James Bond author Anthony Horowitz says 007 should never have been killed in Daniel Craig's final film 'No Time To Die'

He told The Times newspaper: "I didn't do it because, first of all, I think it would be impertinent of me to kill a character that I hadn't created, and secondly Bond shouldn't die, Bond is for ever."

Horowitz explained how he debated asking "the estate for permission to kill Bond', but decided against it - and insisted producers shouldn't have made that call either.

He said: "I was sad they did. But it was their decision. I wouldn't have done it. But that's only because... I just think that Bond belongs to everybody."

When it comes to crossovers between his Bond books and the big screen blockbusters, the writer chooses to keep his work entirely separate.

He added: "I never refer to the films. I don't include information or even lines from the films."

He pointed to the uncertain future for the franchise, after Amazon bought MGM Holdings - the studio behind the Bond films - in March for almost $9 billion, while the Fleming estate only controls the book rights.

Asked who should follow Craig in the role, he pondered: "I don't know how they will have a new Bond since they killed him... And the ownership has changed.

"Will they go back to the beginning and start remaking 'From Russia with Love', 'Goldfinger', 'Dr No', as a television series?"

Meanwhile, producer Barbara Broccoli has admitted it will take a long time to choose Craig's successor.

She recently said: "It's a big decision. It's not just casting a role.

It's about a whole rethink about where we're going."