The future of the James Bond franchise remains shrouded in mystery following Amazon's acquisition of full creative control over 007. Speculation is rife about who will step into the iconic role next, but a recent report from The Mail on Sunday has shed some light on the character's direction. According to the report, an internal Amazon memo confirmed that James Bond will continue to be portrayed as a British or Commonwealth man, ruling out potential candidates like Ryan Gosling.
This news is likely to be welcomed by former Bond actor Pierce Brosnan, who played the suave spy in four films from 1995 to 2002. In a recent interview with The Telegraph, Brosnan emphasized the importance of Bond's British identity, stating, "it’s a given" that 007 should be British.
The Next James Bonds Who Never Played 007
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With the possibility of an actor from the Commonwealth taking on the role, Australian star Chris Hemsworth's previous interest in playing Bond has resurfaced. In a 2019 interview with Balance magazine, Hemsworth expressed enthusiasm about the role, saying, "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." However, he acknowledged that the decision is beyond his control and lies with Bond fans, producer Barbara Broccoli, and the entire Bond crew.
Following The Mail on Sunday's report, The Today Show Australia confidently stated, "It's a surety. He is in," referring to Hemsworth's potential casting.
Christopher Nolan expressed interest in directing a Bond film post-Tenet, but Broccoli's insistence on retaining final cut led to his rejection. Nolan went on to direct Oppenheimer, which was a commercial and critical success, grossing nearly $1 billion and winning multiple Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Director.
Amazon's control over Bond has not been universally welcomed. During a Reddit AMA, the director of Longlegs and The Monkey firmly rejected the idea of directing a Bond film, stating, "No, because f**k Jeff Bezos."
Fans are eager to learn who will next don the 007 mantle. While names like Tom Hardy, Idris Elba, James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, and Aaron Taylor-Johnson have been floated, Henry Cavill remains the fan-favorite.
AnswerSee ResultsVariety reported that Amazon cannot hire anyone for the Bond franchise until the closure of its deal with Broccoli and Wilson, expected later this year. The Wall Street Journal described the ongoing stalemate between the Broccoli family and Amazon as "ugly," leaving the future of Bond "on pause."Neither Amazon nor Eon Productions have issued a comment on the situation.
