Just yesterday it was reported that MGM’s 25th James Bond movie was pushed back from Valentine’s Day 2020 to April 8, 2020. Now The Playlist brings word that ace screenwriter Scott Z. Burns has been hired to do a massive overhaul of the current Bond 25 script by series mainstays Neal Purvis and Robert Wade, which apparently did not satisfy any of the major players involved. Shooting on the sequel is expected to start in April.
Burns was reportedly paid handsomely for four weeks of work on the Bond 25 script, from which he may emerge with the main screenplay credit. He performed a similar function over a decade ago for another big spy sequel, The Bourne Ultimatum, doing a page-1 rewrite on a purportedly unsatisfactory script by Tony Gilroy. He also wrote an unproduced version of spy movie The Man From U.N.C.L.E. for director Steven Soderbergh, with whom he has had a productive relationship (The Informant!, Side Effects, Contagion, The Laundromat). EON Productions has tried to woo Burns to write on past Bond entries but this was the first time the scheduling worked out.
RELATED: French Actress Lea Seydoux Will Return for Bond 25
Returning cast members for the next film include Craig, Ralph Fiennes (Skyfall), Lea Seydoux (Spectre), Naomie Harris (Moonlight) and Ben Whishaw (Paddington 2).
Bond 25 has seen its share of problems over the past year. It was initially to be directed by Danny Boyle, who exited the project abruptly this summer over creative differences. This delayed production while the studio was forced to search for new directors, before eventually landing on Cary Joji Fukunaga, best known for directing the first season of HBO’s True Detective.
RELATED: BREAKING: Cary Joji Fukunaga to Direct James Bond 25, Set for 2020 Debut
EON Productions and Metro Goldwyn Mayer Studios recently reached an agreement with Universal Pictures to partner on the worldwide release of the 25th James Bond film. The superspy’s previous outing, Spectre, opened in U.S. theaters on November 16, 2015. The film earned $200 million domestically and $680.6 million internationally, for a worldwide total of $880.7 million.
The as-yet-untitled Bond 25 is due to hit cinemas on April 8, 2020.
Bond Girls Gallery
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Sylvia Trench
Films appeared in: Dr. No (1962)/From Russia With Love (1963)
Played by: Eunice Gayson
Role in the film: Trench is the first female acquaintance of Bond's to appear in the franchise, and upon announcing herself to the agent allows him to deliver the classic introduction, “Bond, James Bond.” She's also the only Bond girl to appear in more than one Bond film. -
Honey Ryder
Film appeared in: Dr. No (1962)
Played by: Ursula Andress
Role in the film: The first “Bond Girl,” and often regarded as the best to many, Bond encounters Honey on Crab Key island as he is trying to infiltrate Dr. No's lair and she is diving for shells. Bond enlists her in helping him gain access to the compound and take down Dr. No, something that he will do frequently as the series progresses. -
Miss Taro
Film appeared in: Dr. No (1962)
Played by: Zena Marshall
Role in the film: Miss Taro is a secretary for a political official in the Jamaican government in the film, but also a henchman for the titular Dr. No. She marks the first, and certainly not the last, Bond girl that was actually an antagonist in the film. -
Tatiana Romanova
Film appeared in: From Russia With Love (1963)
Played by: Daniela Bianchi
Role in the film: Tatiana is a Russian agent, working for both the Ministry of State Security and SPECTRE, who is to be used as bait to trap 007 in the film but falls in love with him in the process. -
Jill Masterson
Film appeared in: Goldfinger (1964)
Played by: Shirley Eaton
Role in the film: Masterson works as an associate for Auric Goldfinger in the film by helping him cheat at cards. She was later seduced by Bond and perhaps dies in one of the most famous deaths in the franchise when she has her body painted in gold, killing her. -
Tilly Masterson
Film appeared in: Goldfinger (1964)
Played by: Tania Mallet
Role in the film: The sister of Jill Masterson, Tilly is out for revenge on Goldfinger for killing her sibling. She and Bond cross paths a few times in the film before she is killed by Oddjob. -
Pussy Galore
