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Where successful nan world is nan adjacent James Bond? Apologies to Batman fans (I emotion Batman), but nan adjacent character to play 007 is presently nan biggest casting determination successful Hollywood. Whoever wins nan coveted domiciled skyrockets to nan A-list.
Here’s what we cognize truthful acold astir Bond 26.Amazon MGM Studios now has afloat imaginative power complete 007. Oscar nominee Denis Villeneuve will direct, while Amy Pascal and David Heyman will produce. We besides cognize that Daniel Craig has sipped his past martini arsenic Bond.
The franchise needs personification to play nan intelligence serviceman pinch a licence to kill. Who should that be? As a monolithic James Bond fan, I person a fewer suggestions. Before getting into my preferences, location are immoderate reports arsenic to what Villeneuve and Amazon want.
Denis Villeneuve’s rumored criteria for Bond
MGMIf Villeneuve gets his way, he wants to formed an unknown. Last month, Deadline revealed Villeneuve’s preferences for 007. “James Bond will beryllium male, arsenic written by creator Ian Fleming, and importantly, will beryllium an character who hails from nan British Isles,” Deadline’s article reads.
If true, that rules retired immoderate American who mightiness person been nether consideration. Austin Butler has nan looks to beryllium Bond, but nan Elvis actor antecedently said it’s “sacrilegious” for an American to picture nan concealed agent. The aforesaid tin beryllium said for Glen Powell, who besides took his sanction retired of nan running. Sorry, Timothée Chalamet, you can’t beryllium Villeneuve’s Bond.
If Villeneuve wants a Brit, that rules retired Jacob Elordi, 1 of Hollywood’s brightest young stars, who hails from Australia. George Lazenby is an Australian who erstwhile played Bond, truthful location is precedent for an character from nan “Land Down Under” portraying nan character.
Villeneuve reportedly has immoderate much specifications. The Dune director allegedly wants a “fresh face” to play nan iconic character. According to Deadline, “Those successful nan cognize show america nan perfect attack is to formed an unknown, perchance successful his precocious 20s aliases early 30s.”
Let’s break that into 2 sections. How chartless is Villeneuve consenting to go? Daniel Craig was comparatively chartless to mainstream audiences astatine nan clip of his casting. Craig made his sanction connected shape and successful independent films earlier starring successful Casino Royale.
Tom Holland, Paul Mescal, Harris Dickinson, Regé-Jean Page, Joe Alwyn, and Dev Patel are well-known actors and truthful eliminated from contention.
Add successful nan property specifications, and that besides eliminates Tom Hardy, Henry Cavill, Idris Elba, Tom Hiddleston, and Theo James. Aaron Taylor-Johnson, who has been nan favourite connected galore likelihood lists for years, is 35 pinch recognition. Sorry, Kraven, but you can’t play Bond now either.
Amazon wants stars
Gage Skidmore / FlickrVilleneuve mightiness person his preference, but Amazon will person nan last opportunity pinch casting decisions. After paying nan Broccolis astir $1 cardinal for imaginative control, you amended judge they are going to beryllium hands-on during nan Bond casting process.
This is Amazon’s first movie successful complaint of Bond. The unit is on, and they must present a hit. Therefore, they reportedly want a young prima to beryllium nan adjacent 007. In July, Variety reported that Elordi, Holland, and Dickinson were astatine nan apical of Amazon’s wishlist for Bond.
Elordi, 28, first became celebrated pinch teens successful The Kissing Booth franchise. The Australian past parlayed that occurrence into Euphoria, 1 of HBO’s biggest shows. Instead of jumping into nan superhero universe, Elordi has opted for melodramatic roles successful movies by auteurs and Oscar winners. Elordi is group to play nan Creature successful Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein and Heathcliff successful Emerald Fennell’s Wuthering Heights.
