What happened to Halle Berry’s James Bond spin-off that never was?

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In most instances, it’s uncommon for top-tier female actors to share screen time with James Bond. However, Ana de Armas from No Time to Die stands out as a notable exception. Previously, actresses like Britt Ekland and Michelle Yeoh had already established their careers by the time they appeared in The Man with the Golden Gun and Chinese productions respectively. Generally, 007’s female counterparts are relatively unknown younger actresses on the rise. Nevertheless, Halle Berry, who portrayed CIA agent Jinx in Die Another Day, is a significant exception to this trend, given her recognition at the time of her appearance.

In her career, Berry had previously earned an Oscar and received another nomination. She had also starred as Storm in X-Men, and created a notable impact alongside John Travolta and Hugh Jackman in Swordfish. However, it was when she was paired with Pierce Brosnan for his last James Bond mission that marked a significant point in her career.

In spite of its numerous flaws, such as subpar special effects, Madonna’s appearance, and Toby Stephens’ villain, Jinx manages to shine with her charm and is still considered one of the most beloved Bond girls, even though she appeared in one of the less well-received movies.

In fact, she would have been perfect to lead her own action movie.

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As a die-hard Bond fan, it’s been quite astonishing to see the Bond franchise endure for over six decades without a single big-screen spin-off. No delving into Blofeld’s past, no Q and Moneypenny adventures, nor an action series centered around Felix Leiter – elements that could have expanded this universe in fascinating ways.

However, there was a tantalizingly close moment when we almost got a standalone Jinx film, with Halle Berry reprising her captivating role. If only that dream had come to fruition!

Following the success of Jinx, producer Barbara Broccoli conceived the notion of allowing the American agent character to venture independently and headline her own high-budget action film. Previously, discussions had surfaced about Michelle Yeoh spearheading a Tomorrow Never Dies spin-off, but the Jinx movie was indeed in development. The plan was to launch an alternate series that would run alongside the primary Bond films, bridging the studio’s release gaps more effectively. The intended premiere date for the Jinx spin-off was set for 2004.

Neal Purvis and Robert Wade’s script, traditionally associated with James Bond, was tasked with a fresh concept. Instead of the usual glamorous worldwide adventures, this movie would lean towards the style of The Bourne Identity, presenting a European thriller atmosphere. Moreover, the late Michael Madsen was set to return as Damian Falco, who essentially played a role similar to M in the storyline.

Prior to his notable roles in “No Country for Old Men” and “Skyfall”, Javier Bardem was initially considered the main actor for a different film, titled “Jinx”. Interestingly, Stephen Frears, renowned for his realistic dramas like “My Beautiful Laundrette”, “Dirty Pretty Things”, and “Prick Up Your Ears”, was chosen as the director for “Jinx”, which might seem unusual given Frears’ focus on British society dramas.

It turned out that everything seemed fine, but MGM had second thoughts about the proposed $80 million budget – despite the fact that this was almost half of what they spent on financing Die Another Day.

2000s saw a notable trend where strong female action characters like Angelina Jolie (Tomb Raider), Milla Jovovich (Resident Evil), Kate Beckinsale (Underworld), and the trio Cameron Diaz, Drew Barrymore, and Lucy Liu (Charlie’s Angels) appeared. This trend suggests a missed chance for a Halle Berry-led spin-off.

As reported by Variety, Barbara Broccoli expressed disappointment that MGM decided to cancel the production of the film, as it was halted due to MGM having second thoughts about the film’s budget of $80 million.

The decision stirred up a strong reaction from Broccoli, as she, as the custodian of 007, has aimed to distance the character from the chauvinistic portrayals that were prevalent in the books and initial movies.

Berry herself has admitted why her Jinx movie never got released: “It was quite disheartening. It was before its time. No one was prepared to invest that much money in an action film starring a Black woman. They weren’t confident about its worth. That was the situation back then.

2019 saw discussions among Bond enthusiasts about Halle Berry’s potential return as Jinx, following her striking portrayal in John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum. In this movie, she embodied a lethal assassin whose dogs were not just faithful companions but had an exceptional role as well.

The portrayal of Berry’s character in John Wick subtly highlighted the missed opportunity for both Berry and Bond enthusiasts, as MGM opted to prioritize the production of the 21st James Bond film featuring Brosnan instead of the planned spin-off, which was later shelved.

After 25 years since Halle Berry played Catwoman, a spin-off movie seems elusive. With Amazon acquiring MGM, it appears almost unavoidable that the James Bond franchise will explore spin-offs and additional adventures outside of the primary series, given the growing distance between film releases.

So why not have a female spy lead a spin-off? Ana de Armas’s Paloma is right there.

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2025-09-12 10:04