James Bond could be a woman!

Forget Sean Connery, Daniel Craig, Pierce Brosnan and others: James Bond could play… an actor! Do you think we are exaggerating? You are welcome !

in his book his name is bond James Bond: Anecdotes and Stories from the Most Famous Secret AgentAuthor Kevin Collette claims that before the Sean Connery films, as early as 1955, 007 author Ian Fleming sold the film rights to his first novel, Casino RoyaleProducer Gregory Ratoff.

A version has already seen the light of day for television!

Yes, “Jane” Bond almost existed!

The latter then entrusted the writing of the screenplay to Lorenzo Semple Jr., who would also sign Never Again in 1983, Three Days of the Condor, and create the Batman series with Adam West. At Ratoff’s request, Semple wrote a version of the script in which the protagonist was none other than “Jane” Bond. And he already has an actor in mind.

He is set to offer the role of the secret agent to Susan Hayward, an actress who won an acting award at Cannes for A Woman in Hell (1956) and five Oscar nominations, including a win for her role in I Want to Live! by Robert Wise in 1959.

who was he

Characterized by her red hair and recognized for interpreting complex and multi-faceted characters, Hayward enjoyed enormous success throughout her career, and her performance in I Want to Live is still strikingly contemporary today.

Therefore, long before Sean Connery, the role of James Bond could be played by an actor, and the franchise would become one of the first female franchises in cinema. This idea did not work and Ratoff died before his Casino Royale saw the light of day.

Meanwhile, producer Albert R. Broccoli bought the rights to 007’s next adventure and in 1962 released James Bond 007 vs. Dr. No, starring Sean Connery, with the success we know of until Death. Wait, the 25th and final film from the most famous British spy.

What would you imagine Susan Hayward as a spy with a strong temper and a lover of martinis with a shaker rather than a spoon? Your keyboards!