Film appeared in: Goldfinger (1964)
Played by: Honor Blackman
Role in the film: Though one of Goldfinger's goons, Bond is able to convince her to turn on him (sensing a pattern here?) to make his plan for breaking into Fort Knox fail, she complies and replaces the deadly nerve gas they were planning on releasing with non-toxic fake canisters. -
Mademoiselle La Porte
Film appeared in: Thunderball (1965)
Played by: Maryse Guy Mitsouko
Role in the film: Mlle. La Porte is a French liason for James who meets him at the funeral for SPECTRE's “Number 6” agent Jacques Bouvar, who is actually alive and well and attending his own funeral as his widow. The pair depart in the Aston Martin DB5 as the film's opening credits begin. -
Patricia Fearing
Film appeared in: Thunderball (1965)
Played by: Molly Peters
Role in the film: Ms. Fearing is a nurse at the Shrublands heath farm where Bond is recuperating near the start of the film. She actually saves his life from an assassination attempt by a SPECTRE operative. -
Paula Caplan
Film appeared in: Thunderball (1965)
Played by: Martine Beswick
Role in the film: An MI6 contact in the Bahamas, Ms. Caplan pretends to be a significant other with James as he makes contact with Dominique Derval for the first time. She later commits suicide rather than giving up MI6 information to SPECTRE. -
Dominique “Domino” Derval
Film appeared in: Thunderball (1965)
Played by: Claudine Auge
Role in the film: The mistress of Thunderball's main antagonist Emilio Largo, Derval is coaxed into helping Bond after he explains Largo and SPECTRE's plans. She even helps Bond in the final moments of the film by taking Largo's life. -
Fiona Volpe
Film appeared in: Thunderball (1965)
Played by: Luciana Paluzzi
Role in the film: Volpe is one of the antagonists of the film who tries to kill Bond, but due to his trickery is killed by her own men. -
Ling
Film appeared in: You Only Live Twice (1967)
Played by: Tsai Chin
Role in the film: Though she only appears in the opening scene, Ling helps stage Bond's fake murder which helps give the film its title. -
Aki
Film appeared in: You Only Live Twice (1967)
Played by: Akiko Wakabayashi
Role in the film: An operative in the Japanese Secret Service who helps Bond for some of the film and is inadvertantly killed when an assassin drips poison into Bond's mouth and he rolls over in bed, dripping it into hers. Really. -
Helga Brandt
Film appeared in: You Only Live Twice (1967)
Played by: Karin Dor
Role in the film: Another henchman of SPECTRE, Brandt tries and fails to kill Bond a number of times in the film. As a result of her failure, big bad Ernst Stavro Blofeld kills her by dumping her in a tank of piranhas. -
Kissy Suzuki
Film appeared in: You Only Live Twice (1967)
Played by: Mie Hama
Role in the film: Another operative of the Japanese Secret Service, Kissy acts as Bond's wife when he goes undercover in a fishing village in Japan. She helps Bond in the final act of the film during the seizure of SPECTRE's base. -
Tracy Bond
Film appeared in: On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969)
Played by: Diana Rigg
Role in the film: The only woman in the entire canon of the franchise to actually marry Bond, the pair meet when Bond saves her from an attempted suicide. They marry at the end of the film but Tracy is tragically assassinated by the agents of SPECTRE's in the film's final moments. -
Ruby Bartlett
Film appeared in: On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969)
Played by: Angela Scoular
Role in the film: Before Bond and Tracy marry, yet after they've clearly fallen in love, Bond goes undercover to stop Blofeld at an outpost Switzerland where he is grooming 12 women to be carriers for bacteria to contaminate the world's food supplies. -
Nancy
Film appeared in: On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969)
Played by: Catherine Von Schell
Role in the film: Another of Blofeld's “Angels of Death,” Nancy and Bond become familiar with each other during his stay at the institute. As part of Blofeld's plan to contaminate the food of the world he chose women that had severe food allergies to brainwash them into thinking they're cured so as to spread the pathogens, Nancy's allergy is potatoes. Really. -
Tiffany Case
Film appeared in: Diamonds Are Forever (1971)
Played by: Jill St. John.
