Phoebe Waller-Bridge Set to Contribute to Bond 25 Script

Emmy-nominated Fleabag creator Phoebe Waller-Bridge has joined the writing team for the next installment of the James Bond franchise, The Guardian reports. She apparently came onboard at the personal request of current 007 Daniel Craig, who sought her out so she could bring some of her signature humor and polish to the nascent script.

Waller-Bridge is best known for creating and starring in the BBC comedy hit Fleabag, and for writing and developing the drama series Killing Eve. She has spent the past few weeks performing in a stage production of Fleabag in New York, where Craig also lives with his wife Rachel Weisz, both of whom are reportedly big fans of Waller-Bridge’s work.

As The Guardian points out, Waller-Bridge is only the second woman ever to contribute to a Bond film’s script, after Johanna Harwood, who worked on Dr. No and From Russia With Love.

James Bond 25 has been struggling to get off the ground for years now. It was announced all of four years ago, despite Craig only officially signing on last year. Danny Boyle was brought in as director in 2017 after Sam Mendes refused to return to the position, but Boyle left the production in August due to creative differences. Cary Joji Fukunaga was tapped to replace him a few weeks later, along with writing duo Neil Purvis and Robert Wade. The Bourne Ultimatum writer Scott Z. Burns was also brought onboard in February.

The latest film in the series was originally meant to hit theaters in October 2018, but that date has since been pushed back to April 2020. Ben Whishaw, Ralph Fiennes and Naomie Harris are all set to reprise their roles as Q, M and Moneypenny, respectively. Production on the new film is set to begin in a matter of weeks, provided the final script is approved.