Credit: Inside the MagicThe James Bond reboot is officially underway. The film is being directed by Denis Villeneuve (Blade Runner 2049, Dune) and written by Steven Knight (Peaky Blinders).
The next actor to suit up in the iconic tux and pick up the PPK will be the seventh actor to play the character in the mainline films, following Sean Connery, George Lazenby, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan, and, most recently, Daniel Craig.
The Next Actor Takes Over From Daniel Craig’s Legacy
Craig, who appeared in Casino Royale (2006), Quantum of Solace (2008), Skyfall (2012), Spectre (2015), and No Time to Die (2021), is the only Bond to have been killed on-screen, which has left the next film with no choice but to start anew in terms of continuity. Although now that creative control falls under Amazon MGM, this would have likely been the case anyway. Either way, a new Bond was inevitable.
While we don’t know who it is yet, several actors have now been asked if they’re involved. Some have said that they’ll jump at the chance, while others have openly rejected the idea.
Austin Butler Is the Latest To Address 007 Casting Rumors
American actor Austin Butler has become the latest actor to give the role of James Bond in Amazon MGM’s upcoming film reboot the thumbs-down.
Butler, 34, best known for his portrayal as the King of Rock in the 2022 biopic Elvis, recently gave his two cents on playing the iconic MI6 spy James Bond in the upcoming film.
Butler, who has also starred in Dune: Part Two (2024), which was directed by Villeneuve, said that it “would be kind of sacrilegious” for him to play Bond because he’s American.
“No calls as far as that goes, but I love that man,” he told Hits Radio UK. “Would I play James Bond? I don’t think that would be a good idea. Because I’m an American. I can do an accent but that would be kind of sacrilegious.” He added, “Those movies meant so much to me, but I think that it’s got to be somebody who is from [the United Kingdom].”
However, he did express his willingness to play a Bond villain. “That would be alright. I’d do that,” he said. Watch the clip below:
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Other Actors Who’ve Been Asked About Playing James Bond
Butler isn’t the only actor to recently oppose the idea of playing Bond despite acknowledging the honor involved in taking up the mantle of the world’s most iconic secret agent. Glen Powell (Twisters) previously told The Hollywood Reporter that “a Texan should not play James Bond.”
In June, Henry Golding (G.I. Joe Origins: Snake Eyes) said he thought the idea of landing the role is “every actor’s kind of nightmare” due to the pressures involved, but added that the filmmakers should introduce more 00 agent characters “because there just isn’t the restraints and the expectation.”
Related: Meet the New James Bond in the Upcoming ‘007’ Reboot
Taron Egerton, who has already played a globe-trotting secret agent in the Kingsman films, said he “wouldn’t be good at it.” Tom Holland (the MCU’s Spider-Man films), on the other hand, is open to the idea of playing 007, having recently told world-famous chef Gordon Ramsay, “Listen, there’s speculation at the moment. We’ll keep it to a minimum for now. We’ll get there one day.”
Other names that have been circulating online for sometime now are Aaron Pierre (Rebel Ridge) and Theo James (The Monkey), however, they have yet to comment on the rumors.
Another James Bond Reboot Has Already Revealed Its Star
The upcoming James Bond reboot is being produced by Amy Pascal (Spider-Man: Homecoming) and David Heyman (the Harry Potter films).
The newly announced third-person action-adventure video game “007 First Light”, which is being developed by IO Interactive under license from Amazon MGM Studios, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, and Eon Productions, has already cast its new James Bond.
Irish actor Patrick Gibson, best known for the Paramount+ series Dexter: Original Sin (2024), has suited up as the iconic spy. The game is set for release on major consoles sometime in 2026. Watch the trailer below:
There’s no release date for the James Bond film.
“007 First Light” will be released on PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch 2, Xbox Series X/S, and Windows sometime in 2026.
Do you think Austin Butler would make a good James Bond, or should the actor be British? Let us know your thoughts in the comments down below!