Role in the film: Case is one of many SPECTRE diamond smugglers in the film who Bond turns over to his side to aid in his quest to stop Blofeld. -
Plenty O'Toole
Film appeared in: Diamonds Are Forever (1971)
Played by: Lana Wood
Role in the film: Miss O'Toole works as a handler of sorts on a casino floor, convincing wealthy men to continue to spend money despite losing. She and Bond cross paths there where she's impressed by his ability to continue winning. After breaking into Tiffany Case's home, presumably to confront her, O'Toole is drowned by two of SPECTRE's assassins, thinking she is Case. -
Miss Caruso
Film appeared in: Live and Let Die (1973)
Played by: Madeline Smith
Role in the film: An Italian agent who is waiting for Bond in his apartment at the beginning of the film, where she's the centerpiece of a bedroom farce as M and Moneypenny speak with Bond. -
Rosie Carver
Film appeared in: Live and Let Die (1973)
Played by: Gloria Hendry
Role in the film: Carver is a double agent for the CIA working for Dr. Kananga who is tasked with killing Bond, which she clearly does not succeed at. -
Miss Solitaire
Film appeared in: Live and Let Die (1973)
Played by: Jane Seymour
Role in the film: Miss Solitaire is a psychic in the employ of Dr. Kananda in the film who tells the future through using Tarot cards. The trick to her power is that it only works if she remains a virgin, and of course her abilities vanish after she and Bond meet. -
Andrea Anders
Film appeared in: The Man with the Golden Gun (1974)
Played by: Maud Adams
Role in the film: Anders is the mistress of Francisco Scaramanga (the titular man with the golden gun) who is the catalyst for the entire film having sent Bond a note from Scaramanga leading to their eventual duel. -
Mary Goodnight
Film appeared in: The Man with the Golden Gun (1974)
Played by: Britt Ekland
Role in the film: Agent Goodnight is an in-experienced operative for MI6 who works with Bond on the Scaramanga case, and even aids in the finale of the film. -
Naomi
Film appeared in: The Spy Who Loved Me (1977)
Played by: Caroline Munro
Role in the film: Naomi is the personal assistant and helicopter pilot of the film's antagonist Karl Stromberg. Another antagonist that attracts Bond's eye, though they only flirt with each other throughout the film, she's also one of the only women that Bond has outright killed in the series. -
Anya Amasova
Film appeared in: The Spy Who Loved Me (1977)
Played by: Barbara Bach
Role in the film: Bond's Russian counterpart in the investigation of Karl Sromberg, the pair reluctantly work together through much of the film but become a good team in the film's final act. -
Manuela
Film appeared in: Moonraker (1979)
Played by: Emily Bolton
Role in the film: Manuela is an MI6 informant living in Rio de Janeiro who helps Bond in his investigation of Hugo Drax. She's almost killed by fan-favorite Jaws, but lives to tell about. -
Corinne Dufour
Film appeared in: Moonraker (1979)
Played by: Corinne Clery
Role in the film: Dufour is a low-level assistant to Hugo Drax who Bond seduces to gain information about the man, for which Drax kills her. -
Holly Goodhead
Film appeared in: Moonraker (1979)
Played by: Lois Chiles.
