Sam Mendes believes he was ultimately responsible for James Bond being killed off in ‘No Time To Die’.

The 57-year-old director was at the helm of 2012 Bond film 'Skyfall' and explained that his decision to have the character of M die could have led to the titular spy being killed off in 'No Time to Die' after actor Daniel Craig had quit the role.

He told The Daily Mail: "You could say it was my fault because I killed M. That was the first moment in the series when an actual character acknowledged not only dying, but getting older in any way, rather than just being replaced by another actor. [Bond] talked a lot about ageing in Skyfall, and M dying and the changing of the guard."

While it is not yet known who will direct the next James Bond film, nor who will take on the coveted role that has so far been played by six actors - including the likes of Pierce Brosnan and Sean Connery - since the franchise began in 1962, he thinks that the character and the director will both "evolve" as the series progresses into the future and even believes it would be wonderful to see a woman in the part.

He said: "I think that the actor playing Bond is going to evolve, the director has to evolve. I think it would be wonderful to see a woman directing Bond. I think it would be wonderful,"

Meanwhile, Daniel - who played the role between 2006 and 2021 - recently admitted that he has no intention of going back to franchise because he wants to "move on."

He said: "I don't want to go back. I suppose I should be lucky if they were to ask me back, but the fact is I need to move on from it. The sacrifice that he makes in the movie was for love and there's no greater sacrifice. So it seemed like a good thing to end on... I'm very, very fortunate as an actor to have got to a stage in my career where I can now go, 'You know what? I'm gonna pick and choose.'"