I wouldn’t say “People seem to think”. That just refers to some clickbait which started the topic which was kept going by lazy online reporters and enraged message boards.
I’m sure that even despite the denial of EON articles about the next Bond being female will keep on being posted. That’s just life in the internet age.
But I’m glad that EON spoke out officially now (I remember that BB already denied it previously but - hey, this is the internet age and the flood of information quickly steamrolls over any facts). And I LOVE their idea of casting a wider net, including the possibility of a Bond of color. Not (just) to stick it to those nationalist right wingers (already whining about it) but also because it reflects the reality of Great Britain today.