The James Bond rumor mill continues to churn following the shocking news that Amazon has taken full creative control of the 007 franchise. The identity of the next actor to step into the iconic role remains a mystery, but recent reports have shed some light on the direction Amazon plans to take with the character.
According to the Mail on Sunday, Amazon has circulated an internal memo stating that James Bond will remain a man and will continue to be British or from the Commonwealth. This decision rules out actors like Ryan Gosling, who had been speculated as potential candidates. This news will likely be welcomed by Irish actor Pierce Brosnan, who portrayed Bond in the films GoldenEye, Tomorrow Never Dies, The World Is Not Enough, and Die Another Day from 1995 to 2002. Brosnan expressed his belief that Bond should be British, telling The Telegraph, "it's a given."
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With the door open for actors from the Commonwealth, Australian actor Chris Hemsworth, who has previously expressed interest in the role, remains a strong contender. In a 2019 interview with Balance magazine, Hemsworth reflected on his performance as British Formula One driver James Hunt in the film Rush, stating, "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."
Hemsworth acknowledged the complexity of landing the role, adding, "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."
Following the Mail on Sunday's report, Hemsworth's comments have resurfaced, and the Today Show Australia has confidently declared, "It's a surety. He is in."
There is some concern about the future of the James Bond franchise following Amazon's acquisition and the stepping back of long-term producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson. Amid speculation that Amazon might opt for a Bond TV series, Variety reported that a new Bond film remains the "top priority." Amazon's first step will allegedly be to find a new producer for the franchise, with David Heyman, known for his work on the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts series, being the type of producer they are looking for.
Christopher Nolan reportedly expressed interest in directing a Bond movie after Tenet, but Broccoli insisted that no director would have "final cut" while she was in charge, leading to Nolan's departure to direct Oppenheimer, which was a massive success, grossing nearly $1 billion and winning several 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 be open to directing a Bond movie, the director of Longlegs and The Monkey responded emphatically, "No, because f**k Jeff Bezos."
Fans are eager to find out who will play the next Bond. While names like Tom Hardy, Idris Elba, James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, and Aaron Taylor-Johnson have been mentioned, the clear fan-favorite is Henry Cavill, known for his roles in Superman and The Witcher.
AnswerSee ResultsAccording to Variety, Amazon cannot hire anyone for Bond until the closure of its deal with Broccoli and Wilson, expected sometime this year. This follows reports of an "ugly" stalemate between the Broccoli family and Amazon, leaving the future of the James Bond franchise "on pause." The Wall Street Journal reported that the behind-the-scenes battle between Barbara Broccoli, who had creative control over the franchise, and Amazon, which acquired the rights to release Bond movies after buying Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer for $8.45 billion in 2021, has left Bond "trapped."
Amazon and Eon have yet to issue a comment on the matter.
