Every James Bond movie has promised us that “James Bond will return.” With the recent news that Amazon MGM has taken over creative control of the character, it seems clear that, while the next Bond movie is still a long way off, those words will come true. But exactly what James Bond will look like when he returns is a huge question.

There have been a lot of opinions on how James Bond may need to change with a new generation, but Naomie Harris, who played Moneypenny during the Daniel Craig years hopes that whoever gets cast, they don’t modernize the franchise too much.

Naomie Harris Doen’t want A “Modern” Bond

Naomie Harris appeared as the classic Bond character Moneypenny in three of Daniel Craig’s Bond movies. She spoke with Harpers Bazaar shortly after it was announced that Amazon MGM was taking over the franchise and Harris had one specific hope for the Bond, that the character retain the “classic elements” that fans know and love. She said:

While all the James Bond films are more or less set in the “present day” of whenever the movie was filmed, in most ways the movies remained the same despite who was playing the lead role. There was arguably some “modernization” when Daniel Craig took over as Bond, there were definitely some differences in the way the character was portrayed.

With Bond clearly set to get some sort of “relaunch” with the next film, and reports that Amazon wants to create some sort of “cinematic universe with streaming series and spinoff movies, it wouldn’t be a shock if there were plans to drastically overhaul Bond on screen.

However, as Harris says, Bond has endured for this long in large part because of those classic elements that fans love, so one hopes things won’t change that much.

Who Naomie Harris Would Love To See As James Bond

Of course, a lot will likely come down to who gets cast as the next James Bond. For her part, Naomie Harris has an idea, as one of her co-stars in her newest film, Black Bag, she thinks would be a solid choice. As she put it:

Regé-Jean Page has been connected with Bond rumors since Daniel Craig stepped down. There’s no argument that he looks good in a suit and would likely pull off those “classic elements’ quite well.

While all indications are that James Bond will remain male, the possibility of an ethnically diverse new Bond isn’t entirely off the table, so Page playing Bond is at least theoretically possible.

Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean films were among some of the best movies of the 2000s, but since 2017’s Dead Men Tell No Tales capped off Johnny Depp’s time as Jack Sparrow, the House of Mouse has yet to sing “Yo ho, yo ho” with any more for the franchise. A Pirates reboot is reportedly in the works right now, and one original actor from the series has proclaimed their love for who they played in the swashbuckling movies.

Naomie Harris played Tia Dalma/Calypso in two of the five Pirates of the Caribbean movies: 2006’s Dead Man’s Chest and 2007’s At World’s End. When the actress was recently asked about her thoughts on reprising her role in a future Pirates movie, she had this to say:

While speaking to ComicBook, Harris shared Calypso is up there when it comes to all the movie and TV characters she has played, and the actress has been in multiple James Bond movies as Eve Moneypenny, Best Picture winner Moonlight and Venom: Let There Be Carnage, to name a few. Naomie Harris would be all in on reprising the role in the future, but she cannot deny the fact that the character very much met her death during the Pirates movies.

As movie fans know, one character’s death hasn’t stopped other filmmakers from reviving an actor’s appearance as a famous role before. In fact, Calypso had a rather intriguing storyline that we thought might be a way for Pirates to continue without Jack Sparrow. Harris played the daughter of the Titan Atlas who actually fell in love with a young Davy Jones, who was a sailor at the time, before he became a fearsome captain. Wouldn’t it be interesting to see how the love story gone wrong panned out?

The producer of the Pirates movies, Jerry Bruckheimer, said earlier this year that a new script for a reboot is being written and shared hopes that the House of Mouse would like what they have cooking up after a year prior, he said he would “love it” if Johnny Depp could return in his iconic Disney role. However, recent rumors were actually pointing to Elvis’ Austin Butler signing on to the next installment. Butler claimed he hadn’t heard from Disney, but often actors are sworn to secrecy with these things.

While we wonder what a return from Naomie Harris to the Pirates movies might look like, the actress has a new movie called The Wasp out in theaters now.

Sorry James Bond fans, it looks like we’re going to be leaving the 2024 movie schedule without many updates in the arena of what we know about Bond 26. And as it turns out, the 007 cast is missing the presence of the longest running movie franchise just as much as we are. With Naomie Harris, Moneypenny herself, admitting to having those feelings in a recent interview, I can totally raise a martini in tribute to that notion myself.

As Ms. Harris was on hand to promote her upcoming film The Wasp, the Bond actor introduced as a part of 2012’s Skyfall stopped by SiriusXM’s The Jess Cagle Show with Julia Cunningham to talk up that new thriller. Unfortunately, her comments pertaining to the future of the 007 franchise don’t give us any new information to go on. Though Naomie Harris did reveal a fun bit of MI6 family cast trivia, as seen below:

In hindsight, I never really gave the prospect of who the biggest spoiler fiend could be in the world of Daniel Craig’s James Bond. And that’s even considering No Time To Die’s infamous call sheet leak that revealed the existence of Mathilde (Lisa-Dorah Sonnet), the young daughter shared by Commander Bond and Léa Seydoux’s Dr. Madeleine Swann. But by her own admission, Naomie Harris is the most likely mole in the recent cast of James Bond movies.

While she doesn’t know anything about Bond 26 with authority, the 28 Days Later star does seem to feel very strongly about her potential 00-future. Though Naomie Harris has her own Moneypenny hopes for whatever the next chapter brings, these continued remarks don’t sound too confident about a potential return:

I’m actually kind of sad now after reading that addendum to Naomie Harris’ feelings as the series occupies a bit of a holding pattern. We fans think we have it bad without having a new James Bond adventure to look forward to at the moment; but Ms. Harris has now highlighted why she and her co-stars have even worse versions of those feelings.

For the current MI6 family, which includes the likes of Rory Kinnear, Ben Whishaw, and Ralph Fiennes, this storied property has been their jobs. So to not have a clue as to whether or not they’ll be returning, despite their best wishes, is kind of an existential downer. With that in mind, I think it’s time to raise another glass to Naomie Harris and the rest of the people that make James Bond the exciting thrill ride it continues to be; both in thanks and in hope.

No Time To Die may have been Daniel Craig era’s final bow as 007, but you can still watch that film through using a Peacock subscription. And if you’re going to indulge in a martini of your own, might I recommend No. 3 Gin as a potential ingredient; a tip I learned after my recent trip to Dukes Bar in London. We all have to deal with the absence of James Bond in our own way, and I don't have an appointment with a tailor just yet.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has been around for more than a decade-and-a-half, and after 30-plus movies, TV shows, and specials, we’ve seen a ton of great actors play fan-favorite comic book heroes and villains. There are even actors who have played more than one character in the expansive franchise. But at the same time, there’s an even larger group of talented big-screen stars who haven’t donned a cape, mask, or spandex in the best Marvel movies. Here are 32 actors we still want to see in the MCU…

Ryan Gosling

For one reason or another, Ryan Gosling has yet to play a character in the MCU. One of the most talented and beloved actors of his time, the Barbie star would be perfect to play several characters ranging from Nova to Mr. Fantastic to even Earth-616’s Norman Osbourne if they wanted to have a younger actor take on the role of the famous Spider-Man villain. 

John David Washington

John David Washington has previously said he’d be open for an MCU role, and it’s probably going to happen sooner or later, considering the son of Oscar winner Denzel Washington is an incredibly talented and versatile actor. The Tenet and The Creator star has the range to handle just about everything thrown his way, be it as a villain or the next great Marvel hero.

Margot Robbie

It wouldn’t be all that surprising to see Margot Robbie join the list of actors to appear in the MCU at some point down the line, it’s just a matter of finding the right character for the beloved actress to play. There have been rumors about a Sue Storm role over the years, but Robbie would also be great playing villains like Lady Deathstrike.

Dev Patel

Dev Patel has established himself as one of the most interesting actors in Hollywood thanks to outstanding performances in movies like The Green Knight, Slumdog Millionaire, and his 2023 work with Wes Anderson. Watching the Lion star take on someone like Reed Richards or even Doctor Doom would be awesome, and he could honestly handle both.

Keanu Reeves

Throughout his career, Keanu Reeves has played iconic action characters like Johnny Utah, Neo, and John Wick. How cool would it be to see the eternally young actor join the MCU as someone like Dracula, Ghost Rider, or even Silver Surfer? We would even settle for a small voice role as a random one-off character.

Cillian Murphy

Cillian Murphy showing up in the MCU would be a massive get for the cinematic universe as it works towards the two upcoming Avengers projects, especially if he were to play Doctor Doom. While other actors would probably be better suited for the physicality of the iconic Marvel villain, Murphy would be perfect for the psychological aspects of the character. Add in his experience from playing Scarecrow in the Dark Knight trilogy and you have a perfect fit.

Vanessa Kirby

Vanessa Kirby has said in the past that it would be an honor to play Sue Storm, but the Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning actress could also handle a more sinister role if given the chance. Just imagine Kirby playing someone like Lady Death or even Black Cat if we get another Spider-Man movie.

Cynthia Erivo

How Cynthia Erivo hasn’t landed a role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is somewhere between a travesty and a mystery, because the multi-talented actor has everything you want in an actress to play your next comic book star. Just imagine the Harriet and Bad Times at the El Royale actress showing up as Storm whenever the X-Men are eventually introduced to the franchise. That would be electric to say the very least.

Antonio Banderas

Though Ant-tonio Banderas, Scott Lang’s ant in Ant-Man and the Wasp is already a thing in the MCU, the actor on which the flying arthropods was based has not had a chance to appear just yet. This needs to change and we need to see Antonio Banderas show up at some point down the road. He’s got the skills and intangibles to pull off someone as big as Galactus, a character comic book fans have been dying to see for years now.

LaKeith Stanfield

LaKeith Stanfield has been one of the more interesting actors of the past decade thanks to unforgettable roles in movies like Get Out, Judas and the Black Messiah, and The Book of Clarence, and the MCU would be better off if he joined the fray. There was talk in early 2024 of Stanfield replacing Jonathan Majors as Kang the Conqueror, which could work, but he could also bring to life X-Men staples like Cyclopes or even Gambit.

Tom Cruise

Tom Cruise flirted with the idea of playing Tony Stark way before Robert Downey Jr. rejuvenated his career in the MCU-launching Iron Man, but we never got to see the Top Gun: Maverick star play the iconic billionaire playboy philanthropist. Though it never came to fruition, we’d still love to see the Hollywood legend show up in the MCU, even if he only briefly played an alternate version of Iron Man.

Christoph Waltz

Christoph Waltz has played great villains in everything from the James Bond movies to Quentin Tarantino’s Inglorious Basterds, but he’s never played a big bad in the MCU. That should change, sooner rather than later, and he could be a great fit for someone like Norman Osborn or Doc Ock if we get more Spidey movies. He has the charisma, skill, and look for either of those roles.

Jessica Chastain

Jessica Chastain showed up in X-Men: Dark Phoenix, but since that’s outside of the MCU (for now, anyway), she’s fair game. There’s been the Sue Storm talk over the years, but the Interstellar star could also take on someone like Jean Grey and try her luck with the Dark Phoenix character.

Alan Ritchson

Okay, imagine Alan Ritchson in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Doctor Doom. In addition to having a ridiculous physique, the Jack Reacher star can also be cerebral and mysterious, kind of like his character from Fast X. He would be a formidable foe, that’s for sure. And if not, we’d love to see Ritchson take on someone like Rhino or Juggernaut and breathe new life into those characters.

Pedro Pascal

There’s been a lot of talk about Pedro Pascal being the frontrunner for Reed Richards in the Fantastic Four’s eventual MCU debut, and that would be awesome. The star of The Mandalorian and The Last of Us has shown over the years that he has what it takes to lead a successful franchise, and he has enough talent and charisma to pay one of Marvel’s most iconic heroes.

Amber Midthunder

Amber Midthunder became a star-in-the-making after the 2022 release of Prey, and the star of the Predator spinoff prequel could very well make an impact in the MCU if given the opportunity. Lady Hellbender, Lyja, and Silver Fox are just three of the Marvel characters she would be well-suited to play.

Denzel Washington

Denzel Washington has long stayed out of the superhero realm, though he has made a career out of playing characters who are pretty much comic book characters. That being said, we’d love to see the two-time Oscar winner take on a role like Magento or Bahsenga, the warrior shaman who was the first to adopt the Black Panther mantel.

Emily Blunt

Her husband, John Krasinksi, has already appeared in the MCU, albeit briefly, as Reed Richards in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, so it wouldn’t be crazy to see Emily Blunt show up at some point, either for a similar-sized role or in a larger capacity. According to Deadline, the Oppenheimer star turned down a chance to play Black Widow in Iron Man 2 and was reportedly approached to play other famous characters in the years following. 

Gary Oldman

We’ve seen Gary Oldman play Jim Gordon masterfully in Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy, but the Academy Award-winning actor has yet to show up in the MCU. It would be so cool to see the legendary actor enter the fold as Dr. Xavier in the eventual X-Men movie, and it would be just as awesome to see him play a more villainous role like Mephisto or even Dracula, with the latter being a throwback to his turn in Bram Stoker’s Dracula.

Jesse Plemons

Jesse Plemons has been everywhere for the past few years. Well, everywhere besides the MCU. The Breaking Bad and Killers of the Flower Moon star has shared the screen with Marvel actors like Elizabeth Olsen, Benedict Cumberbatch, and Christian Bale over the years, and it’s only a matter of time before he follows suit and shows up as a comic book character. This guy has Sabretooth written all over him…

Paul Giamatti

Paul Giamatti has already been in Sony’s Marvel movies thanks to his portrayal of Rhino in The Amazing Spider-Man 2, but we’d love to see more of the beloved actor. It doesn’t have to be anything over-the-top like a mech suit, but instead something like a government official who tries to get in the Avengers’ way or is tempted by a big bad.

Glen Powell

Glen Powell has "superhero" written all over him. The Physique, the charm, the million-dollar smile, he has it all. It’s only a matter of time before someone swoops him up and makes him the next great comic book hero, and that someone could be Marvel. Nova, Cyclops, or even a young Magneto would be great fits for the Anyone But You star.

Tati Gabrielle

Since making her acting debut a decade ago, Tati Gabrielle has given commanding performances on shows like You, Kaleidoscope, and Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, to name a few. The actress, who also has experience in video game adaptations like Uncharted and the upcoming Mortal Kombat 2, would be perfect for the MCU in the coming years, especially if she could land a role like Storm, Black Cat, or other fan-favorite characters.

Javier Bardem

Javier Bardem is an actor with an incredible skillset and the ability to play both nuanced and over-the-top characters, which would make him perfect for something in the MCU. The No Country For Old Men star would be a great fit for the iconic Galactus whenever the villain is introduced in the future.

Rosamund Pike

Rosamund Pike has played all manner of characters over the years, and that makes her a perfect fit for the MCU moving forward. Her dynamic range and ability to play both good and evil roles masterfully would be perfect for comic book staples like Emma Frost and Liandra Nermani, both of whom are tied to the X-Men franchise.

Lily Gladstone

Lily Gladstone became an overnight sensation upon the release of Killers of the Flower Moon, and rightfully so. We’re not saying it’s going to happen, but the Golden Globe-winning actress would be perfect in the MCU. Imagine Gladstone playing Indigenous characters like Silver Fox or Kushala.  

