The new James Bond? Everything we know about the next 007 film as Aaron Taylor-Johnson linked with role

Even with Craig’s 007 blown to smithereens, a new actor will soon step into the gun barrel and take aim at a new era of Bond. But when? And how? The next film − the 26th Bond film − is the subject of much debate and speculation.

For actors of a certain age, the Bond rumours are inescapable. Idris Elba, Henry Cavill and Jamie Dornan must be sick to death of the questions about it.

Ever since Daniel Craig hung up the Double-0s in No Time to Die, Barbara Broccoli and Michael G Wilson have insisted that the search for the next Bond hasn’t even started.

But a new report suggests that Kick-Ass and Nowhere Boy actor Aaron Taylor-Johnson – following similar reports from early 2023 – has been offered the role by Eon Productions, which has made most of the films in the series.

An unnamed source said: “Bond is Aaron’s job, should he wish to accept it. The formal offer is on the table and they are waiting to hear back.

“As far as Eon is concerned, Aaron is going to sign his contract in the coming days and they can start preparing for the big announcement.”

On the rumours, Taylor-Johnson said last week, when asked by Numero magazine: “I find it charming and wonderful that people see me in that role, I take it as a great compliment.”

The idea of a young James Bond has been bandied around – the “young” reboot is a common go-to for hackneyed franchise flogging. But Wilson shot down the idea of a young Bond at a BFI event in 2022.

“Remember, Bond’s already a veteran. He’s had some experience. He’s a person who has been through the wars, so to speak. He’s probably been in the SAS or something,” Wilson said.

Indeed, Bond is a naval ­commander (average age 42) and previous actors have been appropriately un-spring chicken-like (average age 38). Aaron Taylor-Johnson is a few years younger at just 33. Bond casting director ­Debbie McWilliams previously told the Radio Times that they looked at young actors for 2006 reboot Casino Royale, but she didn’t think the youngsters had the “gravitas” or “mental capacity” for Bond.

But Bond 26 will be a “reinvention”. Expect the reinvention to see Bond finding a place in the zeitgeist and following action trends, rather than being recast as a woman. “We’re working out where to go with him, we’re talking that through,” Broccoli told Deadline in June 2022. She added: “We’re reinventing who he is and that takes time.”

It was reported last year that Phoebe Waller-Bridge was in the mix as a potential director. An unnamed source said: “Barbara has been quite open about saying Phoebe would be her first choice to direct and co-write the next film.”

She would be the first woman to ­direct a Bond film (though critics often forget that a woman, Barbara Broccoli, has been in charge of Bond for 30 years).

A more exciting name has been linked in recent months: Oscar-winning Oppenheimer director, Christopher Nolan. But when asked about the rumours by Deadline in January, Nolan denied them in no uncertain terms. “B*****ks,” he said. “Pure b*****ks.”

Broccoli and Wilson are adamant that 007 won’t be played by a woman this time. “He can be of any colour, but he is male,” Broccoli told Variety back in 2020.

The issue is less about a lack of a ­female Bond and more a lack of female characters overall.

“I believe in making characters for women and not just having women play men’s roles,” said Broccoli. “I don’t think there are enough great roles for women, and it’s very important to me that we make movies for women about women. He should be British, so British can be any [ethnicity or race].”

Daniel Craig agrees. “There should simply be better parts for women and actors of colour,” he said. “Why should a woman play James Bond when there should be a part just as good as James Bond, but for a woman?”

The Bond rumour mill took an unexpected turn last year when The Sun reported that This Country star Daisy May Cooper was in talks to play M in the next Bond film.

After the death of Bond in No Time to Die − which drew a line under Craig’s tenure − it stands to reason that Bond’s troupe of supporting characters − M, Q, and Miss Moneypenny − will be recast.

The report seemed largely based on Cooper’s real-life friendship with Phoebe Waller-Bridge. With Broccoli and Wilson focused on how to reinvent Bond, the next film is still way off. “I’d say that filming is at least two years away,” Broccoli told Deadline in June 2022. Two years later we still haven’t had a confirmed name, never mind actual filming.