Insisting that the 007 agent is still 'absolutely relevant', the screenwriter of 'Bond 25' stresses that the latest installment of the spy action franchise is the one that need to grow and to evolve.

• Jun 1, 2019

AceShowbiz - Actress and writer Phoebe Waller-Bridge has no problem with fictional superspy James Bond behaving badly towards his love interests onscreen, as long as the women receive better treatment in the overall film.

The "Fleabag" and "Killing Eve" creator was hired to add to the script penned by Scott Z. Burns, Neal Purvis, Robert Wade, and director Cary Joji Fukunaga for "Bond 25", the latest instalment in the British action franchise, which is currently in production.

Waller-Bridge insists Bond is still relevant in 2019, but new films must move with the times.

"There's been a lot of talk about whether or not (the Bond franchise) is relevant now because of who he is and the way he treats women," she told Deadline.

"I think that's b**locks. I think he's absolutely relevant now. It (the new film) 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 this character".

Waller-Bridge is only the second woman to receive a James Bond film writing credit, alongside Johanna Hardwood, who contributed to 1962's Dr. No and 1963's From Russia With Love, which starred Sean Connery as Bond.

Commenting on Daniel Craig's portrayal of the British spy, Waller-Bridge said, "When I saw his Bond for the first time, there was a wryness to his performance that I really loved.

"So, I was really excited about writing dialogue for him. I mean, the script was there. It's already there. I think it's unfair to say that I'm writing the script".

The 25th Bond film is being directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga and will be released in 2020.