bond scriptwriter is the latest chapter in her dazzling career.
The 33-year-old already boasts a Bafta for her performance in Fleabag, the second series of which recently finished to universal acclaim. Her adaptation of Killing Eve helped to make the thriller a huge hit both in Britain and the US last year.
She has also had a part in the Star Wars series, as an android in Solo: A Star Wars Story.
The latest Bond, Craig’s fifth and final outing as the spy, has been plagued by difficulties. Original director Danny Boyle dropped out, citing ‘creative differences’ when the script he worked on with long-time collaborator John Hodge was rejected.
The source said: ‘Phoebe was brought in to save it and she has. Whatever ends up happening in the script you can be sure it’s going to be memorable.’
Craig is determined his last outing as Bond will be ‘one for the ages’. Bond director Cary Fukunaga and the crew are due to begin filming in Jamaica within weeks. The movie is due to be released in April 2020.