Iwan Rheon

Iwan Rheon technically appeared on Inhumans back in 2017, but this doesn’t mean we don’t want to see him show up in an MCU movie at some point in the future. The Game of Thrones actor, who didn’t appear in as many episodes as you’d think, played Maximus on the short-lived ABC series, so he could reprise his role or he could take on something new. However, it wouldn’t be nearly as intense as Ramsay Bolton.

Viola Davis

Viola Davis has already made her mark in the comic book world with her portrayal of Amanda Waller over in the DCEU, but this doesn’t mean she can’t jump over to the MCU and play an equally menacing character. The Oscar winner has already led a blockbuster with The Woman King, so she is more than capable of doing the same in a Marvel movie.

Naomie Harris

Naomie Harris has already shown up in Sony’s Spider-Man Universe with her portrayal of Shriek in Venom: Let There Be Carnage where she was crushed by a falling cathedral, but there’s no reason she couldn’t just play another version of the character in the MCU or take on a completely different role entirely.

Brendan Gleeson

Brendan Gleeson is appearing in Joker 2, and it would be really cool if the legendary actor also landed a role in the MCU somewhere down the road. The Harry Potter and The Banshees of Inisherin star would be perfect for a role if the Thor franchise is to continue, even if it meant voicing someone like Beta Ray Bill. 

Iko Uwais

Iko Uwais, star of the phenomenal Raid movies, has the acting ability and fighting skills to be a big hit in the MCU if given the chance. In the event this does happen, we’d hate for Uwais’ talents to be wasted like they were with his extremely small role in Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

Daniel Day-Lewis

Three-time Oscar winner Daniel Day-Lewis retired after 2017’s Phantom Thread, but we’d love to see him step in front of the camera again in an MCU movie. The There Will Be Blood and Gangs of New York star would be a killer option for a character like Galactus and drink up all the planets like a big milkshake.

Who knows if we’ll see any of these actors show up in any of the upcoming Marvel movies, but with the way the MCU has shown us over the years, don’t count anyone out.

The brand new, revamped and rebooted DC Universe (DCU) has opened up endless possibilities. A new Superman has already been cast and is ready to take flight in the first movie in the new universe, which is replacing the old DC Extended Universe (DCEU). 

Producer James Gunn has shown he has a clear vision to wipe away most of the past and move forward with new actors and new stories, so for the purposes of this daydreaming, we're going to leave out the great actors who have appeared in DC-related films in the past, including the most recent movies starring the likes of Jason Momoa, Gal Gadot, and Ben Affleck, though we're not against them returning, too. 

Ryan Gosling

Ryan Gosling is one of the biggest stars in the world, and also one of the most versatile actors in Hollywood. He's the kind of actor you could cast in almost any role and you just know he'd hit it out of the park. He could play a hero or a villain and audiences would be transfixed no matter what. We probably want him as one of the most famous heroes though, someone befitting his star status. 

Daisy Ridley

We know she can carry a franchise, and we know she's a tough woman, so Daisy Ridley just has to find her way into the DCU. Of course, she'd have to be a hero, but who knows, maybe a change of pace from the Star Wars movies could be cool and she could play a villain. Either way, she has to have powers greater than The Force. 

Tom Cruise

It's time. It's hard to believe Tom Cruise has never been in a superhero movie. One of, in not the, biggest action stars of the last few decades still has that "hole" on his resume and it's time it got filled. Of course, we'd all love to see Cruise as a hero, but it would be awesome for him to be in any role, even a cameo like his turn in Tropic Thunder. Just get him in there, James Gunn! 

Jennifer Lawrence

Sure, Jennifer Lawrence appeared in the X-Men franchise, but that was years ago, and the comic book movie scene is a whole lot different today. Lawrence is a perfect fit for any number of roles, and even though she's great as Mystique, what about a hero as big as Wonder Woman or Black Canary? Surely she'd be fantastic. 

John Krasinski

John Krasinski delighted fans with his cameo as Dr. Reed Richards in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. MCU fans have been dying to see him as Mister Fantastic in the Fantastic 4 in the future, but so far, there's only been cold water thrown on the idea. That opens up the DCU for the former The Office star and he needs to step in. 

Zendaya

There isn't a bigger star on the scene right now than Zendaya. Sure, she's played MJ in the MCU and Spider-Man movies, but let's give her some real superpowers and let her run wild in the DCU. 

Jacob Elordi

Sure, Jacob Elordi says he's not interested in playing a superhero, having turned down an opportunity to read for Superman in the new DCU, but that doesn't mean we can't dream, right? There are so many heroes in the universe he could play. Elordi has been a hit in recent years with his role on HBO's Euphoria and movies like Saltburn and Pricilla, so he doesn't really need to be in the DCU, but we need him to be. 

Timothée Chalamet

Timothée Chalamet has a knack for picking great roles for himself. At this point, he can pick and choose anything he wants, given how often his movies are hits. Chalamet could probably just tell James Gunn what role he wanted and they'd find a way for it to happen. So let's do it! 

Meryl Streep

Let's be real, there is nothing Meryl Streep can't do. The greatest actor of her generation, bar none, and yet, she's never appeared in a superhero movie. She's flirted with the idea, according to some reports, and she even did the Wakanda salute at the 2024 Golden Globes, but alas, we still haven't seen her in one. The new DCU must have a spot for her, right?

Patina Miller

Patina Miller has won a Tony and she's starred in two hit shows (Madam Secretary and Power Book III: Raising Kanan), but she hasn't broken big on the big screen, aside from an important but too-brief role in The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, and it's time that changed. She looks like a superhero and can act her socks off, so let's make it happen, let's make her a star in the DCU. 

Adam Driver

As Kylo Ren in the Star Wars sequels, Adam Driver showed he could play a first-rate villain. Now it's time to see him play a hero. Any hero, pick one, it doesn't matter, he'd kill it. Batman? For sure. Superman? Well, that role is taken, but yes. Aquaman? Oh yes. Martian Manhunter? Check. Wonder Woman? Sure, why not, he's got the hair for it. Let's go! 

Mark Wahlberg

Mark Wahlberg may be aging gracefully and while he says he's ready to play grandpa roles, we think he'll never be too old for a spot in the DCU. Somehow he's never been in either the MCU or any of the DC-related properties, so the time is right. 

Cailee Spaeny

She may not jump off the page as a possible superhero, but don't forget that Cailee Spaeny starred in Pacific Rim Uprising and clearly has the chops to be in a big action flick. She's an up-and-coming superstar and jumping into the DCU now would be perfect timing. 

Alan Ritchson

Reacher's Alan Ritchson is over six feet tall and built like a monster truck, is there anyone in Hollywood more perfect to play an intimidating villain in a comic book movie? Sure, he could play a superhero, too, but being a villain would be an awesome departure from his character on Reacher and it would be a ton a fun. And again, just look at the guy! 

Sterling K. Brown

Sterling K. Brown had an all-too-brief role as T'Chala's traitorous brother N'Jobu in Black Panther and it's high time he gets a chance to sink his teeth into a bigger superhero role. How about John Stewart/Green Lantern in the DCU? Brown has even campaigned for the role, so really, it's a perfect opportunity to get him into the DC Universe, it needs to happen, so we're putting it out there into the universe again. 

Peter Dinklage

Peter Dinklage has dabbled in superhero movies in the past, playing the villain, Bolivar Trask, in X-Men: Days of Future Past, as Eitri in Avengers: Infinity War, and as the Toxic Avenger, but it leaves us all wanting more. Let's be honest here, anything Dinklage does is awesome, so getting him into the DCU somehow would be amazing. He's also pretty good at carrying a wildly popular franchise, as he proved with Game of Thrones.

Taraji P. Henson

Taraji P. Henson has done it all, except star in a comic book movie. Henson is one of the best actors of her generation and yet, she's got this hole in her resume that, let's be honest, we all want to see filled. The DCU would be a perfect place for her to land, in just about any role, superhero, villain, regular human... anything, just get her in there! 

Charlize Theron

Audiences were teased with a Charlize Theron character in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, and the actress stars in the Old Guard franchise, but she's not appeared in any DC-related projects yet and she sure deserves to. We'd love to see her in any number of roles, as she can play just about anything. 

Jason Statham

He's one of the biggest action stars in the world, and yet Jason Statham hasn't appeared in the MCU or anything DC-related. This is something that must be remedied! How about Cliff Steele/Robotman, whose origin story comes out of a race car crash, which would dovetail perfectly with Statham's past work as star of The Transporter movies and in the Fast franchise?

Jodie Comer

Jodie Comer has been taking the world by storm over the last few years and that means it's time to find her way into the DCU. Comer could be great in the MCU, but the possibilities in the DCU are endless and for someone like her, on the rise in Hollywood, the sky's the limit. 

Don Cheadle

Don Cheadle is pretty entrenched in the MCU, where he's played James "Rhodey" Rhodes/War Machine 10 times in various movies and TV shows. Still, Cheadle is awesome, and there has to be a way to get him into the DCU, too. He'd need to play a completely different kind of character, like a villain, but we're for it. 

Jenna Ortega

Wednesday star Jenna Ortega is clearly ready for the big time. She'd be great as Aquagirl, or, even better, the villain Lourdes Lucero/Encantadora. There are a lot of options, let's hope she fits into one, because it would be great. 

Zoe Saldaña

Zoe Saldaña is another star that most fans immediately associate with The Guardians of the Galaxy and the MCU, but with the Guardians franchise possibly winding down, and the franchise's director, James Gunn, now in charge over at DC, this could be a good time to switch it up for Saldaña, as there are a lot of different heroes she would be great for. 

Josh Gad

Hear us out. Josh Gad may not be the first person you think of when you think of an action movie or a comic book movie, but some of the best casting decisions are sometimes the ones you least expect. Think Michael Keaton as Batman or even Robert Downey, Jr. as Iron Man. Gad, with his blend of humor and "everyman" qualities, can be pretty chameleon-like and that could make him perfect for the DCU. 

Gwendoline Christie

How has this happened? How have we gotten dozens of superhero movies in the last couple of decades and Gwendoline Christie hasn't been in any of them? Sure, she's got the physique to play any hero out there, but it's her wit and comedic timing combined with that that makes the Game of Thrones star a no-brainer. This seems too easy.

Naomie Harris

Naomie Harris jumped into the comic book world by playing Shriek in Venom: Let There Be Carnage. She was predictably great, so why not have her cast as a character with a multi-film arc? She should be. With the James Bond Universe in flux with the departure of Daniel Craig, this would be a great time for Harris to find a new franchise to get attached to. 

Daniel Kaluuya

Black Panther star Daniel Kaluuya (who also starred as a real-life Black Panther in Judas and the Black Messiah) is an actor who could fit into the DCU in just about any role. He could be a charming hero, or an evil villain, or even a government bureaucrat. Kaluuya's acting toolbox has a lot of options, the DCU will do well to take advantage of that somehow. 

Natalie Dormer

Natalie Dormer is a veteran of a lot of big-time franchises. Game of Thrones, Hunger Games, and even the MCU. Unfortunately, she was in fewer Game of Thrones episodes than you would think, and her appearances in the other two were also fairly brief. The DCU has a great opportunity to feature her in a much larger role. 

Donald Glover

This is another absolute no-brainer. Donald Glover is one of the most talented and charming actors in the business, there are an endless amount of roles he could fill in the DCU, so someone out there needs to find a spot for him. 

Diego Luna

With Andor (and his other projects) Diego Luna showed the world how great he can be in a franchise. His performance was gripping, and bringing that same energy to the DCU would be fantastic. 

Jack Quaid

Let's take a sec to lament that despite starring in one of the wildest superhero franchises of all time, The Boys, Jack Quaid hasn't really had an opportunity to be a proper superhero (V-24 notwithstanding). So let's give him a proper chance here! Put him in the DCU! 

Hayden Panettiere

Save the cheerleader, save the world. It was a mantra for Heroes and it's time to see Hayden Panettiere play another superhero. She was so great in Heroes, there's no way she wouldn't be great in the DCU

The DC Universe is James Gunn's oyster, these are some of the pearls out there just waiting to be plopped onto his beach. 

The search for Daniel Craig’s James Bond replacement has been hot with multiple candidates reportedly in the running, including Regé-Jean Page and Henry Cavill. Finding a successor has been tough for Bond producers as they look to reinvent the international spy. But beyond finding the next Bond, there’s been a question over who may or may not return after No Time to Die. With speculation running rampant, Lashana Lynch, Ralph Fiennes, and more No Time to Die stars spoke about possibly returning to the James Bond franchise.

Lashana Lynch (Nomi)

As one of No Time to Die’s breakout stars, the Woman King star stole multiple scenes as Nomi. Taking up 007 was a huge deal for Lynch following in the steps of earlier Black female representation. Being a fan favorite made many viewers want more potential Nomi stories in the future. With the franchise in flux right now, Lashana Lynch mentioned to Empire she was unsure of her Bond future, but the actress did spill an interesting tidbit about her current status with Eon Productions.

So there might be more Nomi after all. This development means Bond producers want Lynch to keep the 007 mantle going after Craig’s departure. It made sense given the spy franchise is going through a 21st-century transition. Maybe the future of the franchise is female despite the ongoing search for a new Bond.

Keeping Lynch under contract would allow the fans to watch more takedowns and see Nomi come into her own. The character displayed endless potential to carry the beloved franchise in a different direction if she were to fight alongside the new international spy. Fans can breathe as the Doctor Strange 2 star is locked in… for now. But are her No Time to Die co-stars on board for another film when the time comes?

Ralph Fiennes (M)

Ralph Fiennes served as the perfect successor to Dame Judi Lynch when he took over in Skyfall. He managed to carry over the authoritarian angle while fighting to keep Craig’s Bond on track. Fiennes inhabited the MI6 chief well. A few fans have questioned whether the Oscar nominee would return after Craig’s swan song. Despite the looming doubt, the Schindler’s List actor made his case for staying on as the head of MI6.

So the 59-year-old actor is ready for another Bond outing once the producers settle on a new spy. Having him remain with the franchise would be a major positive to help fans transition into the reinvention.

Naomie Harris (Eve Moneypenny)

Naomie Harris reintroduced Eve Moneypenny as a field agent-to-M’s right hand in 2012’s Skyfall. She added a new depth to the witty secretary upon her appearance. After months after No Time to Die’s release, Harris ung on to hope that she will return after planting seeds of doubt about her future with the franchise.

As Harris mentioned, a new Bond could bring in a new MI6 family. She’s still game to play Moneypenny again if producers decided to keep the remaining cast. Like Fiennes, it would be nice to see her remain with the spy film series as a way to bridge the gap between the Daniel Craig era and the new Bond.

Ben Whitshaw (Q)

Resembling Harris’ introduction, Ben Whishaw reinvented the tech-savvy research developer for a new generation upon his debut in 2012’s Skyfall. Whishaw gave Q a new dimension, and despite the character’s development in No Time to Die, the Golden Globe winner opened up to the BBC about his uncertainty over his return.

Of course, recruiting a new James Bond usually brings in a new cast for a new era. Bond producers being secretive doesn’t quell Whishaw’s doubt over his return as Q. Hopefully, he’ll be brought back for another film so fans can, at least, see how his story plays out.

