Anthony Horowitz is convinced movie bosses made a huge "mistake" by killing off James Bond

Horowitz told Radio Times magazine: "[There's] one major issue ... The last time we saw Bond he was poisoned and blown to smithereens - how will they get past the fact he is dead with a capital D?

"I think that was a mistake, because Bond is a legend. He belongs to everybody, he is eternal - except in that film.

"If I was asked tomorrow to write the script, I wouldn't be able to do it. Where would you start? You can't have him waking up in the shower and saying it was all a dream."

Horowitz - who published three Bond novels between 2015 and 2022 - also revealed he's never been asked to write a screenplay for any of the movies but wouldn't want the job anyway.

He added: "[I've] never been asked, never really wanted to ... You need a thick skin for that business [the movie business]. I'm probably happier out of it."

Daniel Craig stepped down from the role of James Bond after his fifth film No Time To Die in 2021 and the franchise's long-time producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson also walked away - handing over control of the franchise to Amazon MGM Studios.

The new Bond bosses are busy working on the next film - hiring Dune director Denis Villeneuve to helm the picture with Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight in charge of the script.

The hunt for a new actor to play the superspy is underway and Callum Turner recently emerged as a surprise frontrunner to replace Craig.

The actor known for his role in Fantastic Beasts, now sits just behind long-time favourite for the role Aaron Taylor-Johnson, 34, whose odds stand at 8/11. Bookmakers slashed odds on 35-year-old Callum taking the 007 role following a recent of bets.

Henry Cavill, 41, and Theo James, 40, remain in contention, but Coral bookmakers confirmed Callum's odds have shortened significantly.

John Hill, a spokesperson for Coral, said: "Callum Turner has been extremely popular in our James Bond betting over the weekend, forcing us to slash his odds to replace Daniel Craig.

"With Turner being backed, and [his pop star fiancee] Dua Lipa odds-on to play the soundtrack for the next Bond movie, the power couple could be the future of the franchise."