• Amazon MGM Studios has officially confirmed the search for the next James Bond is underway
• Stage actor Tom Francis, 26, is the first performer confirmed to have auditioned for the role
• Casting director Nina Gold says the next Bond must “ooze sex appeal” and be young enough for multiple films
• Denis Villeneuve is directing from a script by Steven Knight, with producers Amy Pascal and David Heyman
• Other rumored contenders include Jacob Elordi, Callum Turner, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and Harris Dickinson

The next James Bond is out there somewhere — and Amazon MGM Studios has officially started looking. The studio confirmed this week that auditions for the iconic role are underway, and already, the first name attached to a screen test is turning heads. Not because he’s a household name. Because he isn’t one.

Tom Francis — a 26-year-old British stage actor best known for winning an Olivier Award for his performance opposite Nicole Scherzinger in Jamie Lloyd’s revival of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Sunset Boulevard — has auditioned for the role of 007, according to Variety. He’s described as “one of many performers jockeying for the part in a casting process that is ongoing.” He was also nominated for a Tony Award for the same production. On screen, he’s more of a newcomer — small appearances in Netflix’s Jay Kelly, You, and the upcoming The Mosquito Bowl make up the bulk of his film and TV résumé.

That relative anonymity, it turns out, might actually be the point.

What Amazon Is Actually Looking For

Amazon MGM landed casting director Nina Gold — whose credits include Game of Thrones and the Star Wars franchise — to lead the search, and she’s been refreshingly direct about the criteria. Speaking to Deadline, Gold said the actor chosen to play Bond has got to “ooze sex appeal” — alongside, you know, actually being able to act. Columnist Baz Bamigboye added that the successful candidate “should be young enough to play him in three or four, or more pictures.”

Francis checks both boxes on paper. At 26, he could anchor the franchise well into his late thirties or beyond. And as someone without a packed slate of existing commitments, he’d be available to take the role and run with it. Whether he has the screen presence to carry a Bond film is a different question — one Amazon is presumably in the process of answering.

The studio’s public statement on the whole thing was characteristically tight-lipped. “The search for the next James Bond is underway,” Amazon posted on X. “While we don’t plan to comment on specific details during the casting process, we’re excited to share more news with 007 fans as soon as the time is right.”

Not exactly a lot to work with. But given how long fans have been waiting — Daniel Craig’s farewell in 2021’s No Time to Die was nearly five years ago — even a vague confirmation feels like movement.

The Names Fans Keep Hearing

Francis may be the first audition on record, but he’s far from the only name in the conversation. For months, the Bond rumor mill has been churning out a familiar rotation of candidates: Euphoria‘s Jacob Elordi, Masters of the Air‘s Callum Turner, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Harris Dickinson, and Louis Partridge have all been floated as favorites. Further back in the speculation timeline, names like Idris Elba, Henry Cavill, and Cillian Murphy were all hotly discussed before the process had even formally begun.

The bookmakers have had their picks. The fan forums have had their arguments. But with Gold now running a proper search and auditions actually happening, it’s clear Amazon is casting a wide net — and may be perfectly happy to surprise everyone.

The Team Behind the Camera Is Already Impressive

Whoever lands the role will be working with a serious creative team. Denis Villeneuve — the French-Canadian director behind Arrival, Sicario, Blade Runner 2049, and the Dune saga — is attached to direct. The script comes from Steven Knight, the writer behind Peaky Blinders, Eastern Promises, and Dirty Pretty Things. Producers David Heyman and Amy Pascal round out the team, with Tanya Lapointe serving as executive producer.

That’s an extraordinary lineup for a franchise reboot. Villeneuve in particular brings a track record of making large-scale, visually ambitious films that also have genuine emotional weight — exactly what Bond needs after the Craig era raised the bar so dramatically.

The transition to Amazon hasn’t been without its anxieties, of course. The franchise spent more than six decades under the control of the Broccoli family through Eon Productions — a remarkable run of creative continuity that gave the series its identity. Barbara Broccoli’s decision to hand over control to Amazon MGM marked a genuine turning point, and plenty of Bond faithful have been watching closely to see whether the studio respects what made the franchise work or tries to reinvent it for algorithm-driven reasons.

The choice of Villeneuve and Knight suggests Amazon understands the assignment. The casting decision will tell us even more.

Even if an actor is locked in tomorrow, a release is still years away. Production, post, and a strategic release window in a crowded theatrical market means 2027 would be optimistic. But for the first time since Craig walked away, the machine is actually moving — and somewhere out there, the next man (or possibly woman, per Amazon’s statement) to say “Bond, James Bond” is probably in the middle of an audition right now.

The post The Next James Bond Search Is On — And the First Audition Is a Surprise appeared first on Cream.

