James Bond’s Tuxedos are a hard suit for any actor to fill out. But over fifteen years, Daniel Craig did just that during his era of the franchise, becoming the definitive Bond in many 007 fans’ eyes. So when he stepped away from the series five years ago, it was pretty clear that whoever took on the role next would have some pretty big Church's Phillips to fill. Well, now the Amazon boss is speaking out on why Craig's successor is taking so long to find and why there’s no new Bond for the 2026 movie calendar and beyond. Yet.
Per The Hollywood Reporter, at CinemaCon on Wednesday, Amazon Studios’ VP of film, Courtenay Valenti, spoke during MGM Studios‘ presentation and addressed the casting process for the upcoming installment, which Dune filmmaker Denis Villeneuve will helm. She explained:
Now, I know you’re all wondering when we’re going to announce who’s playing James Bond. Please know that we’re taking the time to do this with care and deep respect. It is the dream of a lifetime for all of us to bring audiences this next chapter, and it’s a responsibility we don’t take lightly.
On the one hand, it's incredibly reassuring to see the powers that be giving the franchise, which has spanned 25 films across more than 60 years, the sort of consideration it deserves. But on the other hand, it's a bummer that it's been five years since our last big screen outing with 007.
Article continues belowHowever, the Amazon bigwig has a pretty fair response to those of us tired of waiting for a casting announcement. Valenti continued:
What I can tell you is this: When you pair one of the most beloved franchises in history with a world-class filmmaking team, including the brilliant director Denis Villeneuve, extraordinary producers Amy Pascal and David Heyman, executive producer Tanya Lapointe, and screenwriter Steven Knight, you’re setting the stage for something that’s truly worthy of the Bond legacy. That film is coming, and when the time is right, we’ll have much more to share.
I mean, fair enough. As a fan of all things concerning the Agent with a license to kill, I’m pretty happy with the fact that they’re taking their time to find the right person to step in as Bond. We don’t need a hasty casting and end up in another George Lazenby situation. Look, I admittedly think Lazenby is a fine 007 and gets sidelined too often, but I know he's not everyone's choice for their favorite Bond actor. So the longer they take to find the right person for the job, the better our chances of a Bond built for some longevity.
The last of Daniel Craig’s films playing the legendary spy was in Cary Joji Fukunaga’s hit No Time to Die in 2021. It was announced last year that Amazon MGM would be stepping in as the franchise's creative control after long-time helmers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli formed a joint venture with Amazon and ceded creative control to the streamer.
For now, we fans will have to wait for more news regarding the casting of our next James Bond. Luckily for us, we can revisit six decades' worth of missions as all films in order are streaming with a Netflix subscription.
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