Over the years, the James Bond movies have become a regular fixture in tinsel town, with each generation ushering in a new 007 actor. However, the spy movie franchise lacks a central female character, and in 2002 Halle Berry was set to make history by changing that fact. According to Indie Wire, a spin-off James Bond movie led by the actor was in the works before being killed by MGM studios.
In 2002, action movie fans witnessed Berry’s big Bond debut in the flick Die Another Day, where the star played the character of Jinx. Long-time Bond producer Barbara Broccoli championed the idea of a spin-off movie with Jinx being front and centre instead of Mr James Bond. However, the studio was anxious about the proposed $80 million budget – leading to the film never seeing the light of day.
“The play was foiled when MGM got cold feet about the film’s $80 million budget,” Variety reported. “That decision left Broccoli incensed. One of her main goals as steward of 007 has been to shake off some of the chauvinism that characterized Bond’s appearances in the novels and early films.”
Broccoli was reportedly frustrated by the decision, and it is understandable why. The early 2000s saw the rise of female-led action movies, shown in Milla Jovovich’s Resident Evil movies, and Angelina Jolie’s outing as Lara Croft. Female action flicks were on the rise and had proven to be big box-office winners.
Jinx was also a popular character and would have no doubt helped rake in the big bucks. While Berry never got her own Bond movie, the star has kept plenty busy. Fans can next see the award-winning actor in the adventure movie The Mothership, which is scheduled to release sometime in 2022.