• Tom Francis, 26, star of the Broadway and West End revival of Sunset Boulevard, has auditioned to play James Bond.
• The search for the next 007 is being overseen by casting director Nina Gold and is still ongoing.
• The new Bond film will be directed by Denis Villeneuve and produced by Amazon MGM Studios.
• Other names rumored for the role include Jacob Elordi, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and Callum Turner.
• A 2028 release is widely expected, though no date has been confirmed.

The search for the next James Bond just got its first confirmed name. Tom Francis — the 26-year-old British actor who became a genuine theatrical sensation in Jamie Lloyd’s revival of Sunset Boulevard — has auditioned to play 007 in Amazon MGM’s upcoming Bond film, according to Variety, which broke the news exclusively. Casting is being overseen by Nina Gold, and reps for both Francis and Amazon MGM had no comment.

He’s one of many performers in the running — but he’s the first whose audition has been confirmed — and already the internet is paying attention.

Who Is Tom Francis?

If you haven’t heard of Tom Francis yet, you’re about to. He’s primarily a stage star, and a decorated one at that — he won the Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical for his role as Joe Gillis in the West End production of Sunset Boulevard, then transferred with the show to Broadway, where he earned a Tony nomination. His performance of the title song — filmed as he walked through New York City’s theater district with cameras tracking his every step — became one of those rare theatrical moments that transcended the stage and turned into a genuine cultural event.

He also played Romeo in the West End’s production of & Juliet.

On screen, his resume is lean but growing. He had a small role in Noah Baumbach’s Jay Kelly — the George Clooney vehicle — and appeared in a recurring role as Clayton in the final season of Netflix’s You. Next up is The Mosquito Bowl, Peter Berg’s WWII football drama alongside Nicholas Galitzine, Bill Skarsgård, and Ray Nicholson.

In other words: the stage pedigree is undeniable. The screen resume is still being written. Which, for Bond, is either a liability or an opportunity depending on who you ask.

The Wider Race for 007

Francis isn’t alone in the mix. Several high-profile names have been swirling around the Bond conversation, though none have been officially confirmed as auditioning. Jacob Elordi — Oscar-nominated for Frankenstein and a household name from Euphoria — has been rumored. So has Aaron Taylor-Johnson, who took home a Golden Globe for Nocturnal Animals. Callum Turner, currently generating buzz for Eternity opposite Elizabeth Olsen, has also been floated. And Cosmo Jarvis, the breakout star of Alex Garland’s Warfare and fan favorite from Shōgun, was mentioned by an insider — though his rep was quick to shut it down: “Cosmo is not in the mix for the role of James Bond and is not auditioning for it.”

Casting director Nina Gold, for her part, has been clear about what she’s looking for. She told Deadline the next Bond has to “ooze sex appeal,” among other qualifications. Bond has almost always been played by a British actor, though the franchise has made exceptions — Pierce Brosnan is Irish, George Lazenby is Australian, and the very first actor to play Bond on screen, Barry Nelson, was American, in a 1950s TV adaptation of Casino Royale.

The new film will be directed by Denis Villeneuve, the filmmaker behind Dune and Dune: Part Two, which gives the project a scope and seriousness that has fans particularly invested in who steps into Daniel Craig’s shoes.

No release date has been set, but 2028 is the target that makes the most sense given where production stands. For now, Tom Francis — Olivier winner, Broadway star, relative newcomer to the screen — is the name attached to one of the most coveted roles in Hollywood. Whether he ends up shaken or stirred by the whole process, the audition alone is a story.

The post Tom Francis Auditions to Play the Next James Bond appeared first on Cream.

• Amazon MGM Studios has officially confirmed that auditions for the next James Bond are underway, with casting having begun in recent weeks.
• Veteran casting director Nina Gold — known for Game of Thrones, The Crown, and Hamnet — is leading the search.
• Gold says the new Bond must “ooze sex appeal,” and insiders say the studio wants someone young enough to commit to multiple films.
• Denis Villeneuve will direct the 26th Bond film, with Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight writing the script.
• Front-runners in the betting markets include Callum Turner, Jacob Elordi, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Harris Dickinson, and Henry Cavill.

The search for the next James Bond is real, it’s happening, and apparently the bar starts with sex appeal. Amazon MGM Studios confirmed this week that auditions for Daniel Craig’s successor as 007 are officially underway — and casting director Nina Gold, the woman now holding the keys to one of cinema’s most coveted roles, has made one thing very clear about what she’s looking for.

“He’s got to ooze sex appeal,” Gold told Deadline, adding that the obvious stuff — you know, actually being able to act — is a given. Gold’s deal with Amazon MGM has just been officially signed, though she’s been quietly keeping an eye out for potential heirs to Craig for quite a while.

Amazon MGM confirmed the news in a statement: “The search for the next James Bond is underway. While we don’t plan to comment on specific details during the casting process, we’re excited to share more news with 007 fans as soon as the time is right.”

Vague? Absolutely. But after years of rumor cycles and fan campaigns, the confirmation that auditions have actually been taking place over the past several weeks is the most concrete progress the franchise has made since Craig hung up his tuxedo with No Time to Die in 2021.

