Amazon MGM Studios has begun auditioning actors for 007, moving the hunt for the next James Bond from rumor into a formal casting process. The studio said the search for the next James Bond is underway, as it starts shaping the 26th film in the franchise.
Jacob Elordi, Callum Turner and Aaron Taylor-Johnson have all been mentioned in speculation around the role, but the studio has not named any front-runner. Amazon MGM said it would not comment on specific details during casting, adding that it is excited to share more news with 007 fans when the time is right.
That puts a sharper point on a process that has been watched closely since Daniel Craig stepped away from Ian Fleming’s superspy after five films. The next Bond film will be directed by Denis Villeneuve, with Amy Pascal and David Heyman producing, Steven Knight writing the script and Tanya Lapointe serving as executive producer.
The casting push has been building for weeks. Amazon MGM enlisted Nina Gold, whose work includes Game of Thrones, The Crown and five Star Wars films, to help find the next Bond. Gold is joining a long line of casting figures associated with the franchise, including Debbie McWilliams, who previously chose Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan and Craig.
Last month, Courtenay Valenti told CinemaCon that Amazon MGM was taking its time with the role and doing so with care and deep respect. She said it was a dream for the company to bring audiences the next chapter, but also a responsibility it did not take lightly. Valenti also said that pairing one of the most beloved franchises in history with Villeneuve, Pascal, Heyman, Lapointe and Knight was setting the stage for something worthy of the Bond legacy.
The timing matters because the studio is no longer talking about a far-off plan. It is auditioning now, and the message from Amazon MGM is that the search has started, even if the name of the actor who will inherit 007 has not. For Bond followers, that means the long pause after Craig is over, and the next phase of the franchise is finally in motion.
