Who will be the seventh James Bond?
The question has been inspiring fevered guesswork since No Time to Die was released in 2021, marking Daniel Craig’s final appearance as the British Secret Service agent. However, one thing has become clear in recent days: Jeff Bezos will be the 007 kingmaker.
Amazon MGM Studios has gained full creative control over the James Bond franchise following an agreement long-time James Bond producers Michael Wilson and Barbara Broccoli. The duo said they wanted to step back from the franchise to focus on other projects.
Bezos posted about it on X. “Who’d you pick as the next Bond?” The Amazon founder wrote. A flurry of comments immediately followed, showing the debate for the next Bond is as galvanised as ever.
Henry Cavill's name was a popular comment on Bezos's post, along with Sam Heughan and Tom Hardy. Here we round-up 11 actors who could take on the role of cinema’s most enduring spy.
Aaron Taylor-Johnson
Aaron Taylor-Johnson has been touted as a forerunner for a role for the past year.
The actor has been a big screen favourite for the past few years, appearing in blockbusters, such as Avengers: Age of Ultron and Bullet Train. He also recently starred in The Fall Guy, Nosferatu and Kraven the Hunter.
Rege-Jean Page
Although the British-Zimbabwean actor, 37, cut his teeth in theatre, his turn as the Duke of Hastings in Netflix’s Bridgerton caught the world’s attention. Page shot to the top of many Bond wish lists, and appeared opposite Chris Pine in the 2023 Dungeons & Dragons film.
Tom Hardy
Long considered the frontrunner as Craig’s successor, as time goes on, it looks less likely the actor will make the cut, and not only because of his age.
According to IMDb, Hardy, 47, has at least five projects in the pipeline, including a Mad Max title, making him a pretty busy guy.
Sam Heughan
The Outlander star, 44, appeared in the action thriller, Sas: Red Notice, in which he plays a member of the British special forces. With a legion of female fans, the 6’2 actor has already showed off his 007-ish chops in The Spy Who Dumped Me, plus, that Scottish accent has shades of a certain Sean Connery.
He says: "I think it’s an incredible franchise and a great character, so of course I would jump at it".
Dev Patel
The Oscar-nominated star broke out in the controversial UK TV show Skins and has since become a Hollywood favourite. At 34, he would be on the young side to play Bond, however, the younger the actor, the more films they can do. The actor has, however, expressed reservations about being a "tokenistic" Bond.
He says: "If it works for the story, and I feel like I can bring some truth out of this role or embody it well, then that's what it should come down to."
Tom Bateman
Currently better known as Star Wars actress Daisy Ridley’s other half, Bateman fully stepped into the spotlight with is role in Death on the Nile. His turn as the suave Dr David Ferguson in Netflix’s Behind Her Eyes opened fans' eyes to the possibility of him becoming Bond, plus he has a twin brother called Merlin who could serve as an instant body double.
He says: "I don't think there's an actor alive who would say no that role."
Henry Cavill
The Superman actor is an internet favourite for the role. Cavill has been vocal about how much he would love taking up the Bond mantle. He auditioned for the part when it went to Craig, revealing that Casino Royale director Martin Campbell told him, "Looking a little chubby there, Henry," during a scene in which he wore only a towel.
Following the pattern of past Bonds, it is likely that Amazon MGM Studios will look to produce a series of films with the same actor. Aged 41, Cavill may be considered to old to take on the role, although Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton and Pierce Brosnan were all aged 41 or older when they took on their first Bond role, and Moore was 57 when he retired his spy tux.
Charlie Hunnam
Another stalwart on the list alongside Hardy, the Sons of Anarchy actor’s name remains attached to the role despite his insistence he’s not that interested. His turn in Guy Ritchie’s gangster flick The Gentlemen allowed him to show off the cool-under-pressure British vibes the role of 007 requires.
He says: "I'm an enormous Tom Hardy fan, so I would love to see him as James Bond".
James Norton
The actor, 39, may not have yet achieved global stardom, but in his native UK, he’s the psychopath from Happy Valley. Also starring as Meg’s love interest, John Brooke, in Little Women, just like 007, Norton studied at Cambridge University.
He says: "I mean, as far as I’m concerned, I have not had a single conversation beyond like this. I had hoped Daniel Craig might do one or two more."
Riz Ahmed
Oscar nominated for Best Actor for Sound of Metal in 2021, British-Pakistani actor, Ahmed, 42, was the first Muslim to be nominated in that category. Having shown off his versatility in roles such as Rogue One and Venom, he’ll next be flexing his talents as the Prince of Denmark, Hamlet.
He says: "Any stretching the mould of what our traditional archetypes are appeals to me – so yes, those classic stories, be it a kind of superhero or James Bond."
Boyega
At 32, Boyega may be on the young side for the role, but he’s already proven his franchise stamina on Star Wars. He’s also shown an impressive breadth as an actor with his roles in Breaking and They Cloned Tyrone. While not as likely a candidate as some of the other actors on the list, he may just deliver an excellent Bond.
