Phoebe Waller-Bridge was hired to polish the script for Bond 25, becoming only the second woman in history with a Bond writing credit (the first was Johanna Harwood, who co-wrote Dr. No and From Russia with Love). She doesn’t want to make a big deal out of it, though. “A lot has been made of me coming on board because I’m a woman, and that’s wonderful. But also I can’t take credit for the movie that was written,” the Fleabag creator told the Hollywood Reporter, adding, “It’s Cary’s movie,” referring to director Cary Joji Fukunaga.
Few details are known about Bond 25, which has been pushed back three times, but Waller-Bridge compared writing for 007 to super-assassin Villanelle on Killing Eve. “There’s something about James Bond that always intrigued me in a similar way that Villanelle did,” she said. “They live a fantasy! But it’s a life none of us would ever want, if we’re honest. We don’t want to go put a bullet in someone’s head to sleep with people and have martinis. It’s a kind of fantasy nightmare.” A self-loathing and probably very exhausted Bond How relatable!
Waller-Bridge also revealed that she’s working on a feature-length film, one that “she won’t take the project to market until it’s finished.” But she wants a theatrical release — i.e. no Netflix — and although she would like to direct only, “I blatantly will end up in it.” Maybe Waller-Bridge can be the next 007
NETWORK EXECUTIVE: “I think we should bring back Pussy Galore.”
WALLER-BRIDGE:
Bond 25 supposedly opens on April 8, 2020.