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Last year, Bond fans received seismic news about the future of the classic British spy franchise: Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson—the children of Albert R. “Cubby” Broccoli, the legendary producer of the original James Bond films—who have overseen the series since the ’90s, ceded creative control to Amazon Studios. (The streamer bought MGM, the studio which produces the Bond movies, back in 2022, but has now reportedly shelled out an additional $1 billion for the right to freely develop this particular cinematic universe on its own terms.)
Then, a few months later, it emerged that Denis Villeneuve, the Oscar-nominated helmer of the Dune franchise, would be in the director’s chair. After that, we got some more intel, thanks to a report in Deadline. Per sources, Villeneuve “will embark on the search [for an actor] next year [2026] when he completes production on Dune: Part Three.” He’s apparently after “a fresh face,” ideally “an unknown,” possibly “in his late 20s or early 30s.”
And yes, his—the new Bond will, reportedly, be male and someone who is “from the British isles.” This, naturally, rules out the likes of Timothée Chalamet and Jacob Elordi on account of their nationality; Lashana Lynch, on account of being a woman; and the slightly older Tom Hardy, Idris Elba, Henry Cavill, Jamie Dornan, James Norton, Tom Hiddleston, Theo James, and so on, too, in theory.
The new Bond could, however, be non-white. The publication’s sources admitted it was possible, with the main questions being: “Are they right for Bond? Are they right for the story that Villeneuve [is] telling?” But, they insisted, “the casting process has not begun.” With the current timeline, a new Bond will be found in 2026, filming will take place in 2027, and the 26th 007 movie will be released in 2028.
Back in November 2022, Nowhere Boy’s Aaron Taylor-Johnson emerged as a frontrunner after impressing Barbara Broccoli during a top-secret screen test, but now, another name has hit the headlines: Dua Lipa’s soon-to-be husband, Callum Turner, who’s apparently tipped to succeed Daniel Craig, per the Daily Mail. If a final decision has yet to be made, though, it could all still be up for grabs.
To that end, browse all the current contenders for the role below.
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