James Bond will always be a male character, says producer Barbara Broccoli

James Bond producer Barbara Broccoli says that to turn James Bond into a woman character would be a gimmick, and instead, new female characters should be written.

James Bond producer Barbara Broccoli has ruled out a gender swap to the character of the suave British spy, saying the part will always be played a male actor. British star Daniel Craig is preparing to leave the iconic role after the upcoming 25th movie in the series. Many, including Priyanka Chopra, have called for a woman to play the character.

British actor Daniel Craig attends the Bond 25 film launch at Ian Fleming's Home GoldenEye in Montego Bay, Jamaica. (AFP)

"I always feel that Bond is a male character, that is just a fact. We have to make movies about women and women's stories but we have to create female characters and not just for a gimmick turn a male character into a woman," Broccoli told Good Morning Britain during Bond 25's launch event in Jamaica.

Producers Michael G Wilson, left, and Barbara Broccoli, right, pose for photographers with actor Daniel Craig during the photo call of the latest instalment of the James Bond film franchise, currently known as Bond 25, in Oracabessa, Jamaica.

She also confirmed that it was Craig's decision to rope in Phoebe Waller-Bridge as a co-writer on the film. "It was Daniel's idea, we all leapt to it, we loved her. She has made a great contribution to it," she said.

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