If Amazon wants popularity, it’s difficult to hit Holland’s prima power. The 29-year-old is beloved for playing Spider-Man successful nan Marvel Cinematic Universe. In July 2026, Holland will look successful 2 movies wrong nan span of 14 days: Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer and Spider-Man: Brand New Day.
Dickinson is simply a rising prima acknowledgment to caller turns successful The Iron Claw and Babygirl. Like Elordi, Dickinson has stayed retired of nan superhero spandex for now. Instead, Dickinson won nan coveted domiciled of John Lennon successful Sam Mendes’ four-part biopic of nan Beatles.
From Amazon’s perspective, each 3 names for Bond make sense. Amazon has to commencement its Bond era disconnected connected nan correct foot. Casting an chartless is risky because of a deficiency of a narration pinch nan star. Cast Elordi aliases Holland arsenic Bond, and this already-popular movie characteristic gets injected pinch rocket fuel. Even Dickinson will beryllium a bigger prima earlier Bond 26 hits theaters, acknowledgment to nan Beatles’ movies. As for who gets nan job, I person a fewer ideas.
My picks to play James Bond
HBOI want an “actor” to play James Bond. What do I mean by that? I liken it to really nan Broccolis picked Craig to beryllium 007. Craig could bring a caller emotionality to Bond because of his inheritance arsenic a classically trained performer. The action leader would travel later, but I’d alternatively person it that way. I’d alternatively mold a thespian into an action prima than nan different measurement around.
Harry Lawtey is 1 of nan names I would beryllium circling if I were Amazon. Lawtey is champion known for playing Robert Spearing successful Industry. In a show afloat of backstabbing monsters, Robert mightiness beryllium nan only characteristic pinch a civilized compass. Lawtey has showcased that he’s comfortable playing nan cocky lothario conscionable arsenic overmuch arsenic nan wounded soul.
Joker: Folie à Deux was a disaster, but Lawtey won maine complete arsenic nan assured and cunning Harvey Dent. Lawtey looks bully successful a suit. It’s undeniable. It sounds silly, but to play Bond, appearances matter.
At 28, Amazon is catching Lawtey astatine nan correct time. Lawtey is known successful smaller circles, but he’s still a domiciled aliases 2 distant from existent stardom. Lawtey is location successful betwixt an chartless performer and an established star. It’s a discuss betwixt Villeneuve and Amazon.
Aaron Pierre was precocious connected my database aft Rebel Ridge. If Amazon wants a stoic Bond pinch size and strength, look nary further than Pierre. To his credit, Pierre has parlayed his Rebel Ridge success into respective high-profile roles. Pierre will look successful nan 4th play of The Morning Show. Next year, Pierre will prima alongside Kyle Chandler successful DC’s Lanterns. In 2027, Pierre snagged a domiciled successful Star Wars: Starfighter.
If audiences don’t cognize who Pierre is now, they will by 2027. He’s 31 correct now, truthful by nan clip Bond 26 hits theaters, he’ll apt beryllium 34. That’s not a dealbreaker, but it is thing to monitor. Still, Pierre has nan chops and gravitas to lead an action franchise.
Slow Horses’ Jack Lowden tops my database of prospects successful their mid-30s if Amazon is considering an older Bond.After F1, Damson Idris finds himself connected that aforesaid list. If nan workplace wants a younger actor, House of Guinness’ Louis Partridge, 22, looks nan part. My acheronian equine prime is House of nan Dragon’s Fabien Frankel, who presently plays a Philadelphia bull connected Task.
Who wins out?
Eon Productions / Eon ProductionsI can’t accent this enough. Amazon has to get this right. They paired established producers successful Pascal and Heyman pinch an esteemed filmmaker for illustration Villeneuve to nutrient a hit. There are nary do-overs if Bond 26 fails.
I judge Amazon will push difficult for Elordi, Holland, and Dickinson to play Bond earlier yet settling connected an character beneath that tier of prima power. Whoever gets nan role, cognize this: Their life is astir to change.
