Now that Amazon MGM Studios has their next Bond director in Denis Villeneuve, what about their next Bond star? Variety reports that new producers Amy Pascal and David Heyman want a British actor under the age of 30, with three names at the top of their list.
READ MORE: Denis Villeneuve Will Only Direct One Bond Film & Doesn’t Have Final Cut
So who does Amazon MGM have their eye on? The names aren’t surprising, a who’s who of young Hollywood: Jacob Elordi, Tom Holland, and Harris Dickinson. Nitpickers will notice that Elordi is Australian, not British, but that likely won’t be an issue. Bond aficionados know that Australian George Lazenby played 007 in “On His Majesty’s Secret Service.”
But where does this leave rumored actors for the open Bond role like Aaron Taylor-Johnson? He’s 35, so a little older than Pascal and Heyman’s prerequisites. And Henry Cavill is even older at 42, with long-rumored name Idris Elba oldest at 52. It appears those three names and other that have circulated over the years won’t be considered, as Amazon MGM wants someone young enough to mainstay the franchise for a long time.
But back to the current top three choices: do any of those guys actually have the Bond aura? Not really, but Dickinson would likely pull it off the best out of those choices. If Amazon MGM were to push their age criteria up, say, five years, then the eligible actor pool gets much more exciting. Taylor-Johnson rejoins, of course. But what about his “28 Years Later” co-star Jack O’Connell? Or a name this writer doesn’t see promoted enough, James Norton? Those two may not have the A-list credentials of a Tom Holland, but they match the part much better than Holland ever will.
Amazon MGM eyes a 2028 theatrical release for Bond 26, so the studio and Villeneuve will need to make their choice by the end of next year. Plenty of time to make the right choice (and maybe widen their search a little bit more). Up next on the Bond agenda? Finding a new writer, as Pascal and Heyman want to move on from longtime 007 writers Neal Purvis and Robert Wade. The new producers already have a shortlist of writers, including Jonathan Nolan, who also made the shortlist of Bond directors. But Variety reports that despite a good relationship with Amazon MGM, Nolan may not be available, so don’t expect his name in the credits.
