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Credit: Inside the MagicAmazon MGM’s James Bond film reboot is now in early development. Dune trilogy director Denis Villeneuve is directing the project, while Peaky Blinders‘ Steven Knight is on script duties.
Speculation about who will pick up the PPK and don the tux has circulated since Daniel Craig announced that No Time to Die (2021) would be his final film. Now, everyone from Tom Holland (Spider-Man: No Way Home) to Jacob Elordi (Wuthering Heights) has been floated as a potential candidate by fans and media outlets.
Female James Bond Rumors
However, talk of a female actor taking up the mantle continues, despite actors such as Craig having publicly opposed the idea. Even long-time Bond producer Barbara Broccoli has said the character should be played by a man. Still, there are some who remain eager to see a female 007.
Earlier this year, director Paul Feig, who helmed the 2016 all-female Ghostbusters reboot, said that Sydney Sweeney would be perfect as a female James Bond. Speaking of that film, “gender-swapped” reboots have rarely performed well commercially or critically, with Feig’s film remaining the biggest example of a major IP with a female-led twist crashing at the box office.
Of course, it’s very unlikely to happen, and it definitely won’t be the case in Amazon MGM’s film. But now, a new report points to another iconic spy being played by a female actor: Jason Bourne.
Another Iconic Spy Could Be “Gender-Swapped”
According to The InSneider (via World of Reel), a major Bourne reboot is in development, with Universal reportedly searching for a new actor to replace Matt Damon having reacquired the IP.
Jeff Sneider says that one of his “very best sources” has told him that Zendaya has had discussions about replacing Damon, who has appeared in four films in the series. Sneider adds that he asked two more sources, who told him the same thing: Zendaya could play Jason Bourne.
Related: Female James Bond Is the Only Option for Amazon MGM’s 007 Reboot, New Report Suggests
Could Zendaya Play Jason Bourne?
The Bourne series consists of five films: The Bourne Identity (2002), The Bourne Supremacy (2004), The Bourne Ultimatum (2007), and Jason Bourne (2016).
The Bourne Legacy (2012) did not feature the title character himself, instead starring Jeremy Renner (Avengers: Endgame) as a new operative named Aaron Cross. Similarly, a new film could introduce Zendaya as a separate character, although the project is expected to be a full reboot.
Zendaya has plenty of major franchises to her name, including the ongoing Spider-Man saga, which continues in July with the fourth film Brand New Day, and Dune, whose third installment arrives this December. She will also appear in Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey this summer.
So seeing the 29-year-old star tackle Bourne doesn’t seem out of the ordinary.
For now, Zendaya as Bourne is nothing more than a rumor, so we’ll just have to wait and see if the Euphoria star becomes the franchise’s next operative-gone-rogue.
Would you like to see Zendaya play a female version of Jason Bourne? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!