Why Nina Gold’s Hire Matters More Than It Might Seem

Gold isn’t just a name on a call sheet. She’s one of the most respected casting directors working — an Oscar nominee for her work on Hamnet, and the person behind the casting on Game of Thrones, The Crown, Baby Reindeer, Chernobyl, Slow Horses, Conclave, 1917, The Martian, and the entire Star Wars sequel trilogy. She’s cast well over 200 films and television series. This is not a studio going through the motions.

“She’s not there because Amazon can’t choose,” filmmaker Neil Chase told Newsweek. “But rather because this choice matters too much to get wrong. A casting director like Gold gives them room to look beyond the obvious names, while still pressure-testing the big contenders properly.”

Karl Hughes, a content specialist who has followed the franchise closely, put it another way: “Gold’s casting history leans toward actors who feel culturally inevitable after they’re chosen, rather than safe commercial picks beforehand. If Amazon wanted the least-risky option, they’d have already made the call.”

There’s also a telling precedent for how Gold works. She’s been spotted at multiple West End productions in London in recent weeks — catching first nights, scoping talent on stage. That’s exactly how Daniel Craig was originally discovered. Barbara Broccoli found Craig through a combination of his work in Matthew Vaughn’s 2004 film Layer Cake, his stage performance in David Rabe’s Hurlyburly at the Old Vic, and his work opposite Michael Gambon in Caryl Churchill’s A Number at the Royal Court Theatre. The lesson the Bond world took from that: the stage is where you find a Bond.

With that in mind, Gold is apparently already taking meetings and receiving suggestions. When asked at a recent Cannes dinner about a few stage names being floated her way, she reportedly joked that if her source had cast Commander Bond by fall, they should let her know. The timeline is notable — director Denis Villeneuve is expected to begin evaluating Gold’s suggestions around that time.

The Dream Team Behind the Camera

Whoever steps into the role will be working with a genuinely formidable creative team. Dune filmmaker Denis Villeneuve is directing the 26th official Bond film, and Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight is writing the script. Knight told reporters at the BAFTA TV Awards that his work was “going fantastically,” adding: “I am 1,000 per cent confident that when this gets out there people are going to really love it.”

Amy Pascal and David Heyman — the producers behind the latest Spider-Man trilogy and the entire Harry Potter franchise, respectively — will produce, with Tanya Lapointe executive producing.

This is not a streaming-friendly, cut-the-budget Bond. Villeneuve is a director who demands scale and creative control, and the fact that he signed on signals that Amazon MGM is playing for keeps with this franchise.

Speaking at CinemaCon last month, Amazon MGM Studios’ head of film Courtenay Valenti addressed the elephant in every room: “I know you’re all wondering when we’re going to announce who’s playing James Bond. Please know that we’re taking the time to do this with care and deep respect. It is the dream of a lifetime for all of us to bring audiences this next chapter, and it’s a responsibility we don’t take lightly.”

Who’s Actually in the Running?

According to Variety, auditions have been taking place for the past few weeks, and the BBC reports that the betting markets currently have British actor Callum Turner leading the pack. His star has risen sharply on the back of Masters of the Air — he’s British, in his late 30s, physically commanding, and has the brooding intensity that would sit comfortably in the legacy Craig carved out.

Jacob Elordi brings something different — a languid, unpredictable energy, a certain menace beneath the surface charm. Aaron Taylor-Johnson has been a perennial presence on every list for years, his action credentials established, his leading-man instincts well-tested. Harris Dickinson is in the mix too, as are Henry Cavill and Theo James. Connor Swindells from Sex Education has also been mentioned as a possibility.

Rich Pleeth, a lifelong Bond devotee whose grandfather worked on the franchise, offered a measured read on the front-runners: “I would not say they are out. But her hire suggests Amazon is looking beyond the betting markets. They want someone who fits Bond, can grow over several films, and feels inevitable once chosen.”

One key requirement beyond sex appeal and acting chops: the new Bond needs to be young enough to commit to three, four, or more films. That immediately rules out some of the longer-discussed names. Idris Elba, whose name has been attached to this role for the better part of a decade, said the speculation turned him off when the conversation “became about race.” Tom Hardy’s window may also be narrowing with age. Tom Holland brushed off the chatter last year, saying “We’ll get there one day” — though at 29, he’s not exactly out of the picture.

Meanwhile, from an unexpected corner, Indian filmmaker Shekhar Kapur publicly threw his weight behind Bollywood star John Abraham, describing him as having “the cool ‘shaken not stirred’ persona” and the charm the role demands. Abraham responded on X, calling the endorsement “truly humbling” and adding: “As for Bond… I’ll happily start practicing my martini order immediately. Shaken, not stirred.” It’s a long shot by any measure, but the fact that the conversation is global says something about how much this casting moment means.

