2021’s No Time to Die was a very conclusive final adventure for Daniel Craig’s James Bond. The actor successfully redefined what 007 could be in the modern era, delivering a killer performance, ambitious action scenes and a ridiculous amount of style and panache. Ever since his Bond went up in smoke, fans have been eagerly anticipating who’ll next slide into the tuxedo.
The rumor mill has been busily spitting out names apparently under consideration, with front-runners including Henry Cavill, Tom Hardy, Idris Elba, Jack O’Connell, Harry Styles and Regé-Jean Page. It seems this is all just speculation, as according to producer Barbara Broccoli, casting hasn’t even started after she was questioned by LADBible on the BAFTAs red carpet.
“No, we haven’t even started casting yet. There isn’t even a script.”
Our take is that they’re likely to go for a younger actor. Craig was 38 when he made Casino Royale and 51 when making No Time to Die, with his character arc focusing on his age and the toil his action-packed job takes on his body. The Bond producers will presumably want to lock in someone for at least four movies and the stately pace of the franchise’s development means they’re looking for a 15-year commitment.
We suspect they won’t want to retread the same story as the last Bond, so perhaps we’ll see them mimic the classic Connery formula and cast an actor in their early 30s. Either way, it’s looking like an announcement is a long way away yet, though as always…
James Bond will return.