Pramod Thomas is a senior correspondent with Asian Media Group since 2020, bringing 19 years of journalism experience across business, politics, sports, communities, and international relations. His career spans both traditional and digital media platforms, with eight years specifically focused on digital journalism. This blend of experience positions him well to navigate the evolving media landscape and deliver content across various formats. He has worked with national and international media organisations, giving him a broad perspective on global news trends and reporting standards.
IN A recent interview, former James Bond star Daniel Craig gave a blunt and indifferent response when asked about who should replace him in the iconic role.
Craig, 56, who played the British spy in five films from 2006 to 2021, made it clear that he has moved on from the franchise and is not concerned about its future.
When questioned by Variety about his preference for the next actor to do the job, Craig simply said, "I don't care."
This straightforward answer underscores the 56-year-old actor's lack of interest in speculating about his successor, as he has seemingly put the Bond chapter of his career firmly behind him.
Craig's tenure as 007 was the longest in the franchise's history, surpassing even the legendary Sean Connery.
His gritty and intense portrayal of the character in films such as Casino Royale, Skyfall, and No Time to Die, received widespread critical acclaim and helped redefine the role for a new generation.
Craig's final outing as Bond came in the 2021 film No Time to Die, marking the end of his tenure in the franchise.
Throughout his tenure as Bond, he has never shied away from voicing his opinions, even if they were unpopular or controversial.
As for the future of the Bond franchise, the search for the next Bond continues, with rumours swirling around potential candidates such as Idris Elba, Tom Hardy, and Aaron Taylor-Johnson.
Some past Bond stars, such as James Pryce, Pierce Brosnan and George Lazenby, have voiced support for the 33-year-old Taylor-Johnson as the next 007. Reports have suggested the actor may have even impressed producers with a screen test.
However, Craig's indifference suggests that he is not interested in weighing in on the decision, preferring instead to focus on his own career.
However, despite his iconic status, Craig appears to have moved on to other projects, including his role in the film Queer, directed by Luca Guadagnino.
When asked about the sex scenes in the film, Craig acknowledged the importance of having a director who can handle such intimate moments sensitively.
He said, "You need a director who has a sensitivity, a director who understands — to put it crassly — how to make it real."
Pierce Brosnan, who played 007 in four films, says the next James Bond “has to be a man”.
Dame Helen Mirren agrees, stating Bond “just doesn’t work” as a female character.
Both actors previously criticised the franchise for sexism but now believe a male lead keeps Bond’s identity intact.
Speculation continues over who will replace Daniel Craig, with Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Callum Turner among frontrunners.
The future of James Bond continues to dominate film debates as former 007 star Pierce Brosnan and Oscar-winning actress Dame Helen Mirren both argued that the next incarnation of the spy must remain male. Their comments are a clear shift from earlier years, when Brosnan had suggested it was time to hand the role to a woman.
Speaking to Saga magazine, Brosnan, who fronted the franchise in four films between 1995 and 2002, said he is eager to see “a new man” take on the part after Daniel Craig’s exit in No Time to Die. “Oh, I think it has to be a man,” said the 72-year-old Irish actor. “I’m so excited to see the next man come on the stage and to see a whole new exuberance and life for this character.”
Mirren, his co-star in the upcoming film adaptation of Richard Osman’s The Thursday Murder Club, echoed the view. “I’m such a feminist, but James Bond has to be a guy. You can’t have a woman. It just doesn’t work. James Bond has to be James Bond, otherwise it becomes something else,” said the 80-year-old star.
Pierce Brosnan and Dame Helen Mirren attend the "MobLand" Global PremiereGetty Images
Why Pierce Brosnan changed his mind on a female Bond
Brosnan once championed the idea of a woman stepping into 007’s tuxedo. In a 2019 interview with The Hollywood Reporter, he called it “exhilarating” and urged producers to “put a woman up there.” His reversal comes as Amazon-MGM, which now controls the franchise, prepares to relaunch Bond with director Denis Villeneuve at the helm.
Despite his change of stance, Brosnan insisted his affection for the franchise remains. “I adore the world of James Bond. It’s been very good to me. It’s the gift that keeps giving. And I’m just a member of the audience now, sitting back, saying: ‘Show us what you’re going to do.''
Pierce Brosnan reignite the female Bond debate ahead of franchise rebootGetty Images
Helen Mirren’s feminist take on Bond and sexism in the franchise
Mirren has long spoken about gender in the Bond universe. In earlier interviews, she criticised the “profound sexism” baked into Ian Fleming’s stories and the films that followed. She argued that real-life female spies, from the French Resistance to the British Secret Service, showed remarkable bravery and deserved recognition on screen.
Yet Mirren now maintains that Bond’s cultural identity is inseparable from being male. “So many women have worked in that world. Is it more realistic to show them? Absolutely. But Bond is fantasy, not realism,” she said, stressing that her stance does not weaken her feminist convictions.