Léa Seydoux (Dr. Madeleine Swann)

Léa Seydoux’s Dr. Madeleine Swann made an impression over two movies as James Bond’s most recent love interest from the Craig era. Despite the twist in No Time to Die, she appeared to complete her arc by having Bond’s daughter. Given that she didn’t die in the end, her future with the spy film series is unknown. When speaking about her possible return, Seydoux said:

Having Bond’s only child put her in a special place in the Bond girl pantheon. Driving into the sunset with her and Bond’s daughter might be a proper conclusion to Dr. Swann’s story. But the The French Dispatch star felt there was a door open for her return.

Having an open-ended conclusion did leave room for Seydoux to pop up again. It might not be in the new Bond film, but having Bond’s daughter could lead to a story down the line.

With so many questions in the air, only time will tell if these actors return to play these beloved characters. You can watch No Time to Die to catch the actors playing these roles by getting an Amazon Prime Video subscription.

No one could have predicted that a movie based on a theme park attraction could attract multiple theme parks-worth of movie-goers into theaters around the world and spawn a massively successful, long-running franchise. However, that accurately describes the success of Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean movies -- starring Academy Award nominee Johnny Depp as Capt. Jack Sparrow, Lord of the Rings star Orlando Bloom as William Turner, and Keira Knightley as Elizabeth Swann.

The trio would reunite with the main antagonist of the first film, Geoffrey Rush as Capt. Barbossa, but this time as an ally in what was initially said to be the third and final installment of the franchise. A decade-and-a-half has passed since the Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End cast (also including Bill Nighy as Davy Jones, Naomie Harris as Tia Dalma, Chow Yun-fat as Sao Feng, and rock star Keith Richards as Jack's father) gathered for the high-seas adventure's world premiere. Relive that night and check out how the actors look today by swiping through photos in the slideshow below.

Johnny Depp’s defamation lawsuit against Amber Heard dominated headlines for the entirety of the six-week trial and, even a month later, it continues to be a topic of interest, as both parties deal with the aftermath. There were a number of reasons this case in particular drew so much attention. The seriousness of the allegations that the stars lobbed at each other, the (sometimes alpaca-related) hijinks that took place in the courtroom, and the public’s ability to watch everything go down on TV all contributed to high interest. But one of Depp’s Pirates of the Caribbean co-stars, Naomie Harris, said she found the whole situation kind of “disturbing.”

Naomie Harris, who played voodoo priestess Tia Dalma in the Pirates of the Caribbean sequels Dead Man’s Chest and At World’s End, discussed the trial, in which public support strongly favored her colleague, Johnny Depp. Coverage of the trial was impossible to avoid, and Harris said it distracted people from other serious events that were happening. She told The Independent:

The star specifically mentioned Ghislaine Maxwell’s sex trafficking trial, saying the courtroom proceedings of Jeffrey Epstein’s former girlfriend was both more relevant and important than much of what was happening between Johnny Depp and Amber Heard. Maxwell was sentenced on June 28 to 20 years in federal prison for helping Epstein recruit and abuse teenage girls. The actress — who was nominated for an Oscar for her role in Moonlight — said the defamation case should have been a private matter between the former couple.

The Jack Sparrow actor came out on top in the end, as the jury decided the actor was to be awarded $15 million — $10 million being compensatory and the other $5 million being for punitive damages (which was lowered to $350,000). Amber Heard won a small victory, being awarded $2 million as part of a $100 million countersuit. The actress’ lawyers have contended that she is unable to pay the $8.35 million owed (though there were opinions on that as well, after Heard was seen flying via private plane following that assertion).

If Naomie Harris didn’t agree with the public attention the defamation case got, she’s probably not going to like it if their ongoing legal battles continue to dominate the headlines — particularly Amber Heard’s. The Aquaman star is still being investigated for perjury in Australia, as authorities are looking into whether she lied about bringing her Yorkshire terriers (Pistol and Boo) into the country in 2015 without declaring them. 

For his part, Johnny Depp is headed back to court for a 2018 assault charge stemming from his work on the 2018 movie City of Lies. Given the media attention Depp and Amber Heard have generated, it’s a good bet that the public will have interest in these cases as well.

Throughout Hollywood’s history, there’s been a bias toward white audiences that has bled into the industry today. While there is a concerted effort for movies and television to better reflect the experiences of more people than ever before these days, there’s much more progress to be made. In spirit of being perceptive to the need for continued representation, let us celebrate how the most iconic Black voices in film broke through into the Hollywood mainstream. 

From Whoopi Goldberg’s start in the ‘80s to Michael B. Jordan just under a decade ago, let’s talk about some of the unforgettable film performances by Black actors that helped really catapult them into super fame. 

Whoopi Goldberg In The Color Purple (1985) 

Whoopi Goldberg is currently a seasoned performer who co-hosts The View following becoming one of the few entertainers in history to receive an EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony wins). The actress got her start on the stage where The Graduate director Mike Nichols discovered her and assisted in a transition to Broadway which led Steven Spielberg to learn of her and cast Goldberg in The Color Purple. 

At the age of 30, Whoopi Goldberg found her breakthrough with Spielberg’s book adaptation that became commercially and critically successful and earned her a Best Actress Oscar nomination. Since then, Goldberg has been continually successful, also finding many memorable roles in Ghost, Star Trek: The Next Generation and Sister Act. 

Denzel Washington In Cry Freedom (1987) 

Denzel Washington is among the most respected and beloved actors in movie history today. The actor got his start in theater as well after studying acting classically. Shortly after graduating, he nabbed a role in the comedy Carbon Copy alongside George Segal before becoming part of the medical drama St. Elsewhere. In terms of the actor’s breakthrough into the decorated actor he is now, it all started with his role in Richard Attenborough’s Cry Freedom alongside Kevin Kline. 

The 1987 film based on a true story saw Denzel Washington playing Steve Biko, a South African anti-apartheid activist. The movie that opened up a discussion about discrimination and political corruption led to Washington’s first Oscar nomination and a career packed full of challenging and important roles like Glory, Malcolm X, Training Day and many more. 

Laurence Fishburne In Boyz n the Hood (1991)

Laurence Fishburne is another all-time great Black actor who continues to star in incredible movies and TV shows today including his role in the forthcoming John Wick movie. Fishburne got started in Hollywood at the age of 11, finding roles in ABC soaps before being part of Apocalypse Now as a teen. Throughout the ‘80s he found roles here and there, including a minor role in The Color Purple with Whoopi Goldberg. He starred in Spike Lee’s second film, the under-the-radar School Daze, but 1991’s Boyz n the Hood really brought the actor to the forefront. 

John Singleton’s now modern classic Boyz n the Hood starred Cuba Gooding Jr, Ice Cube, Nia Long, Regina King and Angela Bassett in a crime drama that kickstarted all their careers. At the time Fishburne was recognizable for his nearly 20 year career, but Boyz n the Hood was the first mainstream successful movie that showcased Fishburne’s talent when he played the father figure, Furious Styles (one of many performances he should have received an Oscar for).  Following that performance he started receiving acclaim for a number of roles and of course became Morpheus in The Matrix. 

Angela Bassett In What’s Love Got To Do With It (1993) 

Angela Bassett is an icon, full stop. Before the actress assumed that title, she graduated from Yale University with a degree in African-American studies and went back to study acting for her MFA. She then moved to Los Angeles and found early key roles in Boyz n the Hood and Malcolm X. She received attention for playing Malcolm X’s wife in the film, but it was 1993’s What’s Love Got To Do With It that allowed her to breakthrough and become the star she is today. 

Bassett portrayed Tina Turner in the biopic, which became a well-loved film and led Bassett to receive major award attention, along with becoming the first Black woman to win the Golden Globe for Best Actress. She went on to star in other major films including Strange Days, Waiting To Exhale, How Stella Got Her Groove Back and tell Rosa Parks’ story in Ride To Freedom. 

Don Cheadle In Devil In A Blue Dress (1995) 

Don Cheadle is one of the coolest and most interesting actors of our day along with him being notably part of the Marvel family as James Rhodes/War Machine as well. After graduating with a BFA in theater in 1986, he got his start in small roles in Hollywood. He found early roles in movies like Colors and an episode of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air alongside Will Smith. Things started really heating up for the actor when he starred in Devil in a Blue Dress with Denzel Washington. 

The 1995 neo-noir movie based on the Walter Mosley novel instantly got people talking about how Cheadle stole the show in the role of Mouse. The role led Cheadle to level up in Hollywood, leading to roles in Boogie Nights, Out Of Sight and the Ocean’s films leading to a continually illustrious career. 

Gabrielle Union In Bring It On (2000) 

The breakthrough performances we’ve talked about thus far are mainly dramatic performances, making Gabrielle Union’s big moment notable to shed light on. The actress started on TV, finding roles in series such as Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Sister, Sister, 7th Heaven and Friends before finding small roles in teen movies She’s All That and 10 Things I Hate About You. Union became a big name when she starred as Isis in 2000’s Bring It On alongside Kirsten Dunst. 

The cult classic about rival cheerleading teams caught the attention of Hollywood and led the actress to be cast in CBS medical drama City of Angels and find more leading roles, such as in 2003’s Deliver Us From Eva and Bad Boys II. Over twenty years later, she remains a prominent name who is never short of a new role. 

Viola Davis In Far From Heaven (2002) 

Viola Davis is a prolific actress with a number of great performances we love. How did she get here? Davis was a graduate of Juilliard and got her start on the stage, finding her first Broadway role at 31 for an August Wilson play, which has continued to be a notable part of her career. Her early roles were brief in big movies like Ocean’s Eleven, Kate & Leopold and Antwone Fisher. Her breakthrough role was in 2002’s Far From Heaven as Sybil, the housekeeper and confidant to Julianne Moore’s lead character. 

A few years later, Davis’ prominence grew with her role in Doubt and other movies like The Help and Suicide Squad. Nowadays, when a Viola Davis movie comes out, we sit up and pay attention. 

Jamie Foxx In Collateral (2004)

Jamie Foxx got his start telling jokes at a comedy club’s open mic night in 1989 thanks to a girlfriend’s dare. Later, he became part of the cast of In Living Color before nabbing a sitcom of his own called The Jamie Foxx Show. As we know in the '90s, TV and movies were a different game. Foxx broke out into the movie business in 1999 with Any Given Sunday but the movie that really cemented his continued popularity is 2001’s Collateral. 

He starred alongside Tom Cruise in an action thriller that earned him his first Oscar nomination. Just a few months later, his portrayal of Ray Charles led the actor to also nab a Best Actor nomination in the same year and win. 

Taraji P. Henson In Hustle & Flow (2005)

Taraji P. Henson studied drama at Howard University before starting off as a background performer in the early '90s. After finding a first movie role in 1991’s Baby Boy, her breakthrough role was in 2005’s Hustle & Flow, alongside Terrence Howard, Anthony Anderson and Ludacris. The independent film about a hustler and pimp who becomes a rapper was a huge success at the time, putting Henson on the map. 

Henson then received buzz for starring in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button along with starring in big movies including I Can Do Bad All By Myself and The Karate Kid remake. She later reunited with her Hustle & Flow star for the Fox hit series, Empire alongside a vast career in Hollywood. 

Michael B. Jordan in Fruitvale Station (2013) 

One more recent performance by a Black actor that has turned an actor into a big star is Michael B. Jordan’s in Fruitvale Station. The Ryan Coogler film premiered at Sundance in 2013 to high acclaim before making a mark on Hollywood in other ways. Thanks to the movie’s big splash, Coogler and Jordan partnered up again to make Creed alongside Sylvester Stallone and then for 2018’s Black Panther. 

There’s a lot more incredible breakthrough performances we certainly missed, but it’s interesting to see how some of Hollywood’s biggest Black stars got their start. Here’s to celebrating more great actors in the years to come. You never know where the next major star will pop up first in upcoming movies. 

Warning: spoilers for No Time To Die are in play. If you haven’t seen the film yet, and want to go in surprised, turn back now. 

After finishing his mission in No Time To Die, Daniel Craig’s James Bond is faced with one final decision. It’s something that fans and critics alike couldn’t believe actually happened, and if you ask people about the dramatic conclusion to the 25th 007 film, some still aren’t sure what actually happened on screen took place. Those feelings echo the reactions of some of the film’s cast when they first read the script. Even Naomie Harris, Ms. Moneypenny herself, thought the film’s shocking ending was going be changed in the final edit. 

Contrary to reports that some of the cast and crew received a fake script, with a happier ending, Ms. Harris confirmed to CinemaBlend that she did indeed receive the actual ending. Sitting down for an in-person interview during the home video press experience for No Time To Die, her disbelief in the death of Commander Bond still reads as fresh as the day she saw those words on the page. And when recalling that moment in her own words, Naomie Harris sounds like she thought that ending was the false flag: 

A veteran of the 007 franchise since her introduction in 2012’s Skyfall, Naomie Harris’ surprised reaction was priceless. Even more exciting was the fact that she didn’t even know that in order to protect the secrets of this 25th Bond film, there was a fake script floating around with a happier ending. Many might wonder why multiple scripts were produced and sent to different people, but given the existence of Mathilde was leaked from discarded call sheets, it's probably fair to say ginning up such a gambit was the right one. 

Killing James Bond is something that villains have been dreaming of for almost 60 years of moviemaking. Popular culture has even spoofed the fact that 007’s villains seem to be unable to control themselves when they capture him; going over their plans meticulously in front of a person that’s supposed to die any minute now. The Simpsons and Austin Powers franchises especially had fun with this notion in the ‘90s, as it seemed that Mr. Bond could never die. 

That invulnerability has been played around with before, with the opening of 1963’s From Russia With Love and 1967’s You Only Live Twice showing us the “death” of Commander Bond, before exposing us to the reality of those situations. Daniel Craig’s era changed a lot of things in its time, and right from the start his intentions were to make sure that his time as the sixth actor to play the part ended with a proper funeral. He certainly got his wish, and the results were atypically tender in No Time To Die’s bittersweet finale.

Even experiencing those final moments first hand, it felt like any minute James Bond would wash up on the shore of some distant country, alive but maybe worse for the wear. It’s what happened to him in the conclusion to Ian Fleming’s literary version of You Only Live Twice, and that novel shares quite a bit of DNA with what co-writer/director Cary Joji Fukunaga and Bond series scribes Neal Purvis and Robert Wade crafted in their script. Unfortunately, or fortunately if you look at the ending from a certain point of view, that was not to be. 

Knowing James Bond is going to die is one thing, but actually watching it unfold is an experience people will be talking about for some time. While Naomie Harris is uncertain of her own future in the franchise, and has even suggested a fantastic successor in the role of Moneypenny, if this was her final film in the 007 legacy, she’s probably proud to call such a trailblazing entry her last. You can see what all the fuss is about, as James Bond will return to your home theater in No Time To Die; which is currently available to rent or own through digital and physical media. 

Warning: the following contains spoilers for No Time to Die. 

Fans have known that No Time to Die was meant to be Daniel Craig’s last outing as 007. But when the film’s ending made his departure a little more final, many were shocked (and suitably impressed) by the powerful conclusion. However, many involved in the production of No Time to Die were not convinced that Bond’s fate was actually authentic - including Naomie Harris, otherwise known as Moneypenny. 