What the People Who’ve Worn the Tuxedo Say

Pierce Brosnan, who played 007 across four films from 1995 to 2002, has been characteristically candid about what awaits whoever gets the call. Speaking during a Zoom conversation for his Netflix film Thursday Murder Club, Brosnan said the new Bond is “going to be nervous as hell.”

“It’s a huge undertaking. It’s a landscape of performance and acting, and the character is like no other character you will ever play,” he said. But he’s also clear-eyed about the gift it represents: “It’s my life, my legacy and again the gift that keeps giving. It’s allowed me to be commercial. It’s allowed me to be in front of an audience to reach the world — and for that, I’m forever grateful.”

Brosnan has also previously warned that Craig’s successor should be British — calling it a “given” — and said he “lamented” the Amazon takeover, while acknowledging that Broccoli and Wilson showed “great courage” in making the handoff after more than 30 years stewarding the franchise.

The transition has been seismic. Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson formally handed creative control to Amazon MGM in February 2025, ending a family dynasty that stretched back to Albert “Cubby” Broccoli and encompassed 25 films and more than £5 billion at the global box office. Craig’s final bow in No Time to Die alone earned nearly $800 million worldwide.

Now, with Gold watching West End productions, Villeneuve shaping his vision, and Knight writing what he’s calling a script people will “really love,” the next era of Bond is taking shape — one audition at a time. The only question left is whose name we’ll be saying with a raised eyebrow and a dry martini in hand.

The post New James Bond Must ‘Ooze Sex Appeal,’ Says Casting Director appeared first on Cream.

• Amazon MGM Studios confirmed auditions for the next James Bond have officially begun.
• Acclaimed casting director Nina Gold — known for Game of Thrones and The Crown — has been hired to lead the search.
• Denis Villeneuve (Dune) is set to direct, with Steven Knight writing the screenplay.
• Rumored candidates include Callum Turner, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Henry Cavill, and others.
• Amazon paid $20 million for full creative control of the franchise from producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson in 2025.

The search for the next James Bond is officially on. Amazon MGM Studios confirmed this week that auditions for the role of 007 have begun — and they’ve brought in serious firepower to find their man.

“The search for the next James Bond is underway,” the studio said in a statement. “While we don’t plan to comment on specific details during the casting process, we’re excited to share more news with 007 fans as soon as the time is right.”

It’s a statement that is simultaneously the most Amazon has said publicly about the casting process and almost nothing at all — but after years of radio silence, fans will take it. According to Variety, which first broke the story, the studio has actually been auditioning actors for the part of 007 for several weeks already.

Nina Gold Is the Woman Behind the Search

The name attached to this casting search should give Bond fans real confidence. Amazon MGM has tapped Nina Gold — one of the most respected casting directors in the business — to find their next superspy. Gold’s résumé reads like a greatest-hits list of prestige television and film: Game of Thrones, The Crown, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, The Martian, Les Misérables, Conclave, and Hamnet. She was recently nominated for the first-ever Academy Award in Casting for Hamnet. The woman knows how to find a star.

Historically, the Bond casting process is a serious undertaking. Daniel Craig, Pierce Brosnan, and others all landed the role after intensive screen tests — performing scenes from classic Bond films in front of a camera. Even the actors who don’t get the part become part of franchise lore. Footage of Henry Cavill’s Bond screen test has lived on the internet for years, a reminder of just how high-profile — and public — this process can become.

Denis Villeneuve and the Road to Bond 26

The casting news also signals something else: Denis Villeneuve, who was announced as director last June, must be close to wrapping post-production on Dune: Part Three. Reports from last September indicated that the Bond casting process wouldn’t begin until Villeneuve had finished with Dune — so the studio moving forward now suggests that milestone is nearly here.

Villeneuve has made no secret of how much this project means to him. “Some of my earliest movie-going memories are connected to 007. I grew up watching James Bond films with my father, ever since Dr. No with Sean Connery,” he said when his hiring was announced. “I’m a die-hard Bond fan. To me, he’s sacred territory. I intend to honor the tradition and open the path for many new missions to come. This is a massive responsibility, but also, incredibly exciting for me and a huge honor.”

Joining him is screenwriter Steven Knight, whose credits include Eastern Promises and Closed Circuit — a pairing that suggests the new Bond will have real cinematic weight behind it.

Who Could Be the Next 007?

The internet has been running its own unofficial casting process for years, and the list of names that have circulated is long: Callum Turner, Henry Cavill, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, James Norton, Harris Dickinson, Jacob Elordi, and even Tom Holland have all been thrown into the mix at various points. Taylor-Johnson emerged as a reported frontrunner in recent months, though Amazon has never confirmed anything officially. With actual auditions now underway, all of that speculation is about to collide with reality.

There’s also been persistent chatter — and some early reporting — that Amazon is leaning toward casting an unknown. A fresh face, someone the audience has no pre-existing relationship with, a blank slate to build a new Bond around. That would be a bold move, but it’s also very much in the tradition of how the franchise has operated at its best.

