The behind-the-scenes world of James Bond has been pretty hectic over the last few years. We still don’t know who the next actor to play Bond will be when James Bond 26 is finally produced. There are plenty of rumors and conjectures around who will next play the role of Bond. A recent update on the state of the movie, specifically the casting of 007, got me excited, and on one hand, I’m encouraged by the news because the filmmakers are being deliberate. On the other hand, I’m discouraged by how long it could be before we see James Bond 26. Here’s where things stand.
Casting Is Underway
According to a report in Variety, auditions are finally underway for the next Bond movie. In a statement from Amazon, which took over creative control of the franchise in 2025, the producers explained that auditions were happening, but:
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.
That is great news! After months and months of rumors over who could step into Bond’s legendary shoes, we know now that at least the process is happening. In more good news, legendary casting director Nina Gold is heading things up. She’s responsible for the casting in shows like Game of Thrones and The Crown, and movies like The Martian and Hamnet, the latter of which earned her a nomination at the recent 98th Academy Awards.
The bosses at Amazon seem to be taking good care of this process and don’t want to rush it, which is encouraging. Theoretically, this could be Bond for the next 15 years (Craig’s tenure was exactly 15). It’s critical to get things right.
This Good News Comes With A Caveat
The flip side of this news is that it seems like the next installment in the James Bond franchise is no closer to starting production than it was a year ago. What that means for a release date is anyone’s guess, but it seems like it will be at least 2028, if not 2029. That means there will be seven or eight years between releases in the series, as No Die To Die came out in 2021. That’s a really long time between films.
It’s not just the casting that is stretching the production timeline out. The film’s director, Denis Villeneuve, has been wrapping up work on Dune III, which will hit the 2026 movie schedule in December, and screenwriter Steven Knight is reportedly still working on the script, which is looking more and more like it could be a 007 origin story. It’s all adding up to a very long process.
For me, as a huge Bond fan, I’m happy to know that things are finally appearing to be moving forward the much-anticipated Bond 26, but it’s just such a bummer that it’s still going to be a long wait before it hits theaters. Let’s hope it’s at least 2028, and not later.