CinemaBlend’s own Mike Reyes recently caught up with Naomie Harris in London to chat about the home release of No Time to Die and the bombshell ending that punctuated Daniel Craig’s tenure as James Bond. Mike Reyes revealed, to the shocked delight of Naomie Harris, that many cast and crew members had reportedly received alternate endings in their scripts. While Naomie Harris’ script was the authentic version, she hadn’t known that some crew members were in the dark. However, that didn’t stop her from finding the scene suspicious. She explained: 

Naomie Harris is, of course, referring to the final scenes of No Time to Die that show the one and only James Bond perishing in a torrent of missile fire. It’s no surprise that she initially doubted Bond’s death - many previous Bonds had faked their demise in one way or another. Daniel Craig’s itneration of the suave superspy was the first to actually die onscreen. Indeed, part of James Bonds’ claim to fame was his perceived invincibility. No matter how dire his predicament, 007 has always been able to finagle his way out of danger. Unfortunately for Daniel Craig, however, his version of Bond had reached its final destination. 

While James Bond tragically went down with the ship in No Time to Die, the aforementioned false scripts actually included a drastically different turn of events. They featured an ending in which James Bond not only survived the destruction of Safin’s nanobot facility, but was knighted by the English monarchy. While Naomie Harris received the genuine screenplay, many others did not, including the archivist of Eon Productions (the studio behind most of the Bond films). 

In a world where one stray spoiler can ruin a movie’s box office debut, and Marvel plots are kept under such strict lock and key that even some of the actors don’t know what scenes they’re filming, it’s hardly surprising that the production team of No Time to Die wanted to keep their cards close to their chest. Luckily for Moneypenny, Naomie Harris was in the loop from the very beginning. 

No Time to Die is available to rent on Amazon Prime Video. 

The future of 007 is still up in the air, after the 25th James Bond movie, No Time To Die saw an explosive ending to the Daniel Craig era. Now the board is primed to be reset, and not just when it comes to 007 himself. We still don’t know if or how the MI6 family will return in Bond 26, and there’s plenty of room for new blood in the series. Should that apply to Naomie Harris’ role in the franchise, she has a great idea on who should become James Bond’s next Moneypenny. 

Naomie Harris’ Great Idea On Who Should Become James Bond’s Next Moneypenny

Promoting the home video release of the latest 007 adventure, Harris spoke with ScreenRant about the potential future for the character she’s played since 2012’s Skyfall. As the fourth actor to play the role in the franchise’s almost 60-year run, of course she has thoughts on the matter. Which makes Naomie Harris’ ultimate choice even more exciting, and she recently expressed who she thinks would make a fantastic Moneypenny:

That’s a hard choice to argue with, as Academy Award-winner Olivia Colman would be absolutely dynamite as Moneypenny (or in any role really) in the James Bond universe. With expert comedic timing, as well as the gravitas the Daniel Craig era built its foundation on in Casino Royale, Colman is a prime choice no matter what tonal direction the series chooses to go in. However, casting Ms. Colman would almost certainly have an effect on the casting of the next James Bond.

What This Casting Could Mean For The Next James Bond

Casting the next Moneypenny almost always depends on who the next 007 will be, solely because of the traditional nature of the character. A coworker whom James Bond has historically flirted with, despite never making good on his innuendos, Olivia Colman’s Moneypenny could dictate an older Bond candidate, similar to Daniel Craig. (For comparison's sake, Harris is 45 and Colman is 47.) 

Thanks to Naomie Harris’ interpretation of Moneypenny, the flirtation did crop up a bit in Skyfall; but we saw the agent formerly known as Eve instead become a really good friend for Commander Bond. Without the boundaries of the character's classic stereotypes, Olivia Colman could also serve as a fantastic friend and mentor to a younger James Bond, while also busting his chops, and (why not?) dropping a bit of a flirt here and there. 

Still, the MI6 family formula depends on who compliments the type of Bond we’re seeing on screen. If Ms. Colman is cast in this role, or if any other roles like M or Q are recast, you’ll probably be able to start to see where the franchise is headed as a whole, particularly where recasting 007 is concerned. Armchair analysis aside, Naomie Harris has made a fantastic suggestion that’s going to be hard for me to stop thinking about. 

It’s a hypothetical that we’ll have all the time in the world to discuss, as the hunt for the next James Bond isn’t set to start until some time next year. In the meantime, No Time To Die is currently available to rent and own, on both digital and physical media.  As for Olivia Colman, she can currently be seen in the Netflix original film The Lost Daughter, as well as in the HBO original series Landscapers. 

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If you ask any average moviegoer to name one of their favorite Naomie Harris movies, their first instinct might be to cite Moonlight, which earned her her first Academy Award nomination for the supporting role of Chiron’s drug addict mother, Paula, in 2017. Others may not be familiar with Harris just yet, but are looking forward to seeing her mysterious role in Venom 2, one of the most anticipated 2021 movies coming out this fall season. At this point, you may be inclined to remind this person that the London-born actress has been a staple of the James Bond franchise for nearly a decade and will appear in No Time to Die in the fall as well.

You may also want to mention the fact that the 44-year-old actress has actually been a prominent star in a few other popular movie franchises and notable classics in recent years, such as Danny Boyle’s revolutionary zombie movie masterpiece 28 Days Later from 2002, the 2013 Nelson Mandela biopic Mandela: Walk to Freedom staring Idris Elba in the title role, and the Pirates of the Caribbean movies, in which she was utterly unrecognizable as soothsayer Tia Dalma, to name just a few. Naomie Harris only has but a few projects on the horizon for both the small and big screen, yet each one is undoubtedly exciting in its own right. The following is a breakdown of every Naomie Harris movie and TV show coming out in the near that any fan of the actress should already have marked down in their calendars, starting with her first comic book movie.

Venom: Let There Be Carnage (September 24, 2021)

When Spider-Man villain turned anti-hero Venom made his cinematic debut in Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man 3, fans were a little disappointed, feeling that former That ‘70s Show cast member Topher Grace’s performance and the overall character design did not live up to expectations. While Ruben Fleischer’s attempt at a solo movie with Venom in 2018 certainly has its critics, few disagreed that Tom Hardy made a better Eddie Brock and the titular symbiotic alien creatures’ hulking appearance was an improvement. The flick was a commercial success and a follow-up was greenlit soon after.

Legendary performance capture actor Andy Serkis takes over directorial duties for Venom: Let There Be Carnage, whose title refers to the emergence Woody Harrelson as Carnage - the symbiotic alter ego of Cletus Kasady. Joining the cast of the sequel, hitting theaters on September 24, 2021, is Noamie Harris as Carnage’s partner in crime and in love, Shriek. Interestingly, this marks the second time Harrelson and Harris have shared an onscreen romance since After the Sunset in 2004.

No Time To Die (October 8, 2021)

While 007 and Eve Moneypenny have never had a formal romance, the James Bond movies have historically flirted with the idea. However, the introduction of Naomie Harris into the franchise in 2012’s Skyfall saw the birth of a whole new kind of Moneypenny - an independent badass who aids Daniel Craig’s 007 in more ways than from behind a desk. The next step in Harris’ stint in the iconic, long-running spy movie series is just one reason to look forward to the 25th installment.

True Detective writer Cary Joji Fukunaga directs No Time to Die, in which Daniel Craig’s James Bond is pulled out of retirement to track a new foe (Oscar winner Rami Malek). Fellow Bond vets Ralph Fiennes, Ben Whishaw, and Léa Sydoux return along with Craig’s Knives Out cast co-star Ana de Armas as a new character named Paloma. The highly anticipated action thriller, originally meant to come out in 2020 (at a few different selected dates, too), is finally hitting theaters on Friday, October 8, 2021.

Swan Song (2021)

If there is such a thing as a “Sci-Fi Queen,” Naomie Harris is clearly a qualifier. Outside of some films we have already mentioned, the actress has appeared in a number of other projects related to the genre since her youth, such as British TV show The Tomorrow People, and as recently as 2018 when she and Dwayne Johnson appeared in the film adaptation of the Rampage games. In fact, this star-studded flick will not the be the last sci-fi title on this list.

Benjamin Cleary, winner of the Best Short Film Oscar in 2016, makes his feature-length debut as the writer and director of Swan Song, which brings some of the best Black Mirror episodes to mind. The story follows a family man who wants to make a clone of himself before succumbing to a terminal illness he was recently diagnosed with. Golden Globe winner Awkwafina, two-time Oscar-winner Mahershala Ali, and (shockingly) zero-time Oscar-winner Glenn Close also star in the unique drama that is expected to come out in theaters in sometime in 2021.

The Man Who Fell To Earth (2022)

The late, great musician and actor David Bowie made his theatrical feature film debut as the lead of The Man Who Fell to Earth in 1976. The “Space Oddity” singer plays Thomas Jerome Newton - an extraterrestrial who comes to the Third Planet from the Sun disguised as a human on a mission to save his dying planet. A new, modern-day vision of Walter Tevis’ novel is soon coming to television from executive producers Alex Kurtzman, Jenny Lumet, and John Hlavin.

Academy Award-nominee and Doctor Strange star Chiwetel Ejiofor succeeds David Bowie’s role as the titular alien in this series adaptation of The Man Who Fell to Earth. Naomie Harris also stars as an engineer named Justin Harris, along with Westworld cast member Jimmi Simpson as a CIA agent who comes at odds with Thomas Jerome Newton. The series was originally planned for Paramount+, but will now premiere on Showtime in 2022.

Upon the release of these exciting projects listed above, I have very little doubt that anyone should struggle to name their favorite Naomie Harris movie (or TV show) anymore. However, you already consider yourself a fan of the talented Brit, is there a title you are most excited to see?

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In her professional life, Naomie Harris has shined with roles in films such as 28 Days Later and the first two sequels to the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise. But, of course, one of her latest claims to fame is the fact that she’s the modern face of Moneypenny in the Daniel Craig era of the James Bond film series. But a noble real life cause is the latest thing to be keeping Harris busy, as she’s part of a coalition that’s been calling for new guidelines pertaining to sex scenes on movie sets.

Naomie Harris is one of several talent ambassadors for Time’s Up UK that have given their personal stamp of approval to the organization’s five new sets of crucial guidelines. Designed to “cover specific circumstances where people have historically been preyed upon,” these new rules of the road were devised by both the US and UK halves of Time’s Up, with the unified purpose of combating and preventing workplace harassment. In response to those guidelines, Harris made the following statement:

These new guidelines from Time’s Up cover everything from the audition process to reporting incidents that may have occurred on the set. In an era where the evolution of simulating sex on screen has created new resources, as well as professional responsibilities such as “Intimacy Coordinators,” this is a diligent move to make. With more comprehensive guidelines of conduct and reporting, all involved in a major production are gradually being better protected from the future potential of misconduct that has been more widely reported in recent years.

Naomie Harris isn’t the only actor to lend her support to Time’s Up UK’s new guidelines, as His Dark Materials star Ruth Wilson has also come out in favor of these efforts. In the past, Ms. Wilson had previously spoken out on her own set of issues that eventually led to her departure from the Showtime drama The Affair, which makes her part in this campaign mean even more when it comes to the matter at hand. The workplace is evolving in showbusiness, and this new round of information, used properly, should mean an even better working experience for actors all over.

Of course, this is just the beginning, as actors like Naomie Harris and Ruth Wilson, as well as the rest of their Time’s Up UK collaborators, are just beginning to inspire much needed change in the entertainment industry. Issuing guidelines is a starting point for actions and conversations that will need to happen on every level in order to make these rules truly mean something. Hopefully these new suggestions will lead to firm actions towards better filmmaking practices that lead to, as Harris herself put it, the best path forward.

It's the little indie that could. In 2016, writer/director Barry Jenkins' sophomore feature, Moonlight, proved to be an incredible success, grossing over $65 million from its $4 million (or less) budget and earning a wealth of acclaim. Widely considered one of the best films of the early 21st century, this coming-of-age drama, based on Tarell Alvin McCraney's unpublished semi-autobiographical play, In Moonlight Black Men Look Blue, became a powerful examination of race, sexuality, and identity as seen through three life stages of its main character, Chiron. Shortly after its acclaimed release, the movie won three Oscars for Best Supporting Actor, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Picture.

While the highly unorthodox way it won Best Picture is often remarked upon, Moonlight became the first LGBT-related movie and the first film with an all-Black cast to be awarded the top prize at the Academy Awards, among other triumphs. Now that it's been nearly half a decade since its outstanding debut (if you can believe it), what is the Moonlight cast, including Ashton Sanders, Trevante Rhodes, Naomie Harris, Janelle Monae, Jharrel Jerome, and Mahershala Ali, doing now? Let's take a look and find out!

Ashton Sanders (Teen Chiron)

In the role of teenage Chiron, Ashton Sanders plays our main character throughout the middle section of A24's Moonlight. Prior to starring in this Best Picture winner, Sanders frontlined The Retrieval. He was also seen in Straight Outta Compton. Following his lead performance in Moonlight, Sanders starred in The Equalizer 2, HBO's Native Son, Dead Women Walking, and Captive State. He also appeared in short films like 2012's Making Possibilities and 2016's We Home and The Last Virgin in LA, as well as Chloe x Halle's "The Kids Are Alright" music video. Additionally, on Hulu, Sanders played The RZA in Wu-Tang: An American Saga. Furthermore, the actor guest-starred in The Skinny.

Most recently, Ashton Sanders appeared in February's Judas and the Black Messiah. Also, he starred in Netflix's All Day and a Night. Next, Sanders stars in The Things They Carried. Additionally, the actor will produce and headline A More Unbending Battle.

Trevante Rhodes (Adult Chiron/Black)

Playing the part of Adult Chiron, who's often referred to as "Black," Trevante Rhodes found his star-making role in Barry Jenkins' Best Picture-winning drama, Moonlight. His other film credits include Bird Box, The Predator, 12 Strong, Lady Luck, Smartass, Song to Song, The Night Is Young, Burning Sands, Shangri-Li Suite, and Open Windows.

Additionally, on TV, Trevante Rhodes played a recurring role in OWN's If Loving You Is Wrong, and he appeared in Westworld, Gang Related, and Jay Z feat. Beyonce's "Family Feud" music video. Prior to acting, he was an accomplished track and field sprinter, winning a gold medal at 2009's Pan American Junior Athletics Championships. Last month, Rhodes starred in Hulu's dramatic biopic, The United States vs. Billie Holiday.

Alex Hibbert (Child Chiron/Little)

As Child Chiron, also known as "Little," our adolescent protagonist in the first chapter of this acclaimed coming-of-age drama, Alex Hibbert made his screen acting debut in Barry Jenkins' Moonlight. Following this exceptional performance, Hibbert was seen in Marvel's Black Panther. Currently, the actor stars in Showtime's drama series, The Chi.

Mahershala Ali (Juan)

In the role of Juan, a drug dealer who becomes a father figure for Chiron, Mahershala Ali won an Oscar for his outstanding supporting turn in A24's Moonlight. Only two years later, Ali won his second Oscar for his performance in Green Book. His other notable film and TV credits include House of Cards, Luke Cage, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1 and 2, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Hidden Figures, Crossing Jordan, The 4400, Predators, The Place Beyond the Pines, Free State of Jones, Roxanne Roxanne, Crossing Over, Go for Sisters, Supremacy, Kicks, Treme, Alphas, Threat Matrix, Room 104, NYPD Blue, CSI, Law & Order: SVU, and Alita: Battle Angel. Additionally, Ali starred in True Detective Season 3. He also played a supporting role in Ramy Season 2.

Next, Mahershala Ali will be heard in Amazon Prime's Invincible. Soon, the actor will be seen in Swan Song, which he also produced. Also, Ali will play Blade in the Marvel Cinematic Universe in a still-developing project.