A New Era for the Franchise

James Bond first appeared on screen in 1962’s Dr. No, with Sean Connery setting the template for the role. Since then, six actors have officially played 007 in the mainline Eon Productions series — Connery, George Lazenby, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan, and Daniel Craig, who closed his run with 2021’s No Time to Die.

The franchise’s handover to Amazon MGM came in 2025, after longtime producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson — who had shepherded the series since GoldenEye in 1995 — ceded creative control. Amazon paid $20 million for the privilege, and with it came enormous expectations from a fanbase that has been watching closely for any sign of where the franchise is headed.

“My life has been dedicated to maintaining and building upon the extraordinary legacy that was handed to Michael and me by our father, producer Cubby Broccoli,” Barbara Broccoli said at the time of the transition. “I have had the honor of working closely with four of the tremendously talented actors who have played 007 and thousands of wonderful artists within the industry. With the conclusion of No Time to Die and Michael retiring from the films, I feel it is time to focus on my other projects.”

The reception to Amazon taking over was cautious — fans worried the studio would immediately pivot to spinoff TV shows and franchise-building at the expense of the films themselves. So far, the moves have been measured: a visionary director, a respected writer, and now one of the best casting directors in the world quietly auditioning actors for the most coveted role in cinema. Whatever comes next, it won’t be for lack of talent in the room.

The post Amazon MGM Has Officially Started Casting the Next James Bond appeared first on Cream.

• Amazon MGM Studios has confirmed the search for the next James Bond is officially underway, with auditions already in progress.
• Nina Gold — the casting director behind Game of Thrones, The Crown, and five Star Wars films — has been hired to find 007.
• The film will be directed by Denis Villeneuve and written by Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight, with producers Amy Pascal and David Heyman.
• Gold is known for discovering unknown talent, having cast Daisy Ridley and John Boyega in The Force Awakens.
• Jacob Elordi, Callum Turner, and Louis Partridge are among the names generating the most buzz for the role.

The search for the next James Bond is real, it’s official, and it’s already happening. Amazon MGM Studios confirmed Thursday that auditions for the iconic role of 007 have been underway for the past few weeks — and the woman they’ve trusted to find him is one of the most respected casting directors working today.

Nina Gold, the British casting legend behind Game of Thrones, The Crown, and five films in the Star Wars franchise, has closed a deal to serve as casting director on James Bond 26, with sources confirming her involvement to both Variety and Deadline. Amazon MGM released a statement alongside the news: “The search for the next James Bond is underway. While we don’t plan to comment on specific details during the casting process, we’re excited to share more news with 007 fans as soon as the time is right.”

It’s the kind of careful, measured language you’d expect from a studio handling one of the most valuable franchises on the planet. But the fact that auditions are already happening — and that Gold is in the room — is the loudest signal yet that this thing is moving.

Why Nina Gold Is Such a Big Deal

In most productions, hiring a casting director wouldn’t be headline news. But this isn’t most productions, and Nina Gold isn’t most casting directors.

Her résumé reads like a checklist of prestige television and blockbuster cinema. On the TV side alone: Game of Thrones, The Crown, Baby Reindeer, Slow Horses, Chernobyl, 3 Body Problem, The Day of the Jackal, and Wolf Hall. On film: The King’s Speech, The Imitation Game, The Martian, Conclave, Les Misérables, The Power of the Dog, Wonka, and Prometheus, among many others. She was also one of the first people ever nominated for the brand-new Academy Award for Achievement in Casting, earning the nod for her work on Hamnet.

But what makes her particularly compelling for this job is her track record of finding stars before they were stars. Gold cast Emilia Clarke, Claire Foy, and Eddie Redmayne in some of their earliest major roles. She cast Aaron Taylor-Johnson in his breakout film, 2009’s Nowhere Boy. And perhaps most relevant of all — she’s the person who looked at two relatively unknown actors named Daisy Ridley and John Boyega and decided they should carry a Star Wars movie.

That instinct for the right unknown quantity is exactly what the Bond producers appear to be looking for. Sources indicate the studio wants a “fresh face” in the role — someone who can grow into the franchise rather than arrive as an already-established star.

The franchise’s previous casting director, Debbie McWilliams, was the one who found Daniel Craig, Pierce Brosnan, and Timothy Dalton. Gold is being asked to do something equally monumental: find the face of Bond for the next decade and beyond.

The Team Behind Bond 26

Gold will work alongside director Denis Villeneuve — the filmmaker behind Dune, Arrival, and Sicario — as well as producers Amy Pascal (Spider-Man) and David Heyman (Harry Potter). The screenplay is being written by Steven Knight, the creator of Peaky Blinders, who is still putting the finishing touches on the script. Sources tell Deadline that full auditions are technically still a beat away for that reason, though the early casting process has clearly begun.

Knight has already teased what fans can expect from his take on the character. “I’m hoping that, being a Bond fan for so many years, it will be imbued into me and I will be able to produce something that’s the same but different, and better, stronger, and bolder,” he said.