Role in the film: Posing as an astronaut, Goodhead is actually a CIA agent trying to also bring down the megalomaniac Hugo Drax which she helps Bond do handily in the film's final moments. -
Bibi Dahl
Film appeared in: For Your Eyes Only (1981)
Played by: Lynn-Holly Johnson
Role in the film: A figure skater hellbent on seducing Bond, though he deflects all of her advances. A first. -
Lisl von Schlaf
Film appeared in: For Your Eyes Only (1981)
Played by: Cassandra Harris
Role in the film: The mistress of one of Bond's allies, her objective in the film is to extract information from Bond which she tries her best at doing, though as characters are want to do in Bond films she's killed by the antagonist. -
Melina Havelock
Film appeared in: For Your Eyes Only (1981)
Played by: Carole Bouquet
Role in the film: The daughter of two assassinated British agents, Havelock looks to avenge her parents' death and teams up with Bond to get what she wants in the film. -
Magda
Film appeared in: Octopussy (1983)
Played by: Kristina Wayborn
Role in the film: One of Octopussy's associates, in fact the Ring Master of the circus, who goes from being a prime antagonist of the film to working with Bond by the film's end. -
Octavia “Octopussy” Smythe
Film appeared in: Octopussy (1983)
Played by: Maud Adams
Role in the film: Octopussy is a world renowned jewel thief who also owns and operates her own circus and has a strange connection to Bond: he exposed her father as a traitor to Britain. Though painted as a villain for much of the film, she's actually an ally to Bond. This also marks the second Bond Girl that Maud Adams has played. -
Kimberly Jones
Film appeared in: A View to a Kill (1985)
Played by: Mary Stavin
Role in the film: Jones is another British Secret Service agent with whom Bond rendevouzs as the film starts. -
Pola Ivanova
Film appeared in: A View to a Kill (1985)
Played by: Fiona Fullerton
Role in the film: Ivanova is a Soviet spy who is looking into the film's antagonist Max Zorin. When she and Bond figure out their common goal, they decide to share some information together. -
May Day
Film appeared in: A View to a Kill (1985)
Played by: Grace Jones
Role in the film: The right hand of Max Zorin, May Day appears to have some kind of super strength ability in the film and like many before her, switches to the side of Bond upon learning the devious nature of her employer. She's also only one of two female villains to be playable in the GoldenEye video game! -
Stacey Sutton
Film appeared in: A View to a Kill (1985)
Played by: Tanya Roberts
Role in the film: Stacey Sutton is a geologist whose father's oil company was purchased by the film's antagonist Max Zorin. She's unwittingly brought into the fold of the film's events by Bond, something he's very good at. -
Kara Milovy
Film appeared in: The Living Daylights (1987)
Played by: Maryam d'Abo
Role in the film: Though originally the love interest of the film's villain, and a slight villain in her own regard in the opening sequence, Milovy proves to be a worthy partner to Bond as they work together throughout the entirety of the film. -
Lupe Lamora
Film appeared in: Licence to Kill (1989)
Played by: Talisa Soto
Role in the film: Though the lover of the film's antagonist originally, a pattern you've no doubt noticed at this point, Lamora is coaxed into giving info to Bond as the film progresses. She expresses fondness for James, but he doesn't reciprocate those feelings - a shocker. -
Pam Bouvier
Film appeared in: Licence to Kill (1989)
Played by: Carey Lowell
Role in the film: A former pilot-turned-CIA informant, Bouvier worked with Felix Leiter and teams up with Bond to take down the man that killed Leiter's bride and took his leg. -
Xenia Onatopp
Film appeared in: GoldenEye (1995)
Played by: Famke Janssen
Role in the film: The top assassin for Alec Trevelyan's crime network, she attempts to seduce Bond in the film though he doesn't accept her advances. She eventually gets the drop on Bond in the film's climax but is killed thanks to the quick thinking of... -
Natalya Simonova
Film appeared in: GoldenEye (1995)
Played by: Izabella Scorupco
Role in the film: Natalya is a programmer who works in missile guidance systems and is the sole survivor of the first test of the GoldenEye system. She proves to be very useful to Bond in his pursuit of Trevelyan due to her computer skills and personal vendetta against Boris Grishenko. -
Inga Bergstrom
Film appeared in: Tomorrow Never Dies (1997)
Played by: Cecilie Thomsen
Role in the film: A professor at Oxford, Bond is caught visiting her before being called onto his main assignment in the film. -