Jharrel Jerome (Teen Kevin)

As a teen version of Kevin, who shares an intimate relationship with our lead character in the midst of his formative years, Jharrel Jerome plays our second lead in a pivotal part of Moonlight. Most notably, Jerome is an Emmy-winner for his performance in Netflix's When They See Us. The actor also played a main role in Audience's Mr. Mercedes. Jerome's other TV credits include Tales and Live in Front of a Studio Audience. In film, he can be seen in All Rise and First Match. Additionally, the actor starred in short films like 2019's Robu and 2016's Her Coloring Book, while also serving as a narrator for 2016's Wheels. Away from acting, Jerome is a musician as well.

Most recently, Jharrel Jerome was seen in Amazon Prime's Selah and the Spades. Next, Jerome will be seen in Netflix's Concrete Cowboy, which premiered at last year's TIFF.

Andre Holland (Adult Kevin)

Playing the part of Adult Kevin, Chiron's childhood friend who gets reacquainted with our lead during an intimate night, Andre Holland played a romantic character in the third act of Barry Jenkins' Moonlight. Most notably, Holland received a wealth of acclaim for his excellent lead role in Cinemax's The Knick. He was also seen in FX's American Horror Story: Roanoke. His other TV credits include 1600 Penn, Friends with Benefits, Law & Order, Damages, and Burn Notice. Additionally, Holland starred in Hulu's Castle Rock. Away from TV, Holland frontlined Netflix's High Flying Bird. He also appeared in Selma, 42, A Wrinkle in Time, Miracle at St. Anna, Small Beautiful Moving Parts, and Black or White. Additionally, the actor starred in Battle At Big Rock, a short film in the Jurrasic Park franchise. Elsewhere, Holland led 2017's Broadway production of Jitney.

Most recently, Andre Holland starred in Netflix's limited series, The Eddy. Next, the actor will be seen in Netflix's Passing, which premiered at this year's Sundance Film Festival.

Jaden Piner (Child Kevin)

As Child Kevin, Chiron's nine-year-old best friend, Jaden Piner made his acting debut in Barry Jenkins' Moonlight. Following his supporting turn in this acclaimed award-winner, the child actor starred in 2018's dramatic horror-mystery, Boo! Next, Piner will be seen in Feral State, which premiered at the Orlando Film Festival. It'll be released this May.

Naomie Harris (Paula)

In the role of Paula, Chiron's abusive, crack-addicted mother, Naomie Harris was Oscar-nominated for her ferocious supporting turn in Moonlight. Harris is also known for Skyfall, Spectre, 28 Days Later, and the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise. Her other film credits include Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom, Southpaw, Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll, Rampage (2018), Collateral Beauty, Miami Vice (2006), Street Kings, After the Sunset, Trauma, Tristram Shandy: A Cock and Bull Story, Explicit Ills, Ninja Assassin, August, The Last Five Girlfriends, Our Kind of Traitor, and The First Grader. Also, Harris starred in Black and Blue and she was heard in Netflix's Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle.

Additionally, Naomie Harris' television credits include Runaway Bay, The Tomorrow People, Simon and the Witch, and White Teeth. The actress also appeared in 2009's TV film, Small Island. Most recently, Harris starred in HBO's The Third Day. Next, the Academy Award-nominated actress will be seen in No Time to Die, Venom: Let There Be Carnage, and Swan Song.

Janelle Monae (Teresa)

Playing the part of Teresa, Juan's girlfriend and Chiron's caring mother figure, Janelle Monae was a protective supporting character in A24's Moonlight. An eight-time Grammy-nominated musician, Monae is a best-selling artist with three acclaimed albums to her very famous name: 2010's The ArchAndroid, 2013's The Electric Lady, and, most notably, 2018's Dirty Computer, which was nominated for Album of the Year. Also, as an actress, she's known for her work in Hidden Figures, Welcome to Marwen, and Harriet. Additionally, the musician can be heard in Rio 2, UglyDolls, and Disney+'s Lady and the Tramp. Meanwhile, on TV, Monae can be seen in Philip K. Dick's Electric Dreams and Sesame Street, and she can be heard in American Dad!

Most recently, Janelle Monae starred in Antebellum and The Glorias. Also, the actress/musician starred in the second season of Amazon Prime's Homecoming.

Patrick Decile (Terrel)

As Terrel, a school bully, Patrick Decile played an antagonistic character in the middle of Moonlight. He also made his acting debut in Barry Jenkins' masterpiece. Following this standout performance, Decile appeared in a number of short films, including 2017's 78 on 79th, 2019's Broken Branches and Honk for Jesus, Save Your Soul, and 2019's Not Black Enough, respectively. Next, he'll star in the crime drama, We Were Young, which has been in development since 2018. Outside of acting, Decile is a poet and musician.

Stream Moonlight on Netflix here, Hoopla here, and Kanopy here.

No Time To Die has a lot of various duties it’s planning to execute in theaters this November. It’s the final film of Daniel Craig’s time as James Bond, while also being one of the earliest postponed films of 2020’s film market. But most importantly, it’s going to bring the story that’s started in 2006’s Casino Royale to a thrilling conclusion. On top of all of that hype, No Time To Die has a five year gap (both in the real world and that of the story), which has given Naomie Harris’ Moneypenny some time to develop as more of a fixture in the world of modern Bond.

More specifically, Harris told HeyUGuys that the film will see her character progressing as follows:

Introduced in 2012’s Skyfall, Naomie Harris’ new reimagining of Moneypenny is less of a deskbound source of quips and more of an integral team member in the offices of MI6. Though this hasn’t stopped the 007 franchise’s modern reboot from indulging in the historical precedent of Bond and Moneypenny flirting and bantering, but never getting together, in the face of whatever danger they face. Both parties have done their own growing up, with their own relationships in and out of the office.

That five year gap between Spectre and No Time To Die has left room for a lot of more mature situations to play out in the James Bond franchise, as that period of time has been part of the basis for some wild rumors. Should the scenario that’s being hinted at be an accurate representation of what to expect at the end of writer/director Cary Joji Fukunaga’s big Bond epic, it’s more than likely the reason for such a huge gap.

It’s been understood that with the modern run of Daniel Craig films, the James Bond franchise has been building a more modern foundation for the almost 60 year series to move into the future. Just as No Time To Die will bring James Bond’s journey as a rookie agent full circle, it sounds like Naomie Harris’ Moneypenny will be given her own chance to branch out into new and interesting territory. We’ll only have to wait a little longer for No Time To Die to bring Moneypenny, and the rest of the 007 cast of characters back to theaters, as the film’s November 25th release date gets closer with every martini.

With all the 2020 summer blockbusters being moved to dates later in the year and beyond, moviegoers are beginning to look towards the crop of films that are slated to hit theaters in the fall months, including the October release of Venom 2. With Tom Hardy set to return as journalist Eddie Brock and the symbiote Venom in the followup to the 2018 surprise hit comic book adaptation Venom, will also see Michelle Williams returning as Brock's former love interest and She-Venom herself Anne Weying.

Outside of Hardy and Williams, the sequel, which is being directed by Andy Serkis, will also feature a growing number of Hollywood talent, including Woody Harrelson, who will be portraying the deranged psychopath turned supervillain Cletus Kasady, aka Carnage. Besides those three names, Venom 2 is set to feature a surprisingly stacked cast of Hollywood heavyweights that surely will bring some gravitas to the upcoming sequel. Let's take a look at them, shall we?

Tom Hardy (Eddie Brock/Venom)

No surprise here, but Tom Hardy is returning as journalist Eddie Brock and Venom in the upcoming Sony Picture production. When we last saw Eddie, he had come to terms with the alien symbiote, Venom, after they take on and destroy Calrton Drake and the evil symbiote, Riot. What's become of that relationship, however, is still not known at this time.

In the Venom mid-credits scene, we saw Brock be invited to conduct a prison-interview with the twisted serial killer Cletus Kasady, who promised "carnage" upon his escape from incarceration. With a pretty big teaser to end the first first, it's a given that we will see Venom and Carnage square off at some point in Venom 2, especially after the release of those photos from the set of the upcoming sequel. But besides the eventual showdown with Carnage, fans can expect to see the relationship between Brock and Venom expand after the upcoming film's producers saw how much audiences appreciated the back and forth banter between the two the first time around.

Michelle Williams (Anne Weying)

Michelle Williams will be returning as Anne Weying, Eddie Brock's ex-fiancée and district attorney in the San Francisco metropolitan area. The former Life Foundation lawyer practically cut the journalist out of her life after Brock's investigation into Carlton Drake cost Weying her job and all but killed the couple's relationship.

Not much is known about how Williams' character will play into the story of Venom 2, but if her brief appearance as She-Venom in the 2018 comic book movie was more than just an easter egg, then we will hopefully see more of the character at some point in the upcoming sequel.

Woody Harrelson (Cletus Kasady/Carnage)

Audience were first introduced to Woody Harrelson's depiction of the classic Marvel villain Cletus Kasady, aka Carnage, in that now iconic mid-credits scene to close out Venom, but outside of the brief appearance of the crazed, red-headed psycho, fans weren't given much to chew on besides the fact that the character would probably make an appearance in Venom 2.

Fans got their wish when it was announced in the summer of 2019 that Harrelson would be returning to Venon 2 as everyone's favorite symbiote-wearing Marvel villain. We'll all have to wait and see how Kasady was able to break out of that maximum security prison where we last saw him, but if the character's history is any indicator, it's going to be one hell of a ride.

Reid Scott (Dan Lewis)

Reid Scott first appeared as Dan Lewis, the boyfriend of Anne Weying and a doctor who tries to diagnose and help Eddie Brock after he becomes the host of the alien symbiote. Featured in only a handful of scenes in Venom, the character will return in the upcoming sequel.

Though he is slated to be featured in Venom 2, not much is known about how Lewis will play into the plot of the film, but hopefully the former Veep star gets more to do in an expanded role.

Naomie Harris (Shriek)

Naomie Harris might not have appeared in Venom, but word of her casting in the upcoming sequel was a hot news items in October 2019 when reports began to surface that not only had the No Time To Die star was in talks to join the cast of Venom 2, she would also reportedly be playing the Marvel villain Shriek in the comic book adaptation.

Just like practically everything else about the upcoming sequel, nothing is known about how Shriek will play into the film's story, but she'll probably be working with Carnage if you consider the pair's relationship in the comics. Equipped with flight, sound manipulation, and some pretty intense cerebral powers, Shriek has long worked with Carnage and other Marvel antagonists since being introduced in the Maximum Carnage crossover comic series in 1993.

Stephen Graham (TBA)

In December 2019, it was revealed that longtime character actor Stephen Graham would followup his appearance in Martin Scorsese's crime epic The Irishman with an unspecified role in the upcoming Venom 2. Everyone involved with the movie has kept quiet in the months following the announcement, and it's gotten to the point where no one outside of the production knows if Graham will even play a good guy or a bad guy when the movie is eventually released.

The English actor has a propensity for playing less than savory characters throughout his career, most notably as the British skinhead Andrew "Combo" Gascoigne in This Is England and Al Capone in the HBO series Boardwalk Empire. Now this is totally speculation on my part, but it seems like Graham would be well suited to take on the role of a certain bald crime lord from the pages of Marvel comics.

RUMORED: Tom Holland (Peter Parker/Spider-Man)

And then there's the elephant, er, spider in the room. There has long been fan speculation that Tom Holland would be making an appearance of some sort in the upcoming Venom 2, but as of right now, no one connected to the project is saying anything and the rumor remains, well, just a rumor.

It wouldn't completely be out of the realm of possibility for Holland's Spider-Man to show up in the Sony Pictures comic book movie. The studio still owns the rights to the Web-Slinger's film appearances, so that would make sense for the character to be added in one shape or another. The case for his appearance is only made stronger when you consider the fact that Carnage first appeared in a Spider-Man comic, and the badass video game adaptation that followed a year later.

But again, this is all speculation. It would be pretty amazing for Spider-Man, or at least Peter Parker, to surprise audiences with in Venom 2.

Well, that's the (mostly confirmed) cast from the upcoming Venom 2. Whether the film makes its October 2, 2020, release date is another can of worms, but make sure to check back for the latest Venom and Marvel news here at CinemaBlend.

By the time No Time To Die, the film previously known to the world solely as Bond 25, hits the world, it will almost have been 5 years since James Bond’s last adventure hit theaters. With a lot riding on what could be Daniel Craig’s final adventure as the famed superspy, there’s a lot of information that’s still hidden for a film that’s going to be released in the near future.

While some details are concealed under No Time To Die’s veil of secrecy, we also do know a bit about this mysterious film that hasn’t dropped a trailer just yet. And, looking at all of that information at once shows us where our gaps in knowledge may be leading in the long run. As we put together the pieces that are out there, here’s what we know so far about No Time To Die.

When Is No Time To Die Being Released?

Atypical to the traditional model of releasing a James Bond movie in November, No Time To Die will be released in theaters on April 10, 2020. Originally, the film was slated for release on November 8, 2019, but a production delay then pushed No Time To Die to a tentative February 14, 2020 release date. One more delay was implemented, putting the film in its current release slot, though it still wouldn’t be surprising if someone decided to push the film to a November release, in the name of tradition and post-production.

What Will No Time To Die Be Rated?

There’s no way to tell how No Time To Die will be rated at this moment, but it’s a pretty easy guess to make. With the Bond series being historically a PG-13 rated affair, it looks like the 25th film in the series will carry the rating that’s been the franchise’s bread and butter since 1989’s License To Kill.

What Will Be The Story Of No Time To Die?

Per the official announcement of production starting on No Time To Die, the story of the film was laid out in the following synopsis:

While we don’t know it for sure, Bond’s retirement at the end of Spectre, with Dr. Madeleine Swann by his side, may yield some more personal stakes that haven’t been revealed just yet. Let’s just say the series has been playing around with the On Her Majesty’s Secret Service influences to a point where James may see his most devastating loss since Vesper Lynd’s death.

Will Blofeld Return In No Time To Die?

One of the biggest mysteries about No Time To Die has been whether or not Christoph Waltz’s arch-nemesis to James Bond, Ernst Stavro Blofeld, will be returning for this new James Bond adventure. There’s been no official confirmation as to whether Blofeld will factor into this new film or not, but not only have rumors persisted that Waltz was spotted on set filming some content, even director Cary Joji Fukunaga has stated that there was potentially room for his comeback. That said, we really don’t know at this point, but will probably find out some time before No Time To Die is released.

The Director (Cary Joji Fukunaga)

Originally, Yesterday mastermind and British film icon Danny Boyle was to direct No Time To Die. But, creative differences led to his departure, and eventually director Cary Joji Fukunaga took over the directing duties. Previously known for directing films like Sin Nombre and Beasts of No Nation, as well as the TV series Maniac, Fukunaga has a taste for seriously offbeat stories that allow the viewer to unfold the mysteries at the center along with the characters on screen. Pair that with Cary Joji Fukunaga’s eye for action, as seen in the first season of HBO’s True Detective, and you’ve got a pretty impressive mix of talents that could serve this story exceedingly well.

James Bond (Daniel Craig)

The legendary superspy created by Ian Fleming through his initial series of books, James Bond has been the subject of 25 films, with six actors playing the role throughout. The most recent actor in the role is Daniel Craig, who since 2006’s Casino Royale has been the cinematic face of 007 in the past four films. No Time To Die is allegedly his final outing in the role, though there’s yet to be total confirmation that this assumption is correct.