Helen Mirren joins Brosnan in backing a male successor for the 007 roleGetty Images
Who will be the next James Bond?
Since Daniel Craig’s departure in 2021, speculation about his successor has been relentless. Aaron Taylor-Johnson, known for Bullet Train is widely regarded as the frontrunner. Masters of the Air actor Callum Turner and Saltburn star Jacob Elordi are also rumoured contenders.
Other names circulating include Henry Cavill, Regé-Jean Page, James Norton, Theo James, and Paul Mescal. While no official casting has been confirmed, producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson have hinted that the announcement will define the franchise for the next decade.
Tom Holland Jacob Elordi and Harris Dickinson top James Bond shortlist as Amazon eyes younger 007 Getty Images
What’s next for the James Bond franchise?
The upcoming film will be scripted by Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight and directed by Denis Villeneuve. Amazon MGM Studios has promised a “fresh” take on the character while honouring Bond’s six-decade legacy.
Jeff Bezos\u2019 post on next James Bond shakes the internet after Amazon\u2019s takeover of franchise Instagram/007
Whether the producers stick with tradition or surprise audiences with an unexpected choice, Brosnan and Mirren’s comments reinforce the argument that 007’s identity remains rooted in masculinity, at least for now. Until the official reveal, the debate over whether Bond could ever be reimagined as a woman is likely to continue fuelling headlines as much as the spy’s next mission.
By clicking the 'Subscribe’, you agree to receive our newsletter, marketing communications and industry
partners/sponsors sharing promotional product information via email and print communication from Garavi Gujarat
Publications Ltd and subsidiaries. You have the right to withdraw your consent at any time by clicking the
unsubscribe link in our emails. We will use your email address to personalize our communications and send you
relevant offers. Your data will be stored up to 30 days after unsubscribing.
Contact us at data@amg.biz to see how we manage and store your data.
Senior civic leaders, academics, and business figures attended this landmark event
First-ever official Indian Independence Day celebration hosted by the Consulate in Newcastle upon Tyne.
JM Meenu Malhotra DL, Honorary Consul General of India in England, led the event and hoisted the tricolour.
Cultural highlights included Mi Marathi Dhol Group, a classical dance by Madhura Godbole, and a Tamil flash mob by Spice FM.
Senior civic leaders, academics, and business figures attended, making it a landmark occasion for the Indian community in the North East of England.
Newcastle hosts first-ever official Independence Day event
The Indian Consulate in Newcastle upon Tyne hosted its first-ever official Independence Day celebration this week, coinciding with India’s 79th Independence Day. The event, hosted at the Civic Centre, coincided with India’s 79th Independence Day and was attended by a cross-section of civic leaders, academics, business representatives, and cultural figures.
The Indian Consulate in Newcastle upon Tyne hosted its first-ever official Independence Day celebration this weekAMG
Meenu Malhotra leads the ceremony
The ceremony was led by JM Meenu Malhotra DL, the Punjabi-born Honorary Consul General of India in England, who hoisted the Indian tricolour for the first time in Newcastle’s history.
JM Meenu Malhotra DL, the Punjabi-born Honorary Consul General of India in EnglandAMG
“It is a proud and historic moment for all of us here in the North East of England,” said Mr Malhotra. “On behalf of the Indian Consulate and my office, I extend warm greetings to everyone celebrating India’s 79th Independence Day with us today.”
Following the flag hoisting and national anthem, keynote addresses were delivered by Mr Malhotra, the Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Tyne and Wear, and the Deputy Lord Mayor of Newcastle, Councillor Jacqui Robinson.
The Deputy Lord Mayor of Newcastle, Councillor Jacqui Robinson with Mr Meenu MalhotraAMG
Cultural performances add colour
The celebrations opened with traditional drumming by the Mi Marathi Dhol Group, followed by a graceful classical dance performance by Madhura Godbole. The formal ceremony began at 11:00 am, concluding with a Tamil flash mob organised by Spice FM, which enthralled the audience.
- YouTube
Prominent attendees
The event drew notable figures, including Chris Whitehead, Kieran Fernandes, Susan Dungworth, Ciaron Irvine, Andy Long, Peter Heath, Keith Carruthers, Councillors Irim Ali, Hayder Qureshi, Deborah Burns, Taylor Wendy, Sadiq Mehrban, Colin Ferguson, and Doc Anand.
Business leaders Bunty Malhotra and Nidhi Malhotra Anand were also in attendance, along with cultural representatives from Beamish Museum and North East Museums.
A proud moment for the community
Closing the event, Mr Malhotra emphasised that the occasion represented “a proud and historic day for Indians in the North East of England,” underlining the growing cultural presence of the Indian diaspora in the region.
