James Bond franchise producer Barbara Broccoli said to switch the iconic Bond character is not possible, instead, more female characters should be created.

Producer Barbara Broccoli has ruled out the possibility of a female James Bond. The producer said instead of giving a gender switch to iconic characters, there should be more such parts written for women.

“Bond is male. He’s a male character. He was written as a male and I think he’ll probably stay as a male,” Broccoli told The Guardian.

“And that’s fine. We don’t have to turn male characters into women. Let’s just create more female characters and make the story fit those female characters,” she added.

Earlier this year, actor Rosamund Pike, who featured in the 2002 Bond film Die Another Day, had offered a similar opinion about the famed British spy.

“I think the character of James Bond is a man. He is really. Why not make a kick-ass female agent in her own right?” she had said.

The next installment of the James Bond franchise will be directed by the True Detective helmer Cary Fukunaga.

Earlier, announcing the replacement of Danny Boyle, the producers of the film shared a statement on the Twitter. The statement read that the 41-year-old filmmaker, best known for directing films such as Jane Eyre and Beasts of No Nation, will start shooting for the project in March next year with a release date of February 14, 2020.

Production of the film is set to begin on Dec 3, 2018. MGM will partner with Universal Pictures to release the film worldwide. The 25th Bond film is scheduled for U.S. release on November 8 next year. However, with Boyle leaving the project, a delay in the release doesn’t seem unlikely.