Exclusive: Jeffrey Wright hints at return as CIA agent in Bond franchise
Actor Jeffrey Wright hints at a potential return as CIA agent Felix Leiter despite his character's death in No Time to Die With his first appearance in Dr No, Leiter has been portrayed by eight actors, and Wright has reprised the role thrice, making him the most frequent Leiter
Jeffrey Wright has expressed his interest in returning as CIA agent Felix Leiter despite the character's death in No Time to Die. Leiter first appeared in the franchise's inaugural film, Dr. No, and has since made intermittent appearances throughout the series. Of the eight actors who have portrayed the character, Wright has reprised the role three times, more than any other performer.
In an interview with Deadline, Wright revealed that he would be open to reprising the role in a potential Bond reboot, citing his enjoyment of working on the latest Bond films. When asked about his possible return, he confirmed that he would be interested in continuing the character's story.
"I would consider returning for a 'ghost of Felix Leiter' moment," Jeffrey Wright mused. However, he is content with his previous run on the Bond films alongside Daniel Craig, Barbara Broccoli, and Michael Wilson. As a self-proclaimed "enormous geeky fan" of the franchise, he never expected to be a part of it and is satisfied with what they accomplished. Wright is ready to move on and let someone else take the reins.
Daniel Craig's tenure as the suave MI6 agent came to a close in No Time to Die, where he sacrificed himself in a fiery explosion to protect Dr. Madeleine Swann (played by Léa Seydoux) and their daughter Mathilde (played by Lisa Dorah Sonnet) from a deadly nanobot weapon. The movie also marked the end of Jeffrey Wright's portrayal of Leiter, as he was killed by Logan Ash (played by Billy Magnussen), a deceitful State Department agent. However, given the episodic nature of Craig's Bond films, Wright has the potential to reprise his role as Leiter in future installments of the action-packed spy franchise.
Prior to Casino Royale (2006), the James Bond franchise followed a loose continuity with each entry featuring a new story and mostly new characters. However, some allies and villains made recurring appearances throughout the film series. Pierce Brosnan's debut in Goldeneye marked the beginning of his run as Bond, with several returning characters including the iconic Q, played by franchise regular Desmond Llewelyn. The film also introduced Dame Judi Dench as Bond's leader M, making her the first female star in the role.
Although Brosnan's final film Die Another Day concluded the previous continuity, Dench reprised her role as M in Casino Royale (2006), Quantum of Solace, and Skyfall. Her return set a precedent for a new Bond timeline that could include the return of Jeffrey Wright as Leiter without disrupting the prior continuities, despite his character's death in No Time to Die. With a new Bond actor yet to be chosen, casting announcements for the other beloved allies of the suave spy may be a ways off.
