James Bond 25: Female lead and villain ‘being cast NOW’ – fans demand THIS actress

Daniel Craig is expected to bow out of the 007 role with the upcoming instalment, which goes into production at the end of this year.

Although conversation this week may have been dominated by who will replace Craig – a decision that is realistically still a long, long way from being made – there’s the matter of the exciting next movie to attend to first.

Variety’s Justin Kroll tweeted: “Real BOND Update: Barbara Broccoli and EON currently meeting with actresses and actors for Bond Female lead and Villain for BOND 25, what they are not doing is thinking about who would replace Craig when Craig hasn’t even started filming this film yet.”

Although various rumours have been flying around for quite some time now as to who will star alongside Craig, there’s overwhelming support online – not least in the responses to Kroll’s tweet – for Priyanka Chopra to sign up.

Chopra’s fans have long been backing her to take a leading role in the James Bond franchise, although last year the star herself revealed that she’s more concerned about playing actual Bond than a so-called ‘Bond girl’.

“I’ve always said I would prefer to play Bond,” she said on The Late Late Show in 2017.

“I think I hope, in my lifetime, I get to see such iconic parts be played by women in a genderless [way] — even if it’s not me.”

The likes of Lily James and Angelina Jolie have also been linked to roles in the movie, while Mark Strong was thought to have had his involvement leaked by a revealing Instagram post.

Bond 25 doesn’t have an official title yet,but is being targeted for release at the back end of 2019.

The @007 Twitter account posted in the spring: “We’ve been expecting you… #Bond25, Daniel Craig’s 5th outing as 007, will be directed by Academy Award-winning Danny Boyle from an original screenplay by John Hodge.

“Production is set to begin on 3 Dec 2018. MGM will partner with Universal Pictures to release the film worldwide.”

The movie will be released four years after 2015’s Spectre, and 13 years after Craig’s debut as the iconic secret agent.

This week the internet appeared to go into meltdown over throwaway comments made by director Antoine Fuqua, who said Barbara Broccoli appeared open to casting a black actor as Craig’s successor.

This led to Idris Elba’s odds crashing right down to 2/1; leapfrogging long-time favourites James Norton and Tom Hardy.

Sam Heughan, Jack Huston and Tom Hiddleston also remain perceived contenders for the sought-after gig.

Bond 25 is out in late 2019.