First there were calls for James Bond to be a woman - now it's been suggested the British spy should be played by a transgender woman.
The suggestion was made by British actor Dominic West, 49, who, speaking to The Sunday Times magazine, said the role should be given to the highest-ranking transgender soldier in the British army.
"She's a beautiful blonde girl who could be Bond," West said of Hannah Gaf, 31, who serves as a captain in the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers.
- Bond producer says there will never be a female 007
- James Bond has a serious alcohol problem, study says
"They should have a transgender Bond because there are a lot of transgender people in the army," the actor told the magazine.
Six actors have so far played the fictional British secret agent working for MI6 during the entire franchise spanning half a century. The late Ian Fleming wrote the James Bond series of novels which turned into the hit film series.
The current Bond, played by Daniel Craig, has starred in the last four films with his fifth currently being made, and it's expected to be his last.
That will leave the role of Bond vacant, and being 2018, some say it's time the character was played by a woman or a transgender woman.
But the idea of Bond being played by a female was quickly shot down by the franchise's executive producer in charge of casting the new film, Barbara Broccoli.
She told the Guardian, "Bond is male. He's a male character. He was written as a male and I think he'll probably stay as male."
She added, "We don't have to turn male characters into women."
Others, including conservative British television personality Piers Morgan, agree. The Good Morning Britain host said he'll kill himself if Bond is played by a transgender woman, British media reports.
West's call for Bond to be played by a transgender woman has garnered a massive reaction on social media. Some say it's a great idea while others have lashed out in anger over "political correctness gone mad".
Another said Ian Fleming will be "rolling in his grave".
Newshub.