Dr. Madeleine Swann (Léa Seydoux)

First seen in 2015’s Spectre, Dr. Madeleine Swann was the daughter of Quantum/Spectre agent Mr. White, and the companion that accompanied Craig’s Bond throughout that previous adventure. At the end of the film, after Bond saved Dr. Swann from the clutches of the villainous Blofeld, the two rode off into the metaphorical sunset with Bond retiring from active service. Her return in No Time To Die raises some questions, especially since franchise history has proven fatal to the women 007 tries to keep in his life after blissful retirement.

M (Ralph Fiennes)

Formerly the chairman of the Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament, Ralph Fiennes’ Gareth Mallory was promoted to the post of M at MI6 after the untimely death of Dame Judi Dench’s version of the character in Skyfall. Returning for a second outing as the head of the British clandestine services, No Time To Die sees the infrastructure of James Bond’s support network remaining pretty intact.

Eve Moneypenny (Naomie Harris)

Also returning to the MI6 cast of characters is Eve, better known as Moneypenny in Spectre, played by Naomie Harris. Traditionally a foil who adds a bit of office-bound flirtation to James Bond’s life, her evolution through the last two films has seen her go from a mere secretary to a vital piece in Bond’s intelligence gathering efforts. Just don’t expect the two of them to ever get too close at the office.

Q (Ben Whishaw)

If M gives Bond guidance, and Moneypenny helps gather intel, then Ben Whishaw’s Q is the person to go to for the right tools of the trade. The gadget master of MI6, Whishaw will be reprising the role he originated as part of the rebooted James Bond franchise in No Time To Die. Much like Naomie Harris’ Moneypenny, Q has been a part of the Bond dream team since 2012’s Skyfall, providing a younger depiction of the, formerly, much older character.

Bill Tanner (Rory Kinnear)

As one of the people who has always stood at the side of MI6’s head honcho, Bill Tanner has been the chief of staff for M in several films reaching back to 1974’s The Man With The Golden Gun. Rory Kinnear’s reprisal of this role in No Time To Die not only sees him continue to maintain his position between two different people heading up MI6, but also makes him the longest recurring actor in the role as he’s played Tanner through all but one of Daniel Craig’s films in the series.

Felix Leiter (Jeffrey Wright)

Another classic fixture of the 007 mythos, CIA agent Felix Leiter has been counted on as one of James’ most trusted allies when the chips are truly and firmly down. Played by Westworld’s Jeffrey Wright, the character did have a moment where he returned for the franchise’s more modern reboot in 2006’s Casino Royale, as well as 2008’s Quantum of Solace. No Time To Die sees James Bond’s “brother from Langley” returning to bring the legendary character back to life, and Bond back to Her Majesty’s Secret Service, after being absent in the last two 007 adventures.

Nomi/007 (Lashana Lynch)

With James Bond retiring from his 007 callsign in Spectre’s finale, someone had to take the legendary label forward into the future. Enter Nomi, a new intelligence agent played by Captain Marvel’s Lashana Lynch. The latest recipient of the 007 number, she will become one of MI6’s elite operatives that ensure world security, and while she’ll certainly have fun interacting with Bond when No Time To Die calls for the two to team up, she’ll be more immune to his charms than most.

Paloma (Ana de Armas)

It’s uncertain if Ana de Armas’ Paloma will be the kidnapped scientist that Daniel Craig’s James Bond will have to rescue in No Time To Die, or if she’ll play another character in the film’s ultimate plot. However, it wouldn’t be that much of a surprise if the Knives Out and Blade Runner 2049 actor would play a secondary villain that could try to kick Bond’s ass across Europe as he investigates the central villainy at hand.

Waldo (David Dencik)

We’re similarly unsure if the character simply known as Waldo will be a force for good or evil in No Time To Die. However, what we do know is that the role will be played by Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and Chernobyl actor David Dencik. Knowing the actor’s range through such works, no matter which side of the coin he falls onto, it’s going to be fantastic to see Dencik interacting with the rest of the No Time To Die cast in either context.

The Villain (Rami Malek)

Last, but not least, Academy Award winner Rami Malek has been cast as No Time To Die’s enigmatic villain. While we don’t have any deeper details as to what he’ll be doing as this film’s antagonist, his casting was one of the most hotly anticipated announcements, as the powers that be really wanted Malek as James Bond’s latest nemesis. With certain conditions surrounding the role met, Rami Malek was brought on board rather quickly, allowing him to antagonize Daniel Craig for what could be his final 007 adventure.

Will No Time To Die Be Daniel Craig’s Final James Bond Movie?

It’s widely been speculated, and pretty much accepted, that Daniel Craig’s time as James Bond would come to an end after he has completed No Time To Die. Not only is this film supposed to wrap up the story started in Skyfall, but, allegedly, getting Craig back for the 25th Bond film was a challenge in and of itself, so it feels like it could be the end.

That being said, there have been recent rumors and interpretations of remarks from Craig, and other key players in the 007 franchise, that suggest there could be at least one more film in the actor’s future. While this is mere speculation, the fact that No Time To Die has three different endings rumored to have been filmed for its finale, lead to the possibility that Daniel Craig might still be deciding what his fate with the franchise will be, meaning that there’s enough leeway for him to take his time to decide.

We’ll have to wait until next April to see what No Time To Die has in store for its audience. In the meantime, you can bookmark this handy guide, and check back often to see what new developments have occurred. And, if you’re interested in seeing what the competition looks like for the film, head over to our 2020 release schedule and see what other films are looking to make April 2020 a blockbuster affair.

In recent years, there’s been a larger push in Hollywood for female characters in franchises to get their moment. Yet, the Bond movies is one of the few longtime franchises left that has yet to really point the spotlight on its women. But between the iconic Bond girls and Naomie Harris’ Eve Moneypenny, there’s certainly room for more than just a touch of femininity to enter the world of M16 agents.

Ahead of reprising her role as Moneypenny in the 25th Bond film, No Time To Die, in 2020 the Oscar-nominated Moonlight actress has revealed she’s talked to the Moonlight and If Beale Street Could Talk filmmaker Barry Jenkins, and he wants to direct Naomie Harris in a Moneypenny spinoff film. Here’s what Harris said:

Wow, Naomie Harris even went to Barbara Broccoli with the idea! She’s the daughter of Albert R. Broccoli, who produced the first James Bond movie, Dr. No, in 1962, and has since been kept in the family with her work on 007 flicks from the ‘80s to Daniel Craig’s most recent iterations of the character. While, it doesn’t sound like Broccoli was interested in her pitch, Harris had a positive mindset about the possibility of it. She’s likely hoping for some good buzz about the project from fans following her words about it to Good Morning America.

Naomie Harris will soon reprise the role of Moneypenny for the third time in No Time To Die, which serves as Daniel Craig’s fifth and last hurrah as the iconic secret agent. The movie, directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga, will also star Captain Marvel’s Lashana Lynch, Lea Seydoux reprising the role of Dr. Madeleine Swann, and Ana de Armas, who is soon to star in Rian Johnson’s Knives Out. With these additions and Phoebe-Waller Bridge lending her writing to the script, No Time To Die sounds to have the most women around a Bond movie ever.

There havr been talks about a “female Bond” to come after Craig, but what might be more impressive is implementing an already established female character who has roots in the franchise getting her own movie. It wouldn’t cancel James Bond’s inherent masculinity, but it would still open room for a different type of story to expand the established storyline.

Next, Naomie Harris may be joining Venom 2 as Shriek alongside Tom Hardy, Michelle Williams, Woody Harrelson and Andy Serkis as director. She also stars in Black and Blue, coming to theaters on October 25.

Research is an important component of doing any job to the best of one’s abilities. The world of acting is certainly not exempt from this fact, but it’s admittedly harder to research how people act and move in their typical day to day than it is to look at facts on paper. Actor Naomie Harris certainly knows this, as she went on drug busts with actual police officers in preparation for her role as a New Orleans law enforcement officer in the film Black and Blue.

Knowing this was part of her process to become the character of Alicia, I asked her on behalf of CinemaBlend what the most valuable lesson she drew from those shadow assignments was, and Naomie Harris answered with the following remarks during the film’s press day interview:

More often than not, the takeaway that Naomie Harris specified in her answer happens to be the big lesson when studying undercover operations for her Black and Blue performance. As it turns out, the bust itself wasn’t so much the lesson, as that was only a small part of the night. Instead, the really valuable data came from how law enforcement officers talk and carry themselves, which is something that Harris, or any actor looking to portray a cop, would find useful to a great extent.

Listening to Naomie Harris explain what she got out of her period of researching actual law enforcement officers really shows how much she and her Black and Blue colleagues wanted to nail down the reality of today’s men and women in law enforcement. No matter what message of social change this movie was supposed to have attached to its finished product, if the portrayal of the police wasn’t believable, none of the film’s thematic stakes would have had any weight behind them.

And as Harris explained to me in our conversation, the reality of her research boiled down to the following crucial elements:

It’s easy to just stand up straight, put on an intimidating voice of rigidity, and pretend to be a police officer. But that wouldn’t be the point of Naomie Harris’ character Alicia, or any of the other New Orleans cops that are portrayed by her co-stars in Black and Blue. Much as director Deon Taylor’s film is trying to shine a brighter light on the police moments hitting the news with greater frequency in recent times, he’s also trying to show the institution of law enforcement as a nuanced being, rather than just another stereotype.

Because of that attention to detail, both on Deon Taylor and Naomie Harris’ ends, we see Alicia as a cop who knows how to do her job, and wrangles with the true ethics of what a police officer should represent in her community. All of this morality comes to a head whenever her character is forced to consider exactly why she'd risk her life to uncover this level of corruption, and it's one of the driving forces that keeps the breakneck paced action of Black and Blue grounded in a reality similar to ours.

One of her responses alludes to a scene cut from the final film, where Alicia and her old friend Mouse, played by Tyrese Gibson, bond over a famous quote you may have heard before: “Be the change that you wish to see in the world.” To inspire change, one has to truly have a grasp on the situation they’re trying to alter. Black and Blue is a film that isn’t setting out to reinforce stereotypes, while bringing accuracy to its audience. Thanks to the research that Naomie Harris engaged in, Alicia is a believable character that moviegoers can root for in the tangled world of this film’s action-packed drama.

Black and Blue is in theaters this weekend, and stay tuned for further coverage on the film as this week comes to a close. If you’re curious about what else is dropping soon, or at any point throughout the rest of 2019, check out this year’s movie release schedule for further information.

As Naomie Harris gears up for the release of her action-drama Black and Blue this weekend, there’s some additional Sony business occupying the actor’s mind, as she may be cast as the Marvel villain Shriek in director Andy Serkis’ Venom 2. Should this be confirmed, it’d be a sort of reunion on two different fronts, as Harris not only has worked with Serkis, but she’s also worked with the man playing Venom 2’s main villain, Woody Harrelson.

The subject came up when I attended the Black and Blue press day on behalf of CinemaBlend and asked Naomie Harris how she felt about this potential casting. Her reaction was as follows:

With a career that includes her breakout role in director Danny Boyle’s 28 Days Later, big ticket franchise work through the Pirates of the Caribbean series, and her recent Academy Award-nominated performance in Moonlight, Naomie Harris has pretty much done it all. And if Venom 2 ends up landing her skills, she’ll be in fantastic hands, as she was directed by Andy Serkis in his directorial debut, the Netflix original Mowgli: Legend Of The Jungle.

But in addition to that collaboration, Andy Serkis and Naomie Harris have actually acted together, back in the 2010 biopic on British punk music legend Ian Dury, Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll. With the potential to star as Venom 2’s Shriek, Naomie Harris would also be returning to work with Woody Harrelson, the man she had mentioned was one of her first co-stars in a major Hollywood film.

Previously, Woody Harrelson had starred with Naomie Harris in director Brett Ratner’s heist comedy After The Sunset, which was released in 2004. The pair had previously teamed up in that film to investigate Pierce Brosnan and his supposed retirement as a suspected jewel thief, which makes their potential pairing as the criminal antagonists to Tom Hardy’s Venom being all the more fitting.

With the potential of three talented forces who’ve previously worked together, all teaming with Tom Hardy to make Venom 2 the best sequel it can be, it seems like things are looking way, way up for the follow-up to last year’s surprise box office hit. And if Naomie Harris is cast as Shriek, she just might have one more reunion in store, as her part in Black and Blue partnered her with Reid Scott, also known as Dr. Dan Lewis, the would-be love interest to Michelle Williams’ character Annie Weyling, in Ruben Fleischer’s Venom.

Of course, this is all speculative at this point, as Harris is in talks to play Shriek in Venom 2. As there’s totally a chance that this deal could fall through, it’s best not to put too many eggs in this basket. But should this all line up as it might, this is just further proof that while Hollywood is a big business, it can also be a small world when it comes to where the next gig will take you.

Black and Blue hits theaters this Friday, and stay tuned to CinemaBlend for more coverage on that particular film throughout this week.

Earlier this week, it was reported that in addition to Woody Harrleson’s Cletus Kasady, who’s expected to become Carnage, Venom 2 will include another villain, in the form of Shriek. Well, preproduction on this superhero movie sequel moves pretty fast, because word’s come in that Skyfall star Naomie Harris is being looked at for the role.

For right now, per Variety, Naomi Harris is in talks to play Shriek in Venom 2. If a deal is worked out, she would be the fourth actor to join the sequel, following behind Woody Harrelson, Tom Hardy and Michelle Williams, with the latter two obviously reprising Eddie Brock and Ann Weying, respectively.

No specific details about Venom 2’s version of Shriek have been revealed yet, but if she’s anything like her comic book counterpart, we can presumably count on her working with Carnage as the story unfolds. In the comics, Shriek debuted at the start of the Maximum Carnage event, where she was freed from the Ravencroft mental institution by the symbiote-powered serial killer and caused a lot of trouble with him and other unhinged super villains. Since then, she’s bounced between continuing her partnership with Carnage and allying herself with other Marvel antagonists.

Shriek’s traditional powers include flight, sound manipulation and tapping into a person’s inner darkness. That said, it’s unclear if she’ll have those same abilities if Venom 2 or if she’ll be given a different set of powers. Who knows, maybe this version of the character will simply follow in Eddie Brock and Cletus Kasady’s footsteps and be bonded to a symbiote.

Regardless, considering that Shriek’s only appearances outside the comics have been in one animated series and two video games, getting to participate in Venom 2 will boost her profile significantly. And with the sequel scheduled to begin production in the coming months, we should know soon whether it’ll work out for Naomie Harris to play Shriek, or if a different actress will ultimately be chosen.

Along with playing Eve Moneypenny in Skyfall, Spectre and the upcoming No Time to Die, Naomi Harris’ credits include two Pirates of the Caribbean movies, Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom, Collateral Beauty, Moonlight, Rampage and Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle. She can next be seen in Black and Blue, which opens on October 25.

Venom 2 is the third entry in Sony’s live-action Marvel universe, following behind its predecessor and the Jared Leto-led Morbius. Because director Ruben Fleischer was too busy with Zombieland: Double Tap to return for Venom 2, Andy Serkis was tapped as his replacement. Robert Richardson will serve as the director of photography.

Although Venom 2’s release date hasn’t been officially announced yet, given that Sony scored the October 2, 2020 slot for one of its Marvel adaptations, we can reasonably assume that’s where Venom 2 will go since Morbius is already scheduled for July 31, 2020. In any case, keep checking back for more news on its development.