London mayor Sadiq Khan said he would be willing to meet Donald Trump, even as he warned the US president could be “inadvertently radicalising people” and was “not a force for good”.
The Labour politician dismissed Trump’s recent jibes during a visit to Scotland, where the president called him “a nasty person” who had “done a terrible job”. Khan said the remarks were “water off a duck’s back”, though at times they made him feel “nine years old again” and “in the school playground”.
Speaking at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Khan criticised Trump’s record. “Somebody who has views like he does about black people, about women, about gays, about Muslims, about Mexicans, thinks I’m nasty. Really. He is the leader of the free world, arguably the most powerful man in the world, and really,” he said.
Khan noted that since Trump began his second term in January, “there have never been more Americans applying to British citizenship and living in London”, adding: “I think Americans have got good taste by and large.”
The mayor said he hoped Trump would come to London on his state visit next month, stressing that the capital’s “diversity” was a strength. But he warned that some of Trump’s rhetoric risked moving “potentially dangerous” views into the mainstream.
“He inadvertently – I’m not going to suggest he does it deliberately – he inadvertently could be radicalising people with views that could lead to them doing things that are dangerous,” Khan said.
Still, Khan said he would be “more than happy to meet President Trump” to show it was possible to be both British and Muslim. “If there was an opportunity to meet President Trump, I would be more than happy to do so,” he said. (Agencies)
Keep ReadingShow less
Sophie Turner admitted kissing Harington felt “vile” despite their strong sibling bond from Game of Thrones
Sophie Turner revealed kissing Kit Harington in their new gothic horror The Dreadful was “vile.”
The actors spent eight seasons as siblings Sansa Stark and Jon Snow on Game of Thrones.
Turner, who is also a producer on the film, suggested Harington for the role despite their sibling-like bond.
The film has yet to receive an official release date but features Turner, Harington, Marcia Gay Harden, and Laurence O’Fuarain.
Sophie Turner has admitted that kissing her Game of Thrones co-star Kit Harington for their new gothic horror film The Dreadful was far from romantic. Speaking during her recent appearance on Late Night with Seth Meyers, the actress said the scene was so uncomfortable that both she and Harington were “retching.”
Turner, who played Sansa Stark across eight seasons of HBO’s Game of Thrones, explained that while she and Harington have not shared the screen since 2019, their sibling-like relationship remained intact. That history made their romantic scenes in The Dreadful especially challenging.
Sophie Turner says kissing Kit Harington in The Dreadful was a vile experienceGetty Images
Why Sophie Turner cast Kit Harington despite the challenge
Turner is not only starring in The Dreadful but also serving as a producer. When writer-director Natasha Kermani asked who she envisioned as the male lead, Turner immediately thought of her former on-screen brother.
“I sent the script to Kit, and he came back saying, ‘Yeah, I’d love to, but this is going to be really weird, Soph,’” Turner told Meyers. At first, she didn’t understand his hesitation. “Then I went through the script again and it’s just kiss, kiss, sex, kiss. And suddenly I realised, oh right, that’s my brother.”
Despite the discomfort, both agreed that the script was strong enough to take on the challenge.
For Turner and Harington, the first scene they had to shoot together was a kiss, which proved to be even more awkward than they anticipated. “We put it out of our minds, and then when it came to shooting, we were both retching. It was vile. Honestly, the worst,” Turner said.
She even compared the experience to a scene in her upcoming thriller Trust, in which she had to share a room with cockroaches and rats crawling over her. “And kissing Kit was still worse,” she admitted.
Sophie Turner reveals she and Kit Harington were retching while filming kiss sceneGetty Images
What is The Dreadful about?
Set during the 15th century amid the Wars of the Roses, The Dreadful follows Anne, played by Turner, who lives with her mother-in-law Morwen on the outskirts of society. Their fragile existence is disrupted when a man from Anne’s past, portrayed by Harington, returns and sets off a dangerous chain of events.
The film also stars Oscar winner Marcia Gay Harden, Laurence O’Fuarain, and Jonathan Howard. While an official release date has not yet been confirmed, the gothic horror has already drawn attention thanks to Turner and Harington’s casting.
The Dreadful Poster IMDB
Turner and Harington’s lasting Game of Thrones bond
Both actors became household names through Game of Thrones, where they were introduced as members of the Stark family. Although later seasons revealed Jon Snow’s Targaryen lineage, viewers still saw Sansa and Jon as siblings, making their romantic scenes in The Dreadful all the more different.
Turner herself acknowledged how strange it was, even joking to Vogue earlier this year, “Sorry guys, it’s weird for all of us.”
For fans of the HBO series, the reunion of Sansa Stark and Jon Snow on screen is already generating curiosity. Whether audiences see the chemistry or share Turner’s discomfort remains to be seen when The Dreadful finally premieres.
