Fans are eagerly waiting for the new James Bond protagonist. There are six different actors in the spotlight.
The film world is waiting for the new James Bond. It's already been five years since the premiere of the latest film No Time to Die, in which Daniel Craig starred. According to insider information, the casting for the new Agent 007 has already begun. The United Kingdom has its main stake in it. It's no wonder, as the fearless hero was born here about 75 years ago.
Writer Ian Fleming came up with the character of James Bond while on vacation in 1952. The name was taken from an American ornithologist.
"I wanted the simplest, dullest, and plainest sounding name I could find, and 'James Bond' was better than anything else. A series of unusual events would happen around him, but he would be a neutral, anonymous figure and a blunt instrument controlled by the ministries,"
The origin of the name was allegedly described by Fleming, as claimed by Wikipedia.
Everything took place in the author's Jamaican estate, Goldeneye. Incidentally, Golden Eye was also the name for one of the movies in the entire series.
The Casting Begins
There have been 27 feature films made with James Bond so far. Many famous stars played the main role – from Sean Connery, Roger Moore, Pierce Brosnan, to Daniel Craig. He also starred in the latest film, which was in 2021's No Time to Die. It was also the last time the 58-year-old Craig portrayed agent 007.
The news server BBC, citing an announcement from the American film studio Amazon MGM Studios, which has taken creative control over the films about the British secret agent, has meanwhile reported that a new protagonist for this iconic role is being sought.
"Although we do not plan to comment on specific details during the casting process, we look forward to sharing more news with fans of agent 007 as soon as the right time comes,"
confirmed the company in an article for BBC.
The company Amazon MGM Studios, which now owns the filming rights, has already announced that Denis Villeneuve, known for the sci-fi blockbuster Dune, will direct the new Bond film. The screenplay will be written by British screenwriter and producer Steven Knight, known for the series Peaky Blinders. The casting is said to be led by Nina Gold, who has been involved in cult films like Paddington, Star Wars, and Mamma Mia!.
The Chosen Six
Are you wondering what the decision process will be for the new James Bond, who will be the seventh in a row, and who might ultimately become the next Bond?
Among the current favorites for the next Bond, according to the BBC, are British actors Callum Turner, Harris Dickinson, Henry Cavill, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and Theo James, as well as Australian Jacob Elordi. Let's introduce them one by one.
Callum Turner is best known for his film roles as Theseus Scamander in Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald and Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore. For his performance in the film The Capture, he received a nomination for the British Academy Television Award for Best Actor.
Harris Dickinson began his acting career in British television and landed his first leading role in the drama film Beach Rats, for which he was nominated for the Independent Spirit Award for Best Male Lead. Since then, he has appeared in films such as The King's Man and Babygirl. In 2025, he made his directorial debut with the feature film Urchin, which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival and won the FIPRESCI award.
Henry Cavill was a finalist for the role of James Bond in the 2005 film Casino Royale. However, Daniel Craig was ultimately chosen. The actor appeared in films such as Stardust, Man of Steel, and Immortals. He also featured in series like The Tudors and The Witcher. In early 2008, he became a model and spokesperson for the perfume brand Dunhill.
Another in line is Aaron Taylor-Johnson, who incidentally has named actor Daniel Day-Lewis as one of his idols in the past. He originally started in films such as The Illusionist or He's Such a Geek!. Later, he portrayed John Lennon and appeared in films like Godzilla, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, or Avengers: Age of Ultron.
Among the most well-known roles of the candidate, Theo James, are Jed Harper in the series Bedlam, Walter William Clark Jr. in the crime series Golden Boy, and Tobias Eaton, known as Four, in the films Divergent, Insurgent, and Allegiant. He also appeared in one episode of the first season of the series Downton Abbey. Besides that, he was previously a singer and guitarist for the London band Shere Khan.
Representing Australia in the lineup of candidates for the new James Bond is Jacob Elordi. He became well-known primarily for his roles as student Noah Flynn in the film trilogy The Kissing Booth and as the troubled high school football player Nate Jacobs in the HBO drama series Euphoria. In recent years, he also drew attention for his role as singer Elvis Presley in the biographical film Priscilla and the role of Heathcliff in the film Wuthering Heights.
Whoever it may be, one thing is certain. The preparations for the new movie suggest that we might see a new blockbuster sooner than in another five years.
Source: author article, Wikipedia, BBC, ČTK
