James Bond producer Amy Pascal has dropped a little more intel on what we can expect from the actor who will replace Daniel Craig in the iconic spy franchise.
Since Craig handed in his license to kill following 2021’s No Time to Die – his fifth outing as the suave MI6 operative – it has become a national pastime to debate who the next actor will be to take on the part, following in the footsteps of Sir Sean Connery, Sir Roger Moore and Pierce Brosnan too.
But after nearly five years of rumours and thwarted reports – we all thought we had Aaron Taylor-Johnson confirmed in March 2024 for a second there – we are still in the dark over who the next Bond will be.
However, Pascal – who was confirmed to be taking the reins on the much-loved film series alongside Harry Potter producer David Heyman after Amazon MGM Studios bought full creative control off longtime producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G Wilson in February 2025 – has now offered a couple of breadcrumbs.
When asked about an update on the timeline for Bond and any casting announcement, the Spider-Man producer told Deadline: ‘I would say the end of the year is a good bet. We are being really, really methodical.’
As to what they were looking for in the chosen actor, she added: ‘Having worked with Barbara Broccoli at the studio – I mean, Daniel Craig is a hard act to follow. And it’s got to be something really different that is a stirring and exciting and different.’
In June of last year, Dune filmmaker Denis Villeneuve was unveiled as the person who would be helming Bond 26, which will be written by Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight.
Broccoli later threw her support behind Villeneuve, telling critic Mark Kermode on the Kermode on Film podcast: ‘He’s a fantastic filmmaker, I’m thrilled he’s going to be doing it.’
Villeneuve, who is currently busy putting the final touches on Dune: Part Three ahead of its December release, also called the franchise ‘sacred territory’ as a ‘die-hard’ Bond fan himself.
‘I intend to honour the tradition and open the path for many new missions to come,’ he reassured his fellow fans. ‘This is a massive responsibility, but also incredibly exciting for me and a huge honour.’
It was previously reported by Deadline that the next round of Bond auditions was set to take place in August, with sources claiming that 5-7 actors are still in the frame, while others said it could stretch up to the teens.
Casting director Nina Gold was also said to have been meeting with actors prior to this, with insiders claiming these meetings were for ‘lesser-known names to see if anyone should be added to the list of prominent actors expected to get a call for the next round’.
One of these actors, according to Variety, was 26-year-old British theatre star Tom Francis, best known for appearing opposite Nicole Scherzinger in Jamie Lloyd’s revival of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Sunset Boulevard, for which he won an Olivier Award and was nominated for a Tony.
While no names in contention have been confirmed, there have been ongoing murmurings around the likes of Callum Turner, Jacob Elordi and Louis Patridge, who at just 23 would be the youngest ever Bond.
Latest James Bond odds
Callum Turner – 6/4
Aaron Taylor-Johnson – 6/1
Harris Dickinson – 6/1
Jack Lowden – 6/1
Leo Suter – 10/1
(Provided by Ladbrokes)
Speakng to Metro in June for the release of Enola Holmes 3, Patridge kept his cards close to his chest about 007 rumours, responding: ‘I don’t know what direction they want to take with it, but I think James Bond is awesome and I think every man wants to play James Bond. And if they say they don’t, they’re lying! But we shall see, on that front.’
Given the early pre-production stages that Bond is still in, fans are now bracing themselves to wait until at least 2028 to see the next film.