Who will be the next James Bond?
The search for Daniel Craig's replacement continues nearly four years after the actor stepped down from the role

Former Bond girl Halle Berry "gave her two pence" at the Cannes Film Festival on whether or not the next 007 should be played by a woman, said Metro. When asked if she would consider playing the next James Bond herself, she "pushed back against the idea".
"I don’t know if 007 really should be a woman," she told Variety. "In 2025, it's nice to say, 'Oh, she should be a woman.' But I don’t really know if I think that’s the right thing to do."
Female lead or not, the search for Daniel Craig's replacement continues, nearly four years after the actor stepped down from the role. "It took two days to find a new leader of the Catholic church", yet "we are still without a James Bond", said Esquire.
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Amazon MGM Studios, which took over creative control of the Bond franchise earlier this year, said it was "approaching every creative decision" with the "greatest sense of responsibility". Amy Pascal and David Heyman have been named as producers of the "Bond 26" project, and must now decide who will become the next 007. Here are some of the names said to be in the running.
Aaron Taylor-Johnson
Aaron Taylor-Johnson at the Kraven the Hunter premiere
"Not only does Aaron fit the ideal casting bill but he also has plenty of support behind him," said Metro. The 34-year-old British actor has been among the front-runners since rumours began to swirl that he was formally offered the role. Taylor-Johnson demonstrated his action-hero credentials as the lead in "Kick-Ass", and as Quicksilver in "Avengers: Age of Ultron". With his "classic movie star looks", said CNN, he is "a no-brainer" for 007.
Theo James
Theo James in The Gentlemen
"While James has, for now, doused any remaining sparks of Bond rumours, we're not ready to give up," said London's The Standard. The 40-year-old British actor is the right age and his performances as "roguish, morally ambiguous characters" in "The White Lotus" and "The Gentlemen" are "perfect training" for 007 success. He also won over fans in 2014's "Divergent", and his appearances in Hugo Boss and Dolce & Gabbana adverts would not be out of place in a Bond movie.
Henry Cavill
Henry Cavill at The Witcher premiere
Earlier this year, Amazon boss Jeff Bezos asked his X followers who should play the next James Bond, and the "answer shouted with a deafening yell" was Henry Cavill, said Forbes. The "Superman" and "Witcher" star has a "legion of superfans" and "existing connections to Amazon" after signing up to produce and star in its hotly anticipated "Warhammer 40,000" project.
He even auditioned for the role of Bond "way back when" but lost out to Craig because he looked too young at the time. But the "possibility that he could be the new 007 is sharply dividing fans", said Men's Journal. Their main criticism? That "he is almost too suave and handsome, and not rough-and-tumble enough" to be the next Bond.
James Norton
James Norton at the BFI London Film Festival
Norton has established himself as a TV star, garnering praise for his roles in "Happy Valley", "War & Peace" and "Grantchester". But he is "yet to prove that he's true blockbuster material", said GQ, so the "transition from beloved TV actor to the face of the world's biggest action franchise" may be too big an ask.
Jack Lowden
Jack Lowden on the set of Slow Horses
Dismiss this young actor “at your peril”, said Esquire. Lowden has plenty of films under his belt: he's appeared in dramas "Denial", "'71" and "Small Axe", action film "Dunkirk" and period pieces "Mary Queen of Scots" and "War & Peace". The "Slow Horses" star has already proven he's an excellent spy, and he's in "the prime slot" for "grooming into the next 007". Though many big names are swirling around in casting conversations, the Scottish actor might just end up being the "dark horse successor".
Harris Dickinson
Harris Dickinson at the Venice International Film Festival
The "Beach Rats" star has been cast as John Lennon in a four-part Beatles film biopic due out in April 2028, directed by "Skyfall" and "Spectre" director Sam Mendes. But he is also among the bookmakers' favourites for Bond. He had a "leading role in 'The King's Man', a spy thriller that owes an obvious debt to classic James Bond movies", said Screen Rant. And his role in films like "Babygirl" opposite Nicole Kidman "showcase his potential as both a romantic lead and a darker version of 007".
Callum Turner
Callum Turner in Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore
Best known for his roles in the mini-series "Masters of the Air" and "Fantastic Beasts", the 35-year-old British actor is a relative unknown, compared to some of the other favourites. He is "currently a tabloid obsession thanks to his relationship with Dua Lipa", said Time Out, and he has the "charisma and chameleonic skillset to take on the mantle of Britain's most famous fictional spy".
When will the next Bond be announced?
Since Craig bowed out as James Bond in the explosive finale of "No Time to Die" the rumour mill has been working non-stop with tip-offs about who could replace him and when the next film will be released.
The film's bosses have been given "a whopping £250 million budget to get the next 007 movie on screen within the next three years", said The Sun. The sale to Amazon "has prompted a fast track of creative meetings to build a new script, officially sign the new 007 and land a director", with "honchos" hoping it will "be in cinemas before the end of 2027".
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Richard Windsor is a freelance writer for The Week Digital. He began his journalism career writing about politics and sport while studying at the University of Southampton. He then worked across various football publications before specialising in cycling for almost nine years, covering major races including the Tour de France and interviewing some of the sport’s top riders. He led Cycling Weekly’s digital platforms as editor for seven of those years, helping to transform the publication into the UK’s largest cycling website. He now works as a freelance writer, editor and consultant.
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