Bond spin-off: British actress A-lister emerges as possible star of rumoured Amazon series
The James Bond franchise appears set to branch out into a spin-off series starring a member of British Hollywood royalty.
Florence Pugh is reportedly poised to star in The Moneypenny Diaries as the iconic titular character.
The agreement grants the streaming giant full control of future productions in the series, including launching spin-off projects.
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Pugh’s new series is set to be the first of many Bond-inspired shows produced by Amazon, reports The Sun.
The 29-year-old is set to play Miss Moneypenny, the secretary of Bond’s superior, M, and on/off love interest to the spy.
The show will “most likely” be based on the book series of the same name by Samantha Weinberg under the pseudonym Kate Westbrook.
The Moneypenny Diaries, published from 2005 to 2008, follows the character across a trilogy of novels and two short stories – set during the 1950s and 60s era of Bond, helmed by Sean Connery.
“Depending on your point of view, having the story of such a loved character played by a top British actress is either a dream combination or a nightmare,” a TV insider told The Sun.
Pugh would join an esteemed list of actresses who have portrayed the character – including Lois Maxwell, Caroline Bliss, Samantha Bond and most recently Naomie Harris.
Even if fans adore the reported casting choice, they added that a spin-off will inevitably feed into fears among Bond fans fears of “diminishing the purity of the British icon.”
The insider also observed that, as The Moneypenny Diaries features Bond himself as a character, the show would inevitably need to cast him.
In such a scenario, there may be multiple actors portraying Bond across various Amazon projects casting further chaos on the already turbulent Bond actor race.
Upon striking the deal to gain creative control, the head of Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios, Mike Hopkins, assured fans of the company’s commitment to Bond’s legacy.
“Since his theatrical introduction over 60 years ago, James Bond has been one of the most iconic characters in filmed entertainment,” he said.
Hopkins expressed gratitude to Albert R. Broccoli and Harry Saltzman for bringing Bond to cinemas, and to Wilson and Barbara Broccoli for their “unyielding dedication” to the franchise.
He added that Amazon was “honoured to continue this treasured heritage” and looked forward to “ushering in the next phase” of 007.