Ana de Armas Hints at Paloma Spin-Off
In a universe of shaken martinis and double-crosses, Ana de Armas may have just slipped the Bond franchise its most intriguing idea in years, and she did it with the throwaway ease of someone lighting a cigarette before detonating a car.
While promoting her latest action outing Ballerina at CinemaCon, the Cuban star was asked about the future of James Bond and whether the role should be passed on to a woman. Her response? Not quite what the woke hopefuls might have expected, and all the more interesting for it.
“Why don’t we have more movies about Paloma?” she asked, referencing her crowd-favourite role from No Time To Die. “Let James be James and John Wick be John Wick. We’ll do our thing.”
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Bond, but Not as You Know It
In a few short words, de Armas offered a creative grenade lobbed gently into the heart of the franchise debate. Forget gender-swapping Bond. Why not build outward instead of rewriting from within?
Paloma, who stormed into No Time To Die in a silk gown and heels, and left a trail of spent bullet casings and stunned audiences behind her. She was everything a modern Bond character should be: charismatic, cool-headed, and competent enough to make MI6’s finest look slightly underprepared.
Unlike the decorative Bond girls of old, Paloma wasn’t there to be rescued or romanced, unfortunately. She had her own mission, her own rhythm, and crucially, her own sense of humour. In her brief screen time, she felt like a fully formed agent who’d simply wandered into Bond’s movie by accident, and dare we say it: stole the scene on her way out.
In such a short time, she has become one of the most famous characters from the Daniel Craig era, so why not give her a movie of her own?
The Spirit of the Franchise, Reinvented
“When you get a woman fighting, you’ll be surprised the things she can pull off,” de Armas added, a line that lands less like a boast and more like a challenge. She’s not asking to inherit Bond’s tuxedo, she’s inviting Amazon MGM to finally embrace the other stories, and after being spotted in London with Tom Cruise, who knows Paloma may cross paths with Ethan Hunt.
With Ballerina, a John Wick spin-off arriving soon, de Armas is already proving she can lead a high-octane franchise of her own. But Paloma offers something different: the chance to explore the Bond universe without the weight of continuity or legacy expectations. An international thriller with Cuban flair, cocktails, and chaos.
And in an era where studios are scrambling to expand cinematic universes, this is one that already has its audience. No origin story needed. No gender politics to fight over, thankfully. Just a character with an unfinished story and a fanbase ready to follow her down the next corridor with a silencer in hand.
Let James Be James—But Let Paloma Run Wild
Ana de Armas’ comments also came in light of recent remarks from Dame Helen Mirren, who criticised the Bond franchise for being “drenched and born out of profound sexism.” While Mirren’s critique certainly resonates with many, de Armas’ response struck a more constructive tone, one that preserves what works while quietly transforming what doesn’t.
“I’m sure that Barbara Broccoli and Robert Wilson made the best decision for James Bond,” de Armas said of Amazon’s acquisition of the franchise. “Whatever happens, that can go anywhere.”
And perhaps that “anywhere” begins with Paloma. After all, who says Bond should always be the centre of the frame? Sometimes the most exciting stories are happening just out of shot—heels clicking, pistols cocked, dress unruffled, bring it on.
