Tom Holland, Harris Dickinson and Jacob Elordi are rumoured to be at the top of Amazon’s James Bond wishlist, according to a new report.
Variety has learned from insiders that the new iteration of 007 would be under 30 and the three actors could be fighting it out for the role. No meetings have taken place and Amazon has yet to confirm anything.
The report emerges days after the Dune and Arrival director Denis Villeneuve was announced as the first director of Bond’s new era under the Amazon-MGM banner. The French-Canadian film-maker, now working on the third Dune movie, reportedly beat out Conclave’s Edward Berger, Westworld’s Jonathan Nolan, Paddington’s Paul King and Shaun of the Dead’s Edgar Wright for the role.
“I intend to honour the tradition and open the path for many new missions to come,” Villeneuve said in a statement. “This is a massive responsibility, but also, incredibly exciting for me and a huge honour.”
Early rumours had suggested the Gravity director Alfonso Cuarón would step up, having worked with Bond’s new producer David Heyman before, but he removed himself from the race. Cuarón is set to work on the darkly funny drama Jane with Charlize Theron instead.
Holland, best known for playing Spider-Man, has also starred in the video game hit Uncharted and Apple series The Crowded Room. He’ll next be seen in Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey before returning for the fourth Spider-Man movie.
The 29-year-old actor once tried to pitch a 007 spin-off to Sony. “I had a meeting after or during Spider-Man 2 with Sony to pitch this idea of a young Bond film that I’d come up with,” he said in 2022. “It was the origin story of James Bond. It didn’t really make sense. It didn’t work. It was the dream of a young kid, and I don’t think the Bond estate were particularly interested.”
Dickinson, known for Triangle of Sadness and Babygirl, recently received rave reviews for his directorial debut Urchin at the Cannes film festival. “I mean, listen, man, you’d be a fool to not entertain that role,” he said when asked about playing Bond in 2023. “I’m loving seeing the development of James Bond and seeing how it changes over the years. I think Daniel Craig was such a good Bond that I’d almost be quite frightened to try … Who knows what they’re doing with Bond? I’m intrigued.”
Elordi is the only Australian of the bunch, but could follow in the footsteps of George Lazenby who played Bond in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service. The actor, best known for his role in TV drama Euphoria and Sofia Coppola’s Priscilla, will soon be seen in Emerald Fennell’s unconventional adaptation of Wuthering Heights with Margot Robbie.
In 2023, Elordi called rumours that he was being linked to the role “beautiful” and added: “I just like that people maybe want to put me in their movies. That makes me really glad.”
The release date for the next film is yet to be announced, but Variety is claiming that anything sooner than 2028 would be impossible.
The 26th Bond film will follow Daniel Craig’s final outing No Time to Die which made over $774m at the global box office. Earlier this year, in a reported $1bn deal, Amazon MGM bought the rights to gain “creative control” of the franchise.
In March, producers Amy Pascal and David Heyman were hired to take charge of the new film.
