It is safe to say that at present, many James Bond fans are aware of the ongoing debate over who should be the next 007. For some time it almost seemed as though people were growing tired of the question – that is, until recent rumors regarding Daniel Craig and his alleged decision to turn down MGM’s offer to reprise the role reignited the dispute once more.

Though subsequent news reports insist Craig hasn’t yet made a decision regarding whether or not he would stick around for more, the James Bond debate was given another dose of fuel to its fire nonetheless, as thoughts of Tom Hiddelston or Idris Elba as Bond are once again flaring up.

While fans maintain their arguments for and against a new 007, some possibilities for the role simply haven’t been considered. When the idea of Idris Elba as Bond first arose, the concept of a Bond who wasn’t white came across as revolutionary for many. But Indiewire is now reporting on a fan petition currently making the rounds that has taken things to a new level: forget Bond as portrayed by a man, how about Bond being played by a woman? More specifically, a Bond portrayed by X-Files star Gillian Anderson. Jane Bond anyone?

The campaign appears to have been jump-started by the above image, which was created by an unknown social media user. It didn’t take long for Anderson herself to clue in to what was going on and she dutifully relayed her pleasure on Twitter, saying, “It’s Bond. Jane Bond. Thanks for all the votes! (And sorry, don’t know who made the poster, but I love it!) #NextBond.” Despite having been born in America, the 47-year-old actress spent much of her childhood in London and describes it as her home to this day. Most recently with roles on TV series’ The Fall and Hannibal, as well as the revival of the famed X-Files TV series, Anderson’s profile has once again been on the rise – a fact illustrated by the thousands of likes and retweets her Jane Bond poster is currently receiving.

Perhaps it’s not the most serious of campaigns, but it does raise an interesting question: could there be a female James Bond? But of course, a female James Bond isn’t entirely out of the realm of possibility. As the film industry begins to take notice of audience desires to see more diversity on screen, a world where Jane Bond exists could one day be exactly the sort of thing that takes the franchise to the next level.

Screen Rant will keep you up to date on all the news regarding James Bond as it is made available.

Source: Indiewire