Feel free to find out what else is hitting theaters over the next year in our 2019 release schedule and 2020 release schedule.

The Bond franchise is one of the longest running in film history, spanning decades of filmmaking and inspiring generations of fans. Daniel Craig marks the whopping ninth actor to play 007, but he's coming up to his swan song as James. Cary Joji Fukunaga's No Time To Die will be Craig's fifth and final performance as the martini drinking MI6 agent, so the pressure is on for Eon productions to deliver. And according to actress Naomie Harris, Bond 25 will be very much connected to the last few sequels.

Naomie Harris began her tenure as Moneypenny in Skyfall, eventually reprising the role in Spectre. Harris will play Eve Moneypenny in No Time To Die, once again sharing the screen with Daniel Craig's Bond. She recently teased the upcoming sequel's connection to the previous films, saying:

Well, this is exciting. In addition to teasing some epic plot twists, it seems that No Time To Die will continue the story of Daniel Craig's Bond, building off his previous adventures and losses.

Naomie Harris' comments to GQ should excite cinephiles, and long standing fans of 007's big screen adventures. The James Bond franchise isn't one that is known for long-running plot lines and serialized storytelling. Most movies are self-contained, with a new Bond Girl and villain introduced in each new installment, and little to no reference to past movies.

But Daniel Craig's time as Bond changed this, as the story of each movie helped motivate the beloved protagonist. He's been affected by the death of Judi Dench's M in Skyfall, as well as Vesper's in Casino Royale. The past four films have more of a real narrative weaved through, rather than a fresh adventure and gadgets for Bond to manage throughout each individual story.

No Time To Die's connection to the previous movies like Spectre can also be seen in its casting. In addition to the various MI6 agents who are returning for another appearance, Spectre actress Léa Seydoux will reprise her role as Dr. Madeleine Swann. Bond was last seen driving off with Swann to an unknown destination, which isn't totally unique for a 007 movie. But she won't be just another Bond girl, as the character will get more story in Cary Joji Fukunaga's highly anticipated blockbuster.

Related: Bond 25's First No Time To Die Poster Is Here To Underwhelm You

The synopsis of No Time To Die teases that Bond has retired from his work as a spy. But when his friend Felix (Jeffrey Wright) comes knocking, James gets back involved in that world he previously tried to escape. And it'll put him in conflict with Rami Malek's mysterious villain.

Our questions will be answered when No Time To Die hits theaters on April 8th, 2020. In the meantime, check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

Actors who take on roles that have little to do with what they've experienced in their own lives usually go to great lengths to research those parts, and make sure they're bringing as much authenticity to the part as possible. This is especially true for many of them when they sign on to portray first responders, which is why, when Naomie Harris was looking to prepare for her part as a rookie cop in Black and Blue, she did what many actors do and shadowed some officers as they did their jobs. But, it turned out to be somewhat of a terrifying experience.

Naomie Harris (along with some of her fellow cast members and the director) sat down with CinemaBlend and other outlets during a break in filming Black and Blue, and when asked how she prepared for her role, revealed that some aspects didn't go quite as smoothly as one would hope. Things ended up going just badly enough, in fact, that Harris doesn't exactly look back on all the prep work fondly. And, why that is might surprise you. Here's what she had to say:

Well, Naomie Harris' time getting ready to play New Orleans rookie cop Alicia West quickly went from sounding easy, to a bit intense to downright scary fairly quickly, didn't it? She's had roles in several films that already required work in action scenes and possibly even weapons training like 28 Day Later, the most recent Bond films and Rampage, but she wanted to really get into the in-depth day to day work of being an officer of the law, so she went along on some police raids.

I can easily admit that just typing the phrase "police raids" made me nervous enough, so, many props to Naomie Harris for toughing it out in what must have been some pretty difficult situations even in the best circumstances. Being a part of such an operation, especially when you're untrained and don't fully know what to expect, has to bring up a myriad of emotions. And, even without any direct knowledge of stings or raids, I would say that they're probably only "really exciting" as long as nothing goes wrong. Unfortunately, things got way more complicated in one such raid when the cops she was with picked up the wrong man.

I'm guessing that being in a location that gets raided by the police is never fun (not for the cops or the perpetrators). But, at least the officers have a firm handle on who they're looking for and why, and also have a basic understanding of what might go wrong when they're about to apprehend a suspect in a situation that might become tumultuous pretty fast. But, can you imagine the kind of chaos that would be likely to erupt when you burst into a home or business and actually arrest the wrong person?

I, for one, am getting chills. And not the good kind.

While Naomie Harris was able to relay the experience without breaking out in a cold sweat, she did label it "terrifying," so we all know where she stands on how it felt to be a part of this event in the moment. She didn't spell out how this particular drug sting went down, how they figured out they had the wrong man or what happened after, but it's at least good that this did not turn into something way more unfortunate. I can only imagine that her feelings on this drug sting would be way worse had that been the case.

Harris' role in Black and Blue sees her Alicia go on the run after witnessing a group of dirty cops murder a drug dealer. The crime was caught on her body cam, so Alicia is trying to get the footage uploaded so she can expose the cops. But, she has all the dirty cops of New Orleans after her, along with every criminal, because they've told everyone that she actually did the deed. She joins forces with childhood friend Mouse (Tyrese Gibson) to try to survive long enough to make sure the actions of the bad cops come to light.

You can watch the full trailer right here, and have a look at the awesomely intense poster for Black and Blue below:

In case you were wondering, it wasn't all bullet proof vests and riot helmets (or whatever other gear Naomie Harris had to wear to protect herself during raids and stings) for the Oscar nominee as she prepared to play Alicia. She did get a chance to do my favorite kind of research: the kind where you sit on the couch in your pajamas with a hot cup of coffee and watch TV...

Yeah, that's much more my speed. Of course, it's a very good thing that Harris stepped out and took the opportunity to participate in some very real and scary police proceedings. This means that Black and Blue will be even more informed by what actual officers go through on a daily basis, and Harris has some very real memories of just how terrifying, emotional and draining the work can be.

Black and Blue will hit theaters on October 25, so we can all see how Naomie Harris employs her hard won knowledge in a little over a month. To see everything else that's coming to the big screen through the end of the year, be sure to check out our new movie release schedule.

Naomie Harris' new action-packed police drama Black and Blue focuses on some deep topics. Subjects like corrupt cops, gang and criminal activity, body cam footage and doing the right thing no matter the personal cost all come into play in the film, and Harris' character, Alicia West, has to deal with all of these things head-on over the course of the movie.

When I spoke to the film's director, Deon Taylor, ahead of the release for the first trailer, he told me he had some very specific reasons as to why Harris was the perfect lead to carry all that intense subject matter on her shoulders.

While Deon Taylor lays out the fact that he loves the work that Naomie Harris has done previously (and this no doubt includes her Oscar nominated turn in 2016's Moonlight), he also notes that a strong factor in wanting her to lead Black and Blue was the fact that she's not always immediately recognizable.

The scope of her work on screen has led to Harris being the type of performer who you could have easily seen in several projects, but still watch her in Black and Blue with fresh eyes and without having any of those past performances impact the character she portrays here. And, something like that is not always an easy task when you're talking about someone who's been working in this industry at a high level for over two decades.

Taylor is also eager to tell everyone that Harris is able to bring the right qualities to her character in Black and Blue. Alicia is a rookie cop who accidentally witnesses some of her colleagues murder a drug dealer, and catches the misdeed on her body cam. After evading their initial attempt to then kill her, she's pursued through New Orleans over one intense night as she tries to get the footage in the right hands and take down the crooked cops.

As you might imagine, Taylor needed someone special to fill the role of Alicia, and here's the other reason he believes Harris is that person:

It sounds like Deon Taylor found just what he was looking for in Naomie Harris when it came time to get a lead for Black and Blue. You can see how all the action-filled, bad cop drama goes down when the movie hits theaters on October 25.

Films about the many ways we expect gang members and cops to relate to one another aren't unusual, but, sometimes a movie comes around that's really capable of taking those ideas to another level. This looks to be the case with Black and Blue, which stars Oscar nominee Naomie Harris and Tyrese Gibson as a pair of old friends who have to try to evade both gang members and crooked cops after Harris' character witnesses a murder. Take a look at the thrilling action for yourself:

Oh, damn. Well, this is the tightest of tight spots, isn't it? When rookie cop Alicia West (Harris) witnesses crooked cops murdering a drug dealer, and catches all the unfortunate action on her body cam, she is immediately a target for those who did the deed. But, when she manages to get away from them with her life intact, they realize that the only way to keep her quiet is to get some help bringing her down.

While they enlist the help of other dirty cops in New Orleans, they know the best way to keep Alicia quiet is to put the word out that she's actually the one who killed the dealer, which leads to Alicia running for her life over the course of one intense night, with the eventual help of her old friend Milo “Mouse” Jackson (Gibson), and a price on her head that every gang member and criminal sympathizer is trying to win, all while she attempts to get her body cam footage in the right hands before it's too late.

Black and Blue, which is directed by Deon Taylor (The Intruder, Meet the Blacks), looks to be an action-packed movie filled with tense moments, but it clearly has a solid basis in real world fears and issues. The use of body cameras on police officers has become a hot-button issue in recent years, as has the idea of how justice is done when those who are supposed to protect us don't, and Black and Blue will be looking closely at both of those things.

Another big issue at hand in Black and Blue will be standing by your principles and doing what you believe is right no matter what the consequences may be. Once Alicia gets away and realizes that she has dirty cops and every criminal in the city after her, she could have easily made the decision to get out of New Orleans, shave her head and try to start over. But, she pursues the idea of getting her body cam footage out in the world for all to see, at even greater risk to herself.

A stacked cast is joining Harris and Gibson in Black and Blue, with Frank Grillo (The Purge: Election Year), Mike Colter (Luke Cage), Beau Knapp (Destroyer), Nafessa Williams (Black Lightning) and Reid Scott (Veep) also coming along for the dramatic and socially relevant ride.

Black and Blue will be in theaters on October 25, but in the meantime be sure to stay tuned to CinemaBlend for the latest in movies, TV and pop culture.

When the James Bond reboot film series brought back the character of Moneypenny, formerly an agent known as Eve and played by Naomie Harris, it felt like something happened between the two after meeting in Skyfall. Yet by the time Spectre rolled around, Moneypenny was out of active service and had a boyfriend in the picture.

And if that wasn’t enough information to confirm that James and Moneypenny hadn’t taken the time to become closer than work associates, Harris made it perfectly clear that, in her opinion below, the two legendary operatives aren’t going to change history in Bond 25:

The modern era of James Bond under Daniel Craig gave more than a casual suggestion that the two were about to sleep together. That shaving scene in Skyfall, with Moneypenny and James skirting the edge of their office relationship oh so carefully, certainly did a lot to hint that history would be changed yet again in the 007 franchise. And with Bond 25 currently set to see Daniel Craig return to shooting, and James in a relationship with Lea Seydoux’s Dr. Madeline Swann since the end of Spectre, that taboo won’t be broken in the near future.

Naomie Harris’ hypothesis has a lot of history on its side, as James Bond has always flirted with Moneypenny, but never consummated that flirtation. And as we see in that scene mentioned above, as well as in Harris’ interview with EW, the tension has always come from the two characters bantering right up to the edge of actually doing something.

In fact, it was pretty much a tradition for the original Bond franchise to see the two characters meet before Bond’s mission briefing, volley some wishful thoughts of romantic splendor and then go their separate ways. Though we haven’t seen this as of late, considering Spectre saw Bond’s big interaction with Moneypenny being over the phone, as he was investigating the antics of Blofeld and his SPECTRE associates.

As James Bond is lured back into action by Jeffrey Wright’s Felix Leiter in Bond 25, we probably won’t see that sort of scene in Daniel Craig’s presumably final turn in the role. Which means we may have to wait for a new Bond, and possible a new Moneypenny, to see those familiar sparks fly again.

Whatever happens between 007 and Moneypenny, in Bond 25 and beyond, Naomie Harris has left her own mark on the role as she’s been the first Moneypenny to be seen in the field, and the first to actually shoot James Bond. It's a level of behavior that will undoubtedly raise the bar for whomever steps into this character’s position in the future.

Bond 25 is currently in production, and is scheduled to open on April 8, 2020.

It has taken quite a while, and at times it seemed like it might not happen with Daniel Craig, but Bond 25 is finally in motion. Daniel Craig is officially back on board to return as 007 and Slumdog Millionaire director Danny Boyle has signed on to direct, taking over from Sam Mendes. Now that things seem to finally be progressing, we can begin speculating about what the story will be and who will be a part of what will be Daniel Craig's final outing as the spy. One character that may or may not be returning is Miss Eve Moneypenny. When asked about whether she will be in Bond 25, actress Naomie Harris had this to say:

Well, Naomie Harris is in good company, as not knowing what is going on with Bond 25 has seemingly been the prevailing state of everyone following 2015's Spectre. Seriously, it isn't entirely surprising that Naomie Harris isn't yet sure if Eve Moneypenny will be in the film. These are still early days, with the film not scheduled to hit theaters until fall 2019. The script is currently in development, with Danny Boyle planning to begin shooting Bond 25 at the end of the year, so there is still plenty of time for Moneypenny to come aboard. Based on her comments on The Graham Norton Show (via Digital Spy) Naomie Harris sounds up for reprising her role.

One has to imagine that Eve Moneypenny will play a role in Bond 25. The Moneypenny character has been a part of the James Bond mythos since the franchise's beginning. Even though she was not introduced in the Daniel Craig Bond continuity until Skyfall, Naomie Harris' Moneypenny actually gets a bit of backstory as a field agent before she becomes M's secretary at the British Secret Service. We don't know for sure that the series will be rebooting after Bond 25, but assuming it does, it would be nice to see Naomie Harris' version of Moneypenny one more time.

The cast for Bond 25 is just one of many questions we have about the popular spy series. With this confirmed to be Daniel Craig's last outing as 007, there are a lot of questions about where the franchise can go from here. Most of those questions center around who will be cast in the iconic role and whether or not it will be someone other than a white dude. There have been calls for Bond to be a non-white actor, specifically Idris Elba, or even a woman, with people weighing in on both sides of the fence.

While we wait to see if she returns to the James Bond franchise, you can see Naomie Harris on the big screen this weekend opposite The Rock in the video game adaptation Rampage. Bond 25 is currently scheduled to hit theaters on November 8, 2019.

The Rampage cast is packed full of actors that have shown their action mettle and earned their chops in the genre. But while Dwayne Johnson, Joe Manganiello and Jeffrey Dean Morgan have popped up in various impressive action extravaganzas, only Naomie Harris can say that she has appeared in a James Bond film, as she has played Eve Moneypenny in Skyfall and Spectre.

But Naomie Harris insists that Rampage's action scenes are actually crazier and more intense than those from the Bond franchise. And lest we forget she was prominently involved in Skyfall's stunning opening sequence. But, Naomie Harris told me and a group of other film journalists that were lucky enough to visit the set of Rampage last year that even that sequence doesn't compare to the stuff she was working on in the disaster film. When she was asked about Rampage's action sequences, Naomie Harris responded,

Naomie Harris then went into more detail about a particularly "insane" helicopter sequence, calling the entire experience "absolutely terrifying," while admitting that it was quite hard to adjust to the rigors of shooting it. The Oscar nominated Moonlight actress recalled,

We'll finally get to see this sequence in all of its glory when Rampage is released into cinemas on April 13.

