Now that Denis Villeneuve is onboard to direct Bond 26, the next order of business is finding the next actor to play 007. Amazon reportedly already has a wishlist in mind. According to Variety, the studio is said to be targeting “a British actor under the age of 30” for the role. Currently, the likes of Tom Holland, Harris Dickinson, and Jacob Elordi lead Amazon’s list of possible candidates. Elordi is an Australian actor, but that clearly is not a hindrance; Variety notes that George Lazenby, who is Australian, headlined On Her Majesty’s Secret Service. It’s also important to note that Amazon has not met with any actors yet, so no offers have been made to anyone at this time.
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Because of the “under 30” cutoff point, Variety suggests that several fan-favorite Bond casting choices — such as Idris Elba, Henry Cavill, and Aaron Taylor-Johnson — are out of the running. There’s no indication as to when the new Bond will be cast, though Amazon hopes to release the next film by 2028.
Earlier this week, Villeneuve was announced as the director of Bond 26. His hiring was the first significant development on the film since Amazon assumed creative control of the franchise as a result of their new joint venture with former Bond producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson. Prior to Villeneuve joining the project, Amazon was said to be considering Edgar Wright, Edward Berger, Jonathan Nolan, and Paul King.
Bond 26 is set to be produced by Amy Pascal and David Heyman. Both filmmakers have plenty of experience working with blockbuster franchises. The former has been involved with Sony’s Spider-Man series, while the latter has spearheaded the Harry Potter movies at Warner Bros.
The next Bond film is obviously kicking off a new era for the franchise, so it’s understandable why Amazon is looking for a leading man on the younger side. Ideally, the next 007 actor will play the role for an extended period of time. For example, Daniel Craig’s tenure lasted for five films released between 2006-2021. Amazon probably wants to lock someone in for the next 10-15 years, and given the physical demands of the character, someone under the age of 30 would be able to provide that longevity. It’ll also be interesting to see if the Bond 26 story is influenced by having a star in his 20s. Perhaps the film will depict a younger Bond establishing himself as a 00 agent early in his espionage career.
Just because Holland, Elordi, and Dickinson are at the top of Amazon’s list does not mean these are the final three candidates for the gig. There’s a difference between being on a studio’s wishlist and actually being in the running. Until further notice, Holland still has a spot in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Spider-Man, which could prevent him from taking on another big tentpole role. Elordi and Dickinson are rising stars in the industry who will surely have plenty of offers come across their desks. If anything, Amazon’s initial shortlist gives fans an idea of the type of actor the studio is looking for, and it’ll be interesting to see when an official announcement is made.
