NICOLA DOVE | MGM
The name isn’t James Bond. At least, not anymore. While Daniel Craig will star as the stunning special agent one last time in “No Time To Die” on Oct. 8, “Captain Marvel” star Lashana Lynch will take over for him as the new 007. With MI6 going to the girls, now’s a good time to look back at all of the women who showed the guys how espionage is really done.
You can’t talk about female spies without mentioning “Charlie’s Angels.” Whether it was Jaclyn Smith in the original series, Cameron Diaz in the 2000 movie or Kristen Stewart in the recent remake, these ladies pack quite a punch. But not as much as Scarlett Johansson, who has taken on Korean gangsters in “Lucy” and teamed up with the Avengers as Black Widow. Hayley Atwell foils the Soviet Union's plans during the early days of the MCU as “Agent Carter,” and Jennifer Garner shows that she can juggle multiple identities in “Alias.”
Meanwhile, Angelina Jolie always gets her own fill of spy action, whether she’s uncovering a murder conspiracy in “Salt” or playing opposite her former husband in “Mr. & Mrs. Smith.” Charlize Theron, Jennifer Lawrence and Gina Carano take on a more serious edge with brutal thrillers like “Atomic Blonde,” “Red Sparrow” and “Haywire.” But not all spies are as lethal, with Anne Hathaway, Melissa McCarthy and Mila Kunis bringing on the laughs in comedies like “Get Smart,” “Spy” and “The Spy Who Dumped Me.” Whoever they are, these female agents prove that they’re more than just a pretty face.