Dwayne Johnson has battled every type of bad guy imaginable. From terrorists to drug lords, and even earthquakes, the man has brought down all sorts of evil in his time as Hollywood's biggest star. Now it's time for him to pick on something his own size. All eyes are on his upcoming blockbuster Rampage to cause some massive destruction when it lands in theaters next year, and The Rock has just shared a set photo of him and co-star Naomie Harris in a bit of a tight spot. Check out the picture below.

That photo gives us a bare-bones look at what we can likely expect from Dwayne Johnson and Naomie Harris when Rampage finally debuts next year. Based on that picture, it appears that Johnson and Harris will find themselves on the run from the law at some point during the narrative of the film -- or they will at the very least not go willingly to fight the movie's central monsters. That part does not surprise us, as a reluctant hero is pretty much screenwriting 101. Whatever larger threat is looming, Johnson's character likely won't want to face it until he understands the gravity of the situation.

Based upon everything that we know about Rampage's storyline, it sounds like the upcoming adaptation of the classic video game series will stick fairly close to the original narrative -- albeit with a twist. The Rampage arcade games primarily focused their stories on the three central monsters (an ape, a lizard, and a wolf), but the film will seemingly go the more traditional route and make these creatures the bad guys for Dwayne Johnson and Naomie Harris to fight. The film will also bring in several other familiar Hollywood faces, such as Watchmen's Malin Ackerman, The Walking Dead's Jeffrey Dean Morgan, and (possibly) future Deathstroke actor Joe Manganiello.

It will also be interesting to see how Rampage fares, when we consider the sheer amount of monster movies that are currently on the horizon. The kaiju genre has experienced a massive resurgence in recent years with films like Godzilla, Kong: Skull Island, and the Pacific Rim franchise, and it is only going to get more crowded. Rampage has a lot going for it between Dwayne Johnson's star power and the nostalgia for the original games, but it will undoubtedly prove intriguing to see how it can perform against bonafide icons like Godzilla (who is quite literally King of the Monsters) and King Kong. Dwayne Johnson has obviously developed a reputation as "franchise Viagra" during his time as a movie star, so if anyone has a chance to make Rampage a hit, it is him.

CinemaBlend will keep you up to date with any and all relevant updates related to Dwayne Johnson's upcoming role in Rampage as new information related to the project becomes available to us. The action-packed adventure will blast its way into theaters on April 20, 2018.

James Bond is a legend. So much so that, if civilization falls and rises again hundreds of years later, people are likely to think he was a real crime-fighting, lady-loving badass British superspy. But, we all know that he has a massive amount of help from the team in the field and in the offices and labs of MI6. Now, the current actress who’s taken on the mantle of Miss Moneypenny has some concrete thoughts about the character’s new role in the series.

Actress Naomie Harris has appeared in two James Bond movies, including the upcoming Spectre, and she relayed this information to Entertainment Weekly during an interview. As one of those MI6 employees indirectly involved in James Bond’s dangerous missions over the years, Miss Moneypenny has usually been professional eye candy for Mr. Bond. The relationship certainly has been flirty and frivolous. Bond has always respected her, though, even if it’s previously only been in a "Well, she’s a good secretary," kind of way. Now, Harris says:

For the first time in the long-running James Bond series, the film Skyfall gave Miss Moneypenny (first name, Eve) a very satisfying backstory. The Naomie Harris Moneypenny got to, briefly, be another field agent who works closely with Bond (Daniel Craig) in the shooting, fighting, running and battling that always fills his perilous missions. After accidentally shooting Bond during one of these assignments, though, she’s suspended and reassigned to desk duty. By the end of the film, after doing her duty much better in another shootout, she decides to take over the role of secretary for the newly appointed M (Ralph Fiennes).

Miss Moneypenny has traditionally served as the private secretary to M, the head of MI6. She holds the high clearance level required of someone privy to the top secret missions of the agency’s super spies. She’s completely dedicated to her job, and usually has very little in the way of a personal life. This is probably one of the reasons (aside from Bond’s obvious manly attributes) that she’s always participated willingly in the flirt game with Bond.

I happen to think that seeing a new and improved Miss Moneypenny is a very good idea. The flirty moments were nice, but having her be a badass in her own right, who could take down a mercenary if need be, is even better. With all the sexing James Bond usually does with women in the series, having a woman who understands him but isn’t completely taken in by his charms just makes the character of Bond more complete. After all, if every woman who came into contact with him fell at his feet, he’d be way too perfect for us normal folks to really enjoy.

You can see more of the new Miss Moneypenny when Spectre opens on November 6.

A few months back, Cinema Blend accompanied hordes of other journalists to infiltrate the set of the new James Bond movie, Spectre. But even then the secrets of the plot and new characters were locked up tight within MI6. With a new trailer dropping tomorrow, however, new details have emerged to shed some light on the (count 'em) four Bond girls playing opposite Daniel Craig.

Lea Seydoux of Blue Is the Warmest Color, Italian actress Monica Belluci, Mexican starlet Stephanie Sigman, and Skyfall's Naomie Harris are the women of Spectre. We've only known their character names for the past few months, but USA Today has uncovered some secrets hiding behind their mysterious eyes.

First up is Seydoux's Madeleine Swann, not to be confused with the Mad TV character with a similarly spelled name. She's described as "the doctor daughter of an assassin," and her first abrupt encounter with 007 takes place at her Austrian clinic. It should't come as a shocker that there is a spark between her and the international man of mystery, but even though it's he who comes to seek her out, she wants nothing to do with him. Sony and MGM previously released a behind-the-scenes video from the set of Spectre and it revealed a sequence in the Austrian Alps. Perhaps this is the location of Swann's clinic, though the footage also revealed some gunplay and the presence of Dave Bautista's Mr. Hinx, which can't be good for her patients.

Next on the list is Belluci's Lucia Sciarra. The actress's role in Spectre earned a bit of buzz when she was first announced, as Belluci marks a change in the Bond girl trend. In other words, 007 is dating someone age-appropriate. Sciarra becomes a widow after her Mafiosa husband is murdered. Said husband is the same man featured in the opening sequence of the film. While on the set, we saw Bond chasing him through the streets of Mexico City during a Day of the Dead celebration. Bond comes to her for information, and when she realizes the attraction between them and her feminine power over the agent, she believes he can prevent her from meeting her former husband’s fate.

The third newbie joining the cast is Sigman’s Estrella. While the actress wouldn’t go into detail about her character, other than to say she shares the same joyous personality as herself, we already know some information. A rep for Spectre told us a while back that she’s involved in the film’s opening, which sees Bond seemingly heading back to her hotel room for some sexy time, but really he’s just using this opportunity to get a better view of the baddies he’s tracking down in Mexico City.

Last but not least is Harris’s Moneypenny. After nearly killing her former partner in the field, Spectre will see the character supporting Bond in a different way. According to the actress, she’s more grounded and mature in this regard, but producer Barbara Broccoli told us on the set that there’s no keeping her behind a desk for long.

Spectre hits theaters on November 6, and check back tomorrow for the new trailer.

When last we saw Naomie Harris as the new Moneypenny in Skyfall, she was taking a leave from the field and resigning to be the secretary to the new M (Ralph Fiennes). If you thought that was it for the character’s adrenaline junkie lifestyle as we head into Spectre territory, don’t count her out.

Along with a group of press, we spoke with James Bond producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson while covering the Mexico City set of Spectre. According to them, Miss Moneypenny is still very much involved in the plot of the new movie. Said Broccoli,

There’s a reason the Moneypenny reveal was made at the end of Skyfall. If you recall way back when Harris was promoting the film, she outright denied that she was playing the classic Bond character. This made the big reveal seem all the more significant. That wasn’t about to be the last time we saw her, but we’re glad to see that she’s getting back in the field. Her and Bond also had a witty and flirtatious back-and-forth going on throughout Skyfall, and we’re looking forward to see more of that.

As Spectre is continuing some of the story from Skyfall, it seems like a natural progression for the character. In the beginning of Skyfall, Moneypenny accidentally shoots Bond off of a speeding train at the behest of Judi Dench’s M. That moment plagued her character throughout the film, in addition to Bond’s words that field work is not for everybody. While Spectre will be very much driven by Bond and his secret past, it makes sense for her character to rekindle her love for spy work and slowly realize her skills off-desk.

Broccoli and Wilson would not give away anything further on the matter — or any real spoilers, in general — but we did glimpse Harris in the first Spectre trailer. She approached Bond with a package containing some items salvaged from Skyfall, after the big finale showdown. In the box lies a mysterious photograph of presumably a young Bond standing next to an older man dressed in ski apparel. There’s no way she’s just going to sit on the sidelines, not after she was the one to progress Bond along on his mysterious mission.

Spectre hits theaters on November 6, but we’ve got loads more coverage coming down the road. We’ve been on hand on the set for the past couple days, watching Sam Mendes film parts of the opening Day of the Dead-inspired sequences and interviewing some of the cast and crew. Stay tuned!

Political activist and former President of South Africa Nelson Mandela has been portrayed a handful of times in cinema over the past few decades, most notably by Sidney Poitier, Dennis Haysbert, and the ever-serene Morgan Freeman. Next to take that mantle is British actor Idris Elba, who will hopefully bring to the role the simmering strength of his Stringer Bell character from HBO’s The Wire.

But Elba won’t have to worry about slinging the film on urban street corners, as Deadline reports the Weinstein Co. has acquired the rights to the adaptation of Mandela’s autobiography Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom. The film is directed by Justin Chadwick (The Other Boleyn Girl, The First Grader) from a script written by Academy Award nominee William Nicholson (Les Miserables, Gladiator).

The project is the result of many years of hard work, as producer Anant Singh first contacted Mandela about adapting the autobiography while Mandela was still in prison, and received the book’s rights in 1996. “Anant Singh is a producer I respect very much,” says Mandela. “Given the resources and backing, he will produce a work of the highest standards and excellence, and it is for that reason, I opted for him.”

“I’m extremely passionate about Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom,” Weinstein says. “Anant Singh first gave the book to me in 1994…We have been talking about making this film since 1999. There have been a number of stop and goes, but sometimes things work out for a reason, and Anant Singh has done a masterful job in producing this epic story of our times. Through Anant and Bob De Niro, I met Nelson Mandela, and it was one of the best experiences of my life.”

While there’s no release information about the film, which shot its principal photography in South Africa from May-September 2012, check back with us for more about what’s certain to be a future Oscar contender.

Blond Bond Daniel Craig is soon to make his third film appearances as the debonair 007 in the long awaited Skyfall. Critics are already raving about the film and Craig's more cantankerous new version of the aging super agent. So, maybe it's too soon to consider who might take on the iconic role next. But guys, seriously, how cool would it be to have Idris Elba as James Bond?

Rumors about Elba stepping into the role's next iteration have been floating about for a while now. Last fall, Elba confessed he was more than eager to take on the part, should it be offered. But unfortunately for fans that have come to adore him--be it from his growling gravitas on Luther or his excellent work on The Wire--no further news on that possibility has surfaced…until now.

Speaking with The Huffington Post, Skyfall star Naomie Harris surprisingly confirmed that Elba has in fact had a legit discussion to take on the iconic role. Asked if she has any favorites to be the first black Bond, Harris responded:

Harris and Elba recently wrapped production on the biopic Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom, in which they portray Winnie and Nelson Mandela respectively. But more importantly, Idris Elba has met with a producer who has worked on every Bond film since 1987's The Living Daylights! Of course, this doesn't mean that Elba is a lock for the part, as it's likely Broccoli has met with other actors to feel out this possibility of recasting. But while HuffPo offers a poll that suggests Will Smith, Denzel Washington, LL Cool J, and Jamie Foxx as options (even though they're all Americans, and thereby ineligible), I don't think these performers could be nearly as cool and broodingly suave as Elba.

Dear movie gods, please make this happen!

(If you're just joining us, catch up on my report from the set of Skyfall in Istanbul, as well as an in-depth conversation with Sam Mendes)

What do you do with a problem like a "Bond Girl." It's a title that's been bestowed on dozens of actresses over the years, be they relatively forgotten stars like Honor Blackman or Diana Rigg or eventual superstars like Jane Seymour, Teri Hatcher or Halle Berry. But-- let's be honest-- it's a name that comes with a lot of baggage. Asked about the "curse of the Bond Girl" at the Istanbul press conference for Skyfall, Berenice Marlohe laughed and said "It's an honor to be cursed." But curses aside, what does it mean to be a Bond girl in a modern Bond film, when women are just as capable agents as 007, and when Bond himself revealed so much skin in Casino Royale that he's already enough eye candy for one movie?

For Naomie Harris, cast in Skyfall as fellow MI:6 agent Eve, she thinks the "Bond girl" term might have outlived its usefulness. "I feel like a different category, yeah," she allowed in an interview just before she began shooting an action scene in Istanbul. "She's not there to wear slinky frocks and be sexy, she's capable woman out in the field-- she's not necessarily a match for Bond as such, but her ambition is to be as skilled as him in the field."

As Eve, Harris is right alongside Bond in the action scene we watched them film in Istanbul, driving the Land Rover in hot pursuit of the villain, Patrice. Far from standing around looking sexy, Eve is right in the middle of the action-- and Harris had to undergo all the training you can imagine to look the part:

Harris also revealed that her part is pretty sizeable-- even bigger than she'd imagined when she took the part without having read the script-- so it's safe to assume she'll be in the thick of a lot more action beyond the Istanbul scene. As for Marlohe, the French model-turned-actress who does indeed get to wear some slinky frocks, she wasn't excused from the training either:

Marlohe is a lot less willing to reveal details about her character than Harris is-- all we know is that the character is named Severine, she was on location with the film in both Shanghai and at London's Pinewood Studios, and that despite Marlohe's own nationality, "she's not French." Though Severine fits much more closely to the typical Bond girl role-- glamorous, mysterious, quite possibly a secret villain-- Marlohe said she was careful to imbue the character with a lot more layers of subtlety as well:

Marlohe did allow, though, that her wardrobe reflects some the "femme fatales" of earlier Hollywood films, and hinted at one dress in particular that will likely blow the audience away: "There is one extremely theatrical spectacular, extremely glamorous and femma fatale outfit, completely surreal. You never see that in movies."

Like Harris, Marlohe isn't quite so sure about the Bond girl title-- "When I think Bond girl, for me it's very abstract. It's not speaking to me"-- but both are devoted fans of both the character at the center of the film, and the man who plays them. Asked what makes Daniel Craig sexy, Marlohe compared him to the male models she knew in her modeling career, who lack charisma. Craig, on the other hand? "What is very important is personality and what you have to say, because then it's the magical aura, your personality. When I got to meet him finally, he has a very beautiful humanity, a nice personality."

Harris, on the other hand, was smitten with Craig before she was ever cast as his co-star, but primarily because of the way he plays the famous British agent:

We don't yet know how connected he will become to either of these Bond women this time around, or what kind of adventure they'll get him wrapped up in-- or even if both of them will make it through the end of the movie. Harris allowed that her character's name Eve might be a reference to some sort of temptation, but that was pretty much it in terms of plot detail. But for both of them, whether you call them Bond Girls or just Eve and Severine, it's clear that Skyfall has given them the break of a lifetime-- and Bond Girl Curse or no, they're planning to relish every minute of it.