Auditions for the Next James Bond Have Officially Begun (and We Have a Suggestion)

What’s that? It’s time for yet another “who’s going to be the next James Bond” story? It must be a day ending in Y. Look, we know that the endless hypothetical search for a new 007 is as familiar to us as the setting of the sun and that the lion’s share of it is artificial hype for the hot new actor of the moment. But this is still Bond, and under the tyrannical rule of Amazon-MGM, the hunt for the next one is sure to be bigger, louder, and inevitably more disappointing. But we at least have confirmation that the casting process has fully begun.

“The search for the next James Bond is under way,” Amazon MGM Studios said in a statement. “While we don’t plan to comment on specific details during the casting process, we’re excited to share more news with 007 fans as soon as the time is right.” See, nice and vague. I doubt there will be an open casting call. It’ll all be in-house and agents across the land will be fighting to get their guy’s headshot on the table. All we know so far is that Denis Villeneuve will be directing. Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight will write the script, and legendary casting director Nina Gold, is helping to conduct the search for the next James. But who are the favourites for the role?

Well, we’ve seen a lot of talk over the past couple of years for Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Callum Turner, Theo James, and Jacob Elordi. Harris Dickinson has also been talked about. Connor Swindells from Sex Education was mentioned in a recent Popbitch newsletter as a possibility. They’re definitely working from a narrow demographic of talent: young white dudes under 35 who are famous but not necessarily household names. Elordi is maybe on the cusp of being a bit too famous for that but don’t write him out (I think he’s too tall to be a spy who blends into a crowd, personally.) Amazon-MGM wants someone young, fit, and malleable: Someone willing to commit to a decade of roles and who’s not so powerful that they can dictate pesky things like script changes or a higher payday.

Frankly, most of these selections are just fine. But I think that’s the point. They all have potential to be weird and interesting if they’re given the space to do so, but will Amazon-MGM let them? I also think a lot of these guys are, frankly, above it. They don’t need Bond as much as Bond would need them. Elordi is an Oscar nominee. ATJ gets to do weirdo character actor stuff in big movies like Nosferatu. Dickinson’s currently playing a Beatle. I wonder if they fear that singing over the entirety of their 30s to a series like this will hinder their ability to work with the people they want to. Daniel Craig didn’t get into his weirdo zone until after he hung up his tuxedo. But hey, the money certainly helps.

I’ve thought a lot about who I think should play James Bond, who I believe would be good at the role while fulfilling Amazon’s criteria and who would actually benefit from the part without losing all of the stuff that makes them interesting. I think we need an actor with some real experience under his belt, who can do action but also embody the inherent darkness of the character. We need someone tall enough, handsome enough but not a pretty boy, and someone who can delve into the tricky masculinity of this notorious figure. And, sorry, but I think he needs to be British. So, who am I suggesting?

Jamie Bell.

Think about it. Bell is a former child actor from a working-class background who has a great sense of physicality, can play tough and tender, and who knows his way around an action set. Bell can be scary as hell but also someone with undeniable allure. Right now, he’s doing some career-best work on Half Man, alongside Richard Gadd, and to me, his portrayal of a man trapped between the intersections of class, toxic masculinity, and family feels like a training ground for Bond. It’s not a one-to-one correlation, obviously, but damn, what a performance, and what a sign of what Bell could do with a broader canvas.

The one thing that could hinder my fantasy is also one thing that could ensure it. Last month, it was announced that Bell would take on the role of Duke Shelby in a Peaky Blinders sequel series. So, he’s already on Steven Knight’s radar, but his schedule is also pretty full. But now that I’ve put the idea in your head, admit it, you like it. Amazon-MGM, you can have this one for free!