The James Bond Scene That Proves 007 Is Bisexual Was Almost Axed

James Bond has been the big screen’s shorthand for the cool, unflappable, hyper-competent guy since 1962. Then Skyfall slid in one little line that cracked that image just enough to make people talk — and it almost didn’t make it into the movie.

The Skyfall line that nearly got cut

In Skyfall, Silva corners Bond and flirts. Bond fires back with a line that basically launched a thousand think pieces:

"What makes you think this is my first time?"

According to a Nov. 4, 2025 tweet from @TheOscarRace, the studio wanted that exchange gone, worried it would be read as confirming Bond as bisexual. Some behind-the-scenes folks feared audiences would take a cheeky spy quip as a character-defining statement. Longtime 007 boss Barbara Broccoli pushed to keep it, arguing it cranked up the tension of the scene — and she won. It’s a tiny moment with a big ripple effect, and knowing it barely survived the edit makes it even spicier.

So, who is the next Bond?

With Amazon MGM now heavily involved in the next wave of 007 movies, the casting conversation feels like it’s speeding up — and getting messier. Here’s where things stand, based on the chatter and reports that have been circulating:

• Early on, there were claims the next MI6 agent could be a woman (via The Standard). That idea seems to have stalled, with producer Barbara Broccoli and stars like Halle Berry not on board.
• Henry Cavill fans made plenty of noise, pointing out he fits the classic brief: older than 40, built like a tank, and naturally charming. The long-running assumption has been that Bond should be a bit seasoned.
• More recent reports say Amazon is pushing younger this time, and director Denis Villeneuve has been mentioned in connection with that lean. Aaron Taylor-Johnson’s name keeps popping up, but nothing has been confirmed.

Why tinkering with Bond’s brand is a minefield

Bond’s persona — suave, hyper-masculine, and historically a womanizer — has been baked into the franchise for more than half a century. That’s the appeal for a big chunk of the audience. Even small tweaks can set off alarms. Example: Amazon briefly scrubbed guns from Bond posters on Prime Video to soften the imagery, fans erupted, and the decision got reversed. If that caused a blowback, you can see why talk of changing Bond’s sexuality or gender makes executives sweat. For some longtime viewers, that’s not a minor update — it’s a full rewrite of the character’s identity.

Quick refresher: No Time To Die

The most recent entry, No Time To Die, wrapped Daniel Craig’s run under director Cary Joji Fukunaga. The cast includes Daniel Craig, Rami Malek, Lea Seydoux, Lashana Lynch, and Ben Whishaw. It scored 83% with critics and 88% with audiences on Rotten Tomatoes, pulled in $774 million at the box office, and it’s streaming on Prime Video in the US.

Where do you land: keep Bond exactly as he’s been, or is it time to evolve — a little, a lot, or all the way to a female 007?