The speculation surrounding the future of James Bond continues to swirl following Amazon's acquisition of full creative control over the iconic spy franchise. Despite the buzz, the identity of the next actor to don the tuxedo remains a mystery. However, recent reports suggest that James Bond will continue to be portrayed as a man, and he will remain British or from the Commonwealth, effectively ruling out actors like Ryan Gosling.
According to The Mail on Sunday, Amazon has circulated an internal memo ensuring that the character's gender and nationality will not change during their stewardship. This news is likely to be welcomed by former Bond actor Pierce Brosnan, who portrayed the suave spy in films such as GoldenEye, Tomorrow Never Dies, The World Is Not Enough, and Die Another Day from 1995 to 2002. In a statement to The Telegraph, Brosnan affirmed, "it's a given" that Bond should be British.
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The possibility of an actor from the Commonwealth playing Bond opens the door for Australian star Chris Hemsworth, who has previously expressed interest in the role. In a 2019 interview with Balance magazine, after his portrayal of British Formula One driver James Hunt in Rush, Hemsworth remarked, “When we were shooting Rush, someone had said that and I thought, ‘Cool, if this is my audition tape, then great.’ I don’t think you’ll ever meet anyone who doesn’t want to have a crack at James Bond. I’d love to do it.”
He added, “But that’s up to so many elements and is way beyond myself; it’s not one you can pitch yourself on to either. It’s something that the community of Bond fans, Barbara Broccoli and the whole crew there agree on, and it has to be a very organic decision from them. There have been a lot of names thrown out there and a lot of brilliant people can tackle that one.” Hemsworth's comments have resurfaced following The Mail on Sunday's report and speculation that a Commonwealth actor could take on the role. The Today Show Australia even went so far as to declare, "It's a surety. He is in."
Could Chris Hemsworth play Bond? Photo by Tuane Fernandes/picture alliance via Getty Images.
Concerns loom over the future of the James Bond franchise in the wake of Amazon's acquisition and the stepping back of long-term producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G Wilson. Amid rumors of a potential Bond TV series, Variety reported that a new Bond film remains the "top priority." Amazon's next move is reportedly to find a producer for the franchise, with David Heyman, known for his work on the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts series, mentioned as a potential fit.
Christopher Nolan had reportedly "expressed interest" in directing a Bond film after Tenet, but Broccoli allegedly insisted no director would have "final cut" while she was in charge, leading Nolan to decline and subsequently direct Oppenheimer, which grossed nearly $1 billion worldwide and won multiple Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Director.
Amazon's control over Bond has not been universally welcomed. When asked during a Reddit AMA if he would consider directing a Bond movie, the director of Longlegs and The Monkey responded emphatically, "No, because f**k Jeff Bezos."
Fans eagerly await news on who will be the next James Bond. While some advocate for actors such as Tom Hardy, Idris Elba, James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, and Aaron Taylor-Johnson—who was previously rumored to be a top contender—the clear fan-favorite is Henry Cavill, known for his roles as Superman and in The Witcher.
AnswerSee ResultsVariety reports that Amazon cannot hire anyone for Bond-related roles until the closure of its deal with Broccoli and Wilson, expected later this year. This news follows a report describing the future of the franchise as "on pause" amid an "ugly" stalemate between the Broccoli family and Amazon. The Wall Street Journal highlighted the behind-the-scenes battle between Barbara Broccoli, who had maintained creative control over Bond and the casting decisions, and Amazon, which acquired the rights to release Bond movies after purchasing Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in a $8.45 billion deal in 2021, leaving the franchise "trapped."
Neither Amazon nor Eon Productions has issued a comment on the ongoing situation.
