There are popular film franchises, and then there are the James Bond movies. Moviegoers have been following 007 for decades, with entire generations brought up on the MI6 agent's adventures. Since No Time To Die's ending killed off Daniel Craig's version of the hero, fans have been curious about which actors might help reboot the series. Sydney Sweeney has been a popular fan choice to be the next actress to play a Bond Girl, but another star has just topped her in the online odds.
What we know about Bond 26 is very limited, but the film is in active development by Amazon MGM. The pressure in on to deliver after Daniel Craig's Bond movies, which were wildly successful. No casting has been announced, but the prediction market Kalshi (via SHH) recently updated its standings, and The Substance actress Margaret Qualley has taken the top spot over Sydney Sweeney.
Of course, this is no actual guarantee that either actress will actually be cast. But the internet seems to think that Qualley is the most likely choice to join Denis Villeneuve's developing Bond movie. Both she and Sydney Sweeney are wildly popular and have the resumes to support them joining 007 on his next mission. Qualley is an incredibly captivating (and physical) actor, so there's no doubt in my mind she would be great. We'll just have to wait and see who gets to be in the Dune director's spy movie.
As I mentioned, Sweeney has been a popular choice for a Bond girl for some time now. The star of Euphoria (which is streaming with a HBO Max subscription) has some action experience under her belt, including her roles in Christy and Madame Web. She's also a black belt in grappling and has experience kickboxing and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. That, combined with her star power, makes her seem like a great choice for a Bond Girl.
As for Margaret Qualley, she's a two-time Golden Globe nominee who has been in acclaimed TV and film work. Her role in The Substance helped make her a household name, even though she was snubbed from an Oscar nomination for the body horror film. Qualley is another big star who would likely help get butts in seats if she were to join Bond 26, and is a versatile talent that I know would crush in a Bond movie.
Overall, not much is known about what Denis Villeneuve has up his sleeve for his forthcoming Bond movie. He's obviously busy working on Dune: Part Three right now, but his schedule should presumably be freed up after its release in December. Some moviegoers were concerned when Amazon got the rights to the James Bond franchise, although the acclaimed filmmaker's involvement has helped to quell some fears. But casting is a total mystery at the time of writing this story.
It's currently unclear when Bond 26 will hit theaters, but Dune: Part Three will have that honor on December 18th as part of the 2026 movie release list.