Paris Carver
Film appeared in: Tomorrow Never Dies (1997)
Played by: Teri Hatcher
Role in the film: A former lover of Bond's who later married the film's antagonist Elliot Carver. Bond is tasked with seducing her to gain information on Carver's plan, perhaps the first time Bond was officially tasked with seducing someone. This doesn’t go unnoticed by Elliot, who has her killed and attempts to slay Bond as well. -
Wai Lin
Film appeared in: Tomorrow Never Dies (1997)
Played by: Michelle Yeoh
Role in the film: A Chinese special agent, she and Bond team up when they realize they've both been tasked with the same mission. -
Dr. Molly Warmflash
Film appeared in: The World is Not Enough (1999)
Played by: Serena Scott Thomas
Role in the film: A physician for MI6, Dr. Warmflash is tasked with examining 007, following his fall in the film's opening sequence, to determine if he's fit for duty. Though she marks him unfit at first, Bond persuades her otherwise. -
Elektra King
Film appeared in: The World is Not Enough (1999)
Played by: Sophie Marceau
Role in the film: One of the few Bond girls that is an outright villain in the series, it's not revealed to Bond or the viewer that she is actually the antagonist until much later in the film. -
Christmas Jones
Film appeared in: The World is Not Enough (1999)
Played by: Denise Richards
Role in the film: An American nuclear physicist, Bond meets Dr. Jones when going undercover to locate the film's other antagonist Renard. She and Bond work together given her ability to dismantle nuclear warheads which comes in handy as the film progresses. -
Miranda Frost
Film appeared in: Die Another Day (2002)
Played by: Rosamund Pike
Role in the film: A MI6 double agent working for the film's antagonist Gustav Graves, Frost is the reason Bond is held as a POW after the film's opening. Unlike many other Bond girls, she is actually killed by the other Bond girl in the film.... -
Giacinta 'Jinx' Johnson
Film appeared in: Die Another Day (2002)
Played by: Halle Berry
Role in the film: An NSA agent that helps Bond as he tracks down the film's villain, Jinx is introduced into the film in a way that mirrors Honey Ryder's entrance in Dr. No. -
Solange Dimitrios
Film appeared in: Casino Royale (2006)
Played by: Caterina Murino
Role in the film: The wife of one of the film's villains, Solange inadvertantly gives up information to Bond that proves useful in tracking her husband. -
Valenka
Film appeared in: Casino Royale (2006)
Played by: Ivana Miličević
Role in the film: The lover of Le Chiffre in the film, she's also a henchman of Quantum and almost succeeds in taking Bond's life after poisoning him during the all important card game. -
Vesper Lynd
Film appeared in: Casino Royale (2006)
Played by: Eva Green
Role in the film: When Bond is given the clear to enter the high stake poker game at the Casino Royale, Vesper is sent as liaison to monitor Bond's use of the money. The two fall in love and it's later revealed she had delivered the funds to Quantum, and despite her betrayal Bond attempts to save her from the organization. -
Strawberry Fields
Film appeared in: Quantum of Solace (2008)
Played by: Gemma Arterton
Role in the film: Fields is a MI6 operative working in Bolivia, her initial task is to prevent Bond from doing anything and send him back to London. Bond works his charm of course and she aids him in his quest for Dominic Greene. -
Camille Montes
Film appeared in: Quantum of Solace (2008)
Played by: Olga Kurylenko
Role in the film: A Bolivian agent seeking vengeance against General Medrano, she's reluctant to work with Bond but quickly realizes he is her only hope in her quest. The pair later team up to find Medrano and Green. -
Eve
Film appeared in: Skyfall (2012)
Played by: Naomie Harris
Role in the film: A field agent as the film begins, it's revealed in the final moments of Skyfall that “Eve” was in fact the eponymous Miss Moneypenny, whom Bond has flirted with countless times over the years. She will reprise her role in the upcoming Spectre. -
Sévérine
Film appeared in: Skyfall (2012)
Played by: Bérénice Marlohe
Role in the film: A representative of Silva's, Bond convinces her to bring him to her boss which results in her death. -
Madeleine Swann
Film appeared in: Spectre (2015)
Played by: Léa Seydoux
Role in the film: It's unclear what role she will play in the upcoming film. -
Lucia Sciarra
Film appeared in: Spectre (2015)
Played by: Monica Bellucci
Role in the film: It's unclear what role she will play in the upcoming film.
