James Bond is entering the Amazon era, with the former Sony chair Amy Pascal and producer David Heyman selected to take over for longtime Bond producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson. The changes follow Daniel Craig’s exit from the role, which means the search is underway for the next actor to step into the 007 role. And that search has turned up quite a few names from across the acting world, with a wide range of ages and ideas for the next James Bond assignment. There are even odds on Pierce Brosnan possibly returning or Jeremy Irons portraying an old Bond, which both seem like outliers at best.
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Dune director Denis Villeneuve will handle the duties in Bond 26, with Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight penning the script. According to reports earlier in the summer, the Prisoners director and the Amazon bosses are keen on casting a British actor in their 20s. This would be a younger push than the departed producing team of Broccoli and Wilson, who were reportedly considering actors in their 30s or 40s.
So, scouring the internet’s many oddsmakers, comments on Reddit, and official news, we’ve taken some time to pare down the potential James Bond actors list to fewer than ten actors. That’s a hefty feat given that almost every British actor and a few British actresses have been considered for the iconic spy role. Don’t expect Tom Hardy or Idris Elba to appear on this list, though both are in some conversations. And there will be a few that don’t make the final cut, but they deserve some honorable mentions. Scroll down to start things out and see who could be suiting up as 007 in Bond 26, ranked by likelihood.
Honorable Mentions
Aside from those already mentioned, there are quite a few heroic choices that won’t land in the top seven, instead being held near the top when the film was first released. Both Dev Patel and Bridgerton‘s Rege-Jean Page are on a lot of lists to take up the mantle, with Patel growing to be quite an action star in the years since Slumdog Millionaire. F1 and Snowfall star Damson Idris is also rising on a lot of lists, though he’s also reportedly up to become the new Black Panther for Marvel. Superman standout and Marvel alum Nicholas Hoult is also in the running, but he’s sure to have a busy schedule. And he’s not the only one.
7) Paul Mescal
The Gladiator 2 star was once a frontrunner for the Bond role on the heels of a slew of successes and awards consideration at only 29 years old. Audiences enjoyed him in Aftersun and All of Us Strangers, but Ridley Scott’s Roman epic is Mescal’s biggest role to date. Could he be ready to jump into a major franchise? Or will Mescal be too busy playing Paul McCartney in the upcoming Beatles series of films?
6) Aaron Pierre
If you haven’t watched Rebel Ridge on Netflix, stop and drop everything you’re doing and make the time. Aaron Pierre delivers a performance that’s up with the best Denzel Washington revenge films. It also helps to show that the Mufasa and Underground Railroad actor is comfortable with physical action. He’s currently the highest-ranked actor of color with oddsmakers, and his name continues to move up the list.
If he did end up in the role, it would surely be a flashpoint for people too dedicated to their own opinions. But they’d have to come around, or completely miss out.
5) Jacob Elordi
The Saltburn and Euphoria actor is set to appear in Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein later in 2025, but many have wanted him for the Bond since the producing changes were made official. His Australian background would also have people calling back to the original replacement Bond, George Lazenby. He’s also free of any franchise entanglements at this point, with Ridley Scott’s The Dog Stars being the only project he’s filming for at the moment outside of Euphoria in 2026. He’s got the look and has been the frontrunner several times, but will he make it through?
4) Henry Cavill
If you were to type in a prompt about the perfect James Bond, nine times out of 10, you’d get Henry Cavill. The former Man of Steel star showed he had spy chops in several films, including doing his best James Bond in The Man From U.N.C.L.E. opposite Armie Hammer. He also delivered an iconic performance in Mission: Impossible Fallout, loading his arms to blast off in that bathroom fight. He also dipped a toe into Bond territory with Argylle, but returned to a meatier espionage role with The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare.
The point here: he’s a veteran of the game, and he’s still fairly young, despite being 42 years old. If that’s not an issue, Cavill has to be on the official list.
3) Harris Dickinson
Dickinson is the best of both worlds with youth on his side, but with some prior experience within the genre, thanks to his role in The King’s Man. He’s also delivered a memorable performance as the doomed David Von Erich in The Iron Claw and stood out among the pretty faces in Triangle of Sadness.
Now he’s high in the odds and on a few major lists for the next James Bond. It’s just enough notoriety to give him the edge at this moment.
2) Tom Holland
The Spider-Man star has been vocal about his interest in playing the next James Bond, even pitching a young James Bond reboot in 2019. He called it an origin story, but noted that the Bond producers at the time weren’t interested. Could the newer officials have a change of heart?
Fans think he is a frontrunner, according to online betting site Polymarket, with Holland landing at third and averaging just below Dickinson, Elordi, and Cavill across online oddsmakers. The big problem for Holland could be his busy superhero schedule, but we’ll keep our eyes peeled. There is one other name leading the pack, however.
1) Aaron Taylor-Johnson
The Bullet Train and Kick-Ass star has grown in popularity to become the next James Bond, with quite the track record to support his ascension. He recently became Omega watches latest global ambassador, making his chances for the role look even better according to GQ. Omega has long been a James Bond partner since Pierce Brosnan took the role in Goldeneye.
Taylor-Johnson’s age is the only real hurdle, according to most reports, though he’d still be in the sweet spot below Cavill at 35 years old. An interesting wrinkle is the reports that Taylor-Johnson had been officially offered the role once before by the departed producers Broccoli and Wilson, and never announced it. So he’s definitely in the running and currently is the favorite due to his Omega partnership.
Do you agree with our list? Feel that one of the other dozens of names mentioned with James Bond could do a better job? Let us know in the comments.
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