The next chapter in the James Bond movie franchise may still be a few years out, but the upcoming Bond 26 already sounds like a bold departure from what’s come before—and in the best way possible. With rumors swirling about a long-term 007 successor, the question is: how are director Denis Villeneuve and the creative team approaching the search? Now, we finally have an update.
Deadline reports that Dune and Blade Runner 2049 helmer Denis Villeneuve is planning to start the search for the next 007 once he wraps production on Dune: Part Three in 2026. If you’re hoping for a big-name casting announcement soon, don’t hold your breath. Villeneuve and the producers are reportedly going all-in on a “fresh start,” aiming to cast a British actor—ideally an unknown—in his late 20s to early 30s. They’re looking for someone with raw presence and serious grit. As one source close to the production put it:
Whoever it is, has to look like he could kill you with his bare hands in a trice. From the moment you see him, that has to be readily apparent.
The casting is shaping up to give us a leaner, meaner 007 who's grounded in the spirit of Ian Fleming’s original novels. Villeneuve’s team is allegedly leaning into the early Bond material Casino Royale, From Russia With Love and Doctor No, and bringing the character back to his roots, which is a cold, calculating Royal Navy Commander-turned-MI6 operative; less globe-trotting flash and more of a blunt instrument.
If the reporting plays out to be true, it probably rules out a lot of the fan-favorite names that get tossed around every time a new Bond casting comes up. Think Timothée Chalamet, Glen Powell, Jacob Elordi, Austin Butler and pretty much anyone not from the UK. It also likely means we can cross off longtime fan-cast contenders like Idris Elba, Henry Cavill and Tom Hardy, who are either too high-profile or aging out of the vision being shaped here.
This movie won’t pick up where No Time to Die ended. That Bond is dead—literally. Villeneuve’s 007 is reportedly a complete reset, meaning new actor, new timeline and new creative team. The insider went on to say:
It’s a new Bond, a new start, a fresh everything.
That means no returning cast or callbacks to the Daniel Craig era. Unlike previous transitions, where actors like Bernard Lee (M), Lois Maxwell (Moneypenny) and Judi Dench (M) carried over between Bond actors, this reboot is starting entirely from scratch. Dench remains the only actor to span two timelines, making her role especially unique. Yet for Bond 26, it’s all-new everything.
The Bond 26 script, written by Peaky Blinders and Eastern Promises scribe Steven Knight, is still in progress, but all signs point to something more stripped-down and brutal, likely with less gadgetry and a greater focus on grit. It’ll probably feel a lot like early Connery, but with a modern edge. That sounds like a lot of fun to me.
Per Deadline, casting for the next 007 installment won’t begin until Dune: Part Three wraps, with filming expected to start in 2027 and a release slated for 2028. A November premiere is rumored to keep with tradition. We’ll keep you posted as more details emerge.
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