Lashana Lynch to become new 007 in Bond 25

Lashana Lynch will reportedly become the first female 007 by taking over James Bond's codename in the latest movie.

The Captain Marvel star was announced as a castmember back in April, and is apparently set to play Nomi, a secret agent who inherits Bond's iconic codename after he retires to Jamaica.

A movie insider told Britain's Daily Mail newspaper that the 25th official James Bond film, which has the working title Bond 25, opens with a scene in which the British actress' character is unveiled as the new 007, before Daniel Craig's Bond is called back into action.

"There is a pivotal scene at the start of the film where M says, 'Come in 007"', and in walks Lynch who is black, beautiful and a woman," the source revealed. "It's a popcorn-dropping moment. Bond is still Bond but he's been replaced as 007."

The moment is believed to be a nod to speculation around Craig's replacement, as some have called for the franchise to move with the times and for producers to cast a black man as Bond, or even to switch the character's gender.

Fleabag creator Phoebe Waller-Bridge has also been brought in to work on the script in a bid to modernise the latest instalment.

"There's been a lot of talk about whether or not Bond is relevant now because of who he is and the way he treats women," she told the Mail of her role. "I think that's b**locks. I think he's absolutely relevant now.

"(The franchise) has just got to grow. It has just got to evolve, and the important thing is that the film treats the women properly. He doesn't have to. He needs to be true to his character."

However, Bond producer Barbara Broccoli has said that there would "never" be a female Bond, despite efforts to update the character.