Amazon paid $20 million for full creative control of the franchise, and with ambitions to build out a wider universe of programming around the 007 world, the stakes couldn’t be higher. The studio is reportedly targeting a production start in 2027, with a rumored theatrical release in November 2028.

At CinemaCon last month, Courtenay Valenti, Amazon MGM’s head of film, offered some reassurance to anxious fans. “We’re taking the time to do this with care and deep respect,” she said. “It is the dream of a lifetime for all of us to bring audiences this next chapter, and it’s a responsibility we don’t take lightly. What I can tell you is this: When you pair one of the most beloved franchises in history with a world-class film-making team, including the brilliant director Denis Villeneuve, extraordinary producers Amy Pascal and David Heyman, executive producer Tanya Lapointe and screenwriter Steven Knight, you’re setting the stage for something that’s truly worthy of the Bond legacy. That film is coming, and when the time is right, we’ll have much more to share.”

Who’s Actually in the Running?

In the six years since Daniel Craig’s farewell in No Time to Die, the internet has never really stopped casting the next Bond. But with auditions now officially underway, the speculation has a new urgency to it.

Jacob Elordi — Oscar-nominated, BAFTA-recognized, and currently riding one of the strongest runs of any young actor in Hollywood thanks to Euphoria, Priscilla, and Frankenstein — has emerged as the name generating the most serious buzz. Callum Turner, best known for Masters of the Air and the Fantastic Beasts films, has been a consistent frontrunner, and the fact that he was recently photographed vacationing at Oracabessa Bay — the former Jamaican estate of Bond creator Ian Fleming — did nothing to quiet the rumors. Aaron Taylor-Johnson, once considered the leading candidate, has seen his odds cool somewhat, though he remains in the conversation. Tom Holland and Harris Dickinson have also had their names floated.

The newest name drawing attention is 22-year-old Louis Partridge, whose youth aligns with the studio’s apparent desire for a significantly younger Bond than Craig, who was in his early 50s during No Time to Die. Partridge, who appears in the Enola Holmes films and the upcoming Netflix Pride and Prejudice, has been described as a genuine contender.

And then there’s the wildcard Gold herself might bring. Historically, Bond screen tests have been intense affairs — Craig, Brosnan, and others all performed scenes from classic Bond films in front of a camera. Even actors who didn’t get the role have been immortalized in these tests — footage of Henry Cavill doing his best Bond has become something of a cult artifact. With Gold’s eye for talent that hasn’t fully arrived yet, the next 007 could just as easily be someone whose name hasn’t entered the conversation at all.

Daisy Ridley was nobody’s frontrunner when Gold cast her as Rey. That’s kind of the whole point.

The post Game of Thrones Casting Legend to Find Next James Bond appeared first on Cream.

• Amazon MGM Studios has hired casting director Nina Gold to find the next James Bond, with auditions already underway.
• Gold is best known for casting Game of Thrones and five Star Wars films, including discovering Daisy Ridley as Rey.
• Denis Villeneuve will direct, with a script from Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight.
• Producers Amy Pascal and David Heyman are attached, with Tanya Lapointe serving as executive producer.
• Jacob Elordi, Callum Turner, and Aaron Taylor-Johnson remain among the most-rumored contenders for 007.

The search for the next James Bond is no longer just Hollywood chatter — it’s officially happening. Amazon MGM Studios has hired British casting director Nina Gold to find the actor who will take over from Daniel Craig as Ian Fleming’s super-spy, with Variety first reporting that auditions have already begun in the past few weeks.

“The search for the next James Bond is underway,” the studio said in a statement. “While we don’t plan to comment on specific details during the casting process, we’re excited to share more news with 007 fans as soon as the time is right.”

Short on specifics, maybe — but long on significance. The fact that Nina Gold is running point on this search tells you everything about how seriously Amazon is treating the franchise.

Why Nina Gold Is the Perfect Person for This Job

Gold’s résumé reads like a masterclass in casting prestige television and film at the highest level. She’s best known for building out the sprawling world of Westeros on HBO’s Game of Thrones — one of the biggest, most complex ensemble casts in modern TV history — and she did it without a single notable misfire. She also worked on Netflix’s The Crown, Les Misérables, The Martian, and Conclave.

Then there’s her Star Wars work. Gold cast five films in that franchise, which included one of the more consequential decisions in recent blockbuster history: putting a then-largely-unknown Daisy Ridley in the lead role of Rey in The Force Awakens. It’s a useful reminder, especially for the Bond search, that the right role doesn’t have to go to an established name — sometimes the role creates the star.

In 2025, Gold received an Oscar nomination for her work on Hamnet, in the first year the Academy ever gave out a casting award. She didn’t respond to Variety’s request for comment, but a source with knowledge of the production confirmed her involvement.