In the recent strong performance of the cryptocurrency market, Ethereum (ETH) is undoubtedly the brightest star. Since August 3rd, Ethereum has been in a continuous upward trend, and its current trading price has exceeded \(4,500, which is less than 10% away from its previous all-time high of \)4,878. What's more striking is that Thomas Lee (commonly known as Tom Lee), founder and head of research at Fundstrat Global Advisors, has set a long-term target of \(16,000 for Ethereum. Market confidence is constantly climbing with the influx of institutional funds - Ethereum ETFs saw a record net inflow of \)1 billion on Monday, far exceeding that of Bitcoin and other altcoins. Driven by Ethereum's strength, cryptocurrencies such as Chainlink (LINK), Polkadot (DOT) and Pump.fun (PUMP) have also ushered in an upward trend. With its flexible and secure structured contract services, DL Mining platform has become the best choice for holders of these cryptocurrencies to seize market opportunities.
Ethereum's current rally is not an isolated event. Behind it is a significant increase in demand from institutional investors and a continuous expansion of capital inflows into investment products such as ETFs. On-chain data shows that "whale" investors, including Arthur Hayes, founder of BitMEX, have repurchased Ethereum at prices above \(4,100 after taking profits. Hayes alone repurchased Ethereum worth \)10.5 million. Large wallet investors continue to increase their ETH positions while making profits, further strengthening the market's bullish expectations for Ethereum.
From a technical perspective, although Ethereum's RSI indicator has reached 76, it is still on an upward trend. The MACD shows green bars above the neutral line, indicating that bullish momentum remains strong. Despite the risk of a short-term correction, the key support level of \(4,000 is solid, and the market generally believes that Ethereum is expected to move towards \)5,000 or even higher.
Driven by Ethereum, currencies such as Chainlink, Polkadot and Pump.fun have performed strongly recently. In the past 24 hours, these three cryptocurrencies have risen between 6% and 19%, and all have achieved double-digit gains in the past week. Among them, Chainlink is only 15% away from its 2025 peak of \(27.21, with the target pointing directly to the all-time high of \)30.94; Polkadot's daily momentum indicator is bullish, with the recent target locked at the resistance level of \(5.362; Pump.fun shows potential to move towards \)0.0050 in the 4-hour chart. The linked rise of these currencies has brought diversified profit opportunities for cryptocurrency holders.
DL Mining: A Structured Participation Platform to Seize the Uptrend
Faced with the upward trend of Ethereum and related currencies, how to steadily obtain returns in volatility has become the core demand of investors. The DL Mining platform has become a preferred choice in the market with its structured contract services specially designed for cryptocurrency holders.
The core advantage of DL Mining lies in its contract system that flexibly adapts to multi-currency needs. The platform not only supports Dogecoin (DOGE) contracts, but also meets investors' needs for configuring mainstream cryptocurrencies through the "multi-asset reward option" - users can choose to receive contract returns in various currency forms such as ETH, BTC, LINK, etc. This perfectly fits the current upward trend of Ethereum and related currencies, allowing investors to enjoy the appreciation dividends of multiple currencies without frequently switching trading platforms.
In market volatility, risk control and return stability are crucial. DL Mining's contract services adopt artificial intelligence optimization technology, with algorithm-driven resource scheduling to automatically optimize contract allocation to adapt to market changes. This feature is particularly important in the context of increasing volatility of Ethereum and altcoins. At the same time, the platform promises "fund security, principal return upon contract expiration, and daily returns credited to the account", building a solid fund protection network for investors and avoiding the risk of principal loss in direct market transactions.
For investors with different capital scales, DL Mining provides diversified contract options. From small contracts of \(100 with a 2-day term and daily return of about \)4, to large contracts of \(10,000 with a 37-day term and daily return of \)185, it covers the needs of both novice and senior investors. Users can real-time track the performance of contracts through the platform dashboard, flexibly manage daily withdrawals or reinvestments, and easily grasp the rhythm of the market rise.
In addition, DL Mining also provides low-threshold exploration opportunities for new users: register and get \(15 in real crypto funds, and get an additional \)0.6 by checking in daily. This benefit allows investors to experience platform services without upfront capital and become familiar with the contract operations of Ethereum and related currencies in practice.
As a UK-based fintech company founded in 2014, DL Mining has served more than 5 million users worldwide, and its safe and transparent contract model has long been verified by the market. At a time when Ethereum is leading the way and multiple currencies are rising in linkage, DL Mining, with its core advantages of "no technical setup required, predictable returns, and multi-currency adaptation", has become an ideal choice for cryptocurrency holders to steadily participate in market trends.
To learn more about the platform or start the contract experience, you can visit www.dlmining.net. New users can get a $15 registration bonus upon registration, easily starting their journey of structured participation in cryptocurrencies.