Few roles in cinema generate quite as much excitement and speculation as James Bond.
From Sean Connery to Daniel Craig, the six actors who have (officially) played 007 have each brought something different to the martini-sipping super-spy. Whenever it’s time to find a new leading man, the question of who should inherit Bond’s famous tuxedo becomes a huge talking point.
Craig bowed out of the franchise five years ago with 2021’s No Time to Die, the 25th movie in the series.
The wait for his successor has kept fans guessing ever since.
But the conversation has picked up considerably in recent weeks, with reports about the casting process putting some of Britain’s most talked-about actors in the spotlight. Yet for all the headlines, there’s still a big gap between what’s been reported and what’s been officially confirmed.
So, what do we actually know about the next James Bond movie, and what’s still just a rumor?
When will the next James Bond movie be released?
Variety reported in June 2025 that Amazon MGM Studios, which is making the new movie, was targeting a 2028 release, citing” given the production’s scale. In September 2026, the publication also reported that the film was set to enter production the following year
Neither a filming start date nor a theatrical release date has been officially announced.
Has the next James Bond been cast?
Despite much speculation, no new James Bond actor has been officially announced.
According to an Oct. 22 report from Deadline, final screen tests were expected to take place in London in late October, with four actors reportedly in contention. Callum Turner, Josh O’Connor and Jack Lowden are among the names linked to the role.
However, the publication cautioned that there was no timeline for a final casting decision, even with the tests expected to wrap the following week. That means claims circulating online about Turner having already secured the role should be treated as unconfirmed.
The Hollywood Reporter said that Jacob Elordi and Jack O’Connell were not participating in the screen tests, despite reports to the contrary.
What do we know officially? Amazon MGM Studios confirmed in May that the search for the next Bond was “underway,” adding, “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.”
When asked in August about a likely timeline on the new Bond by Deadline, producer Amy Pascal replied, “I would say the end of the year is a good bet.”
What have the rumored frontrunners said?
Several actors linked to the role have addressed the speculation, although none has confirmed being involved in the casting process.
O’Connor told the BBC on Tuesday that he was “honored” to be mentioned in connection with Bond, adding, “To be considered in that same sort of bracket is extraordinary.”
Slow Horses actor Lowden was similarly reluctant to reveal much when asked about the rumors. “I’m just not really going to add to the noise,” he told British GQ in an interview published Monday, describing the speculation as “very flattering.”
Meanwhile, Turner told Esquire in an interview published in August, “I don’t know anything, so I can’t comment. There’s nothing for me to comment on.”
What have former Bond stars said?
It’s not just the potential new Bonds who have been asked about the franchise’s future.
Former 007 Pierce Brosnan praised Turner in an interview with Vanity Fair published on Tuesday, describing the actor as “so strong.” Brosnan costarred alongside Turner in 2017’s The Only Living Boy in New York.
Brosnan had previously backed Cillian Murphy, whom he said “would do a magnificent job as James Bond,” and Aaron Taylor-Johnson, whom he said “has the chops and the talent and the charisma to play Bond.”
Daniel Craig has been less forthcoming about who should inherit the role. Asked byVariety in November 2024 whom he would like to see play Bond next, Craig replied: “I don’t care.”
George Lazenby, who played Bond in 1969’s On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, backed Aaron Taylor-Johnson for the role in a March 2024 interview with TMZ.
Ben Whishaw, who played Q in three of Craig’s films, confirmed he is moving on from the role. He told London’s Sunday Times in an interview published Sunday that the franchise “needs to be reinvented completely.”
Who is directing the next James Bond movie?
While Bond’s identity remains under wraps, the creative team behind the next movie has been announced. Dune director Denis Villeneuve will direct the film, with Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight writing the screenplay.
Villeneuve said in a statement in June 2025, “I’m a diehard 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.”
Knight told the BBC last August, “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.”
Amazon MGM Studios, which is making the movie, took creative control of the franchise following a 2025 deal with longtime custodians Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson.