For context, it was Debbie McWilliams who served as casting director across earlier Bond eras — finding Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan, and Daniel Craig along the way. Gold is now tasked with finding whoever comes next in that lineage, following Connery, Moore, Lazenby, Dalton, Brosnan, and Craig.

The Creative Team Behind the New Bond Film

The casting news doesn’t exist in a vacuum. Amazon has quietly assembled a remarkable group of filmmakers around this project. Denis Villeneuve — the director behind Arrival, Sicario, Blade Runner 2049, and the Dune films — is attached to direct. Amy Pascal, known for the Spider-Man franchise, and David Heyman of the Harry Potter series are producing. Tanya Lapointe serves as executive producer.

And the script is coming from Steven Knight, the creator of Peaky Blinders, who also wrote the screenplay for Tom Hardy’s 2013 one-man chamber piece Locke. Knight was asked about the Bond script on the red carpet at the 2026 BAFTA TV Awards and, while he acknowledged he couldn’t say much, he couldn’t quite contain himself either.

“It’s really, really good,” he said. “It’s going incredibly well. We’ve got the best people on it, and I really can’t wait for people to see it.”

That’s not nothing. Knight is not a man given to empty hype.

Who Could Actually Be the Next Bond?

Even before auditions officially kicked off, the rumor mill had been running hot. Names like Jacob Elordi, Callum Turner, and Aaron Taylor-Johnson have all surfaced as contenders — and the common thread is youth. Amazon has made clear, per reports, that they’re looking for someone who can carry the franchise for years, which likely rules out some of the longer-rumored names like Henry Cavill and Idris Elba.

Elordi has been building serious dramatic credibility, while Turner recently broke through in Masters of the Air. Taylor-Johnson has long been a fan favorite for the role. But with Gold at the helm, don’t be surprised if the eventual choice comes from somewhere nobody saw coming — that’s kind of her thing.

At CinemaCon last month, Amazon MGM’s head of film Courtenay Valenti offered fans a small but heartfelt update. “We’re taking the time to do this with care and deep respect,” she said. “It is the dream of a lifetime for all of us to bring audiences this next chapter, and it’s a responsibility we don’t take lightly. What I can tell you is this: When you pair one of the most beloved franchises in history with a world-class film-making team, including the brilliant director Denis Villeneuve, extraordinary producers Amy Pascal and David Heyman, executive producer Tanya Lapointe and screenwriter Steven Knight, you’re setting the stage for something that’s truly worthy of the Bond legacy. That film is coming, and when the time is right, we’ll have much more to share.”

Auditions are underway. The team is in place. And somewhere out there, the next James Bond is already in a room with Nina Gold.

The post James Bond Auditions Are Officially Underway appeared first on Cream.

• Peaky Blinders writer Steven Knight gave a rare update on the new James Bond film at the 2026 BAFTA TV Awards
• Knight said the project is “going incredibly well” but refused to reveal any plot or production details
• Denis Villeneuve is directing the film, with work expected to begin after he wraps Dune: Part Three
• Jacob Elordi has reportedly moved into pole position for the role of 007, though no one has signed anything yet
• The film will be the franchise’s 28th installment, the first since Daniel Craig’s No Time to Die in 2021

It’s been five years since Daniel Craig last walked away from the Aston Martin, and James Bond fans are still waiting — but Steven Knight just made that wait feel a little more bearable. The Peaky Blinders creator, who’s been quietly writing the script for Amazon MGM’s next 007 film, stepped onto the red carpet at the 2026 BAFTA TV Awards and dropped the most encouraging update the franchise has offered in months.

“It’s really, really good. It’s going incredibly well,” Knight told Deadline when asked about the Bond project. “We’ve got the best people on it, and I really can’t wait for people to see it.”

That’s about as far as he was willing to go. When pressed for anything more — story details, production timelines, literally anything — Knight shut it down with a smile. “I can’t talk about it. Not a word. Not a word.” He did add that “everything is going fantastic” when the conversation turned to Amazon MGM’s involvement, which at least tells us the studio relationship is healthy, even if the rest remains locked in a vault somewhere.

The Team Behind Bond’s Return

What we do know is that the creative lineup for Bond 28 is genuinely exciting. Denis Villeneuve — the director who gave us Blade Runner 2049 and Dune: Part Two — is at the helm, bringing a pedigree for sprawling, visually stunning, emotionally grounded storytelling that feels like exactly the right fit for a franchise reboot. He’s expected to begin work on the Bond film after he finishes Dune: Part Three, which means the timeline is still a ways out, but the pieces are clearly moving.

Knight himself is no small hire. Beyond creating Peaky Blinders, he wrote the screenplay for Tom Hardy’s quietly brilliant 2013 one-hander Locke — a film that’s essentially one man in a car for 90 minutes and somehow one of the most gripping things Hardy has ever done. That’s a writer who understands character, pressure, and restraint. All things a Bond reboot desperately needs.

Amazon MGM has not announced a release date, and casting remains officially unconfirmed.

