Daniel Craig’s time as James Bond ended with No Time to Die in 2021, and the franchise now needs a new 007. While Amazon MGM Studios is still searching for the actor who will inherit the iconic role from Craig, director Denis Villeneuve (Dune) has responded to questions about who the next Bond might be.
Villeneuve is leading the 26th Bond movie, commonly referred to as Bond 26, with Steven Knight (Peaky Blinders) writing the screenplay.
Several actors have been linked to the role, with Jack Lowden (Slow Horses), Callum Turner (Eternity), and Josh O’Connor (Disclosure Day) said to have screen-tested in London. However, an anonymous source told The Daily Mail (via The Independent) that O’Connor had withdrawn from consideration. That claim has not been confirmed by O’Connor or Amazon MGM.
Robert Pattinson (The Batman) and Nicholas Hoult (Superman, 2025) were also recently reported to have screen-tested for the role of Bond, according to Variety, adding even more contenders to the race.
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Denis Villeneuve Addresses James Bond Casting
While Denis Villeneuve did not reveal who the next Bond is, speaking to GQ at a special screening and conversation at the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art in Los Angeles, the filmmaker acknowledged the pressure of following Daniel Craig’s era. “We cannot f**k it up. We do not have the choice,” he said.
Villeneuve was then asked whether the next Bond had already been chosen. “It’s—it’s in the process. In the process,” he replied. “I am pushing the gas.”
GQ also put him on the spot with a playful question: blink once for Pattinson, twice for Turner. Villeneuve did not blink, offering no clue about which actor leading the race might actually be. Could his refusal to play along secretly suggest that neither has landed the part? Only time will tell? Only time will tell (which sounds like a great name for the next Bond movie).
In terms of an official casting reveal window, one of the film’s producers, Amy Pascal (Spider-Man: Brand New Day), has indicated that fans may not have to wait much longer. Speaking to Deadline in August, she said “the end of the year is a good bet” for an announcement.
Who would you like to see become the next James Bond? Let us know in the comments!