So Who’s Playing Bond?

That’s the question everyone keeps circling. Amazon MGM has made clear they’re taking their time — the studio wants a younger Bond, someone who can carry the franchise for years the way Craig did — and the speculation has been relentless.

Right now, the name generating the most heat is Jacob Elordi. On The Rest is Entertainment podcast, Guardian journalist Marina Hyde said Elordi had “kind of moved into pole position” in the race for 007. She was quick to add, though, that “nobody has signed anything yet” — so it’s still very much in flux. Elordi, best known for Euphoria, recently picked up serious awards attention for playing Frankenstein’s monster in Guillermo del Toro’s 2025 adaptation, a role that showed real range beyond his heartthrob reputation.

Callum Turner, who impressed in Masters of the Air, has also been floated as a strong contender. Earlier fan favorites like Henry Cavill and Idris Elba appear to be off the table, as the studio’s focus on youth and longevity narrows the field.

Filling the Bond-Shaped Hole in the Meantime

While the film takes shape behind closed doors, the franchise isn’t sitting completely still. IO Interactive — the studio behind the Hitman series — is releasing 007: First Light, a AAA video game that reimagines Bond as a young, inexperienced agent. The game runs roughly 20 hours and features multiple approaches to each mission, giving it serious replay value. It’s being developed in partnership with Amazon, and feels very much like a way to test the waters for a younger Bond before the film locks in its direction.

For fans who can’t wait that long for something cinematic, the spy-thriller gap in theaters is real. No Time to Die landed in October 2021, and nothing has quite filled that space since — not on the big screen, anyway.

Knight’s “not a word” might be the most on-brand thing a Bond writer could say. But between Villeneuve at the wheel, a script that’s apparently going “incredibly well,” and a casting race that’s quietly heating up, the next chapter of 007 is coming together — even if it’s doing so with the discretion Bond himself would approve of.

The post James Bond Writer Steven Knight Says New 007 Film Is ‘Going Incredibly Well’ appeared first on Cream.

• Jacob Elordi has reportedly moved into “pole position” to be cast as the next James Bond in Amazon’s reboot
• Denis Villeneuve is set to direct, with Peaky Blinders writer Steven Knight penning the script
• The film is targeting a 2028 release, with Amazon seeking a younger Bond than previous frontrunner Callum Turner
• The new 007 First Light video game, which arrives May 27, features a young Bond played by Patrick Gibson

The next James Bond may have just been found — and it’s not who most people had money on. Jacob Elordi has reportedly moved into “pole position” to take over the iconic 007 role in Amazon’s highly anticipated reboot, according to multiple sources, pushing past Callum Turner, who had been leading the bookmakers’ odds for months.

The news marks a significant shift in what has been one of Hollywood’s most-watched casting races. Turner, known for his role in Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore, had long been considered the frontrunner among fans and oddsmakers alike. But it now appears Amazon has its sights set on Elordi — the 6’5″ Australian actor who broke through with HBO’s Euphoria and turned heads with his magnetic performance in last year’s Saltburn.

The Team Behind the New Bond

If the casting alone wasn’t enough to get fans talking, the creative team assembled around the project certainly is. Denis Villeneuve — the visionary director behind Dune and Blade Runner 2049 — has been tapped to direct, bringing his sweeping, immersive style to the spy franchise. The script comes from Steven Knight, the Peaky Blinders creator who knows a thing or two about writing complicated, dangerous men with style to spare.

The film is expected to land in 2028, giving the studio time to get everything right. Plot details remain tightly under wraps, but the direction is clear: Amazon wants a younger Bond. A fresher start. A 007 built for a new era rather than a continuation of what Daniel Craig left behind with No Time to Die in 2021.

Elordi would be 31 at the time of the film’s projected release — young enough to anchor a long-running franchise, but with the kind of brooding screen presence that makes the role feel earned rather than auditioned for.

Bond Is Already Back — Just Not in Theaters Yet

While fans wait for the movie, 007 is making his return through a different screen first. IO Interactive — the studio behind the acclaimed Hitman series — has spent years developing 007 First Light, a triple-A Bond game that arrives May 27. The game follows a young Bond fresh out of the MI6 academy, with Dexter: Original Sin star Patrick Gibson voicing and portraying the character.

Earlier this week, a key detail emerged: the story will take the average player around 20 hours to complete — substantial enough to satisfy hardcore fans, accessible enough that casual players won’t feel like they’re signing up for a second job. An official gameplay trailer released recently confirmed that players can tackle missions in multiple ways, adding serious replay value to an already anticipated title.

It’s a timely reminder of just how much cultural real estate the Bond franchise still occupies — across film, gaming, and seemingly every casting conversation in Hollywood right now.

For Elordi, landing the role would be a career-defining moment. He’s already shown he can carry the weight of a franchise and command a screen — now the question is whether Amazon makes it official. The shaken-not-stirred crowd is watching closely.

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