There are major film franchises, and then there's the James Bond movies. Starting with 1962's Dr. No, generations have watched 007's adventures, most recently Daniel Craig's Bond movies. Since No Time to Die's ending killed off the MI6 agent, fans are curious about what actor might take on the mantle next. And a former casting director revealed why she doesn't want to see Jacob Elordi or any of the other rumored stars in that coveted role.
The James Bond franchise has been going through some changes, especially with Amazon MGM Studios getting the rights to the next movies. Folks have been betting on who might be the next 007 for years, with Jacob Elordi being one of a number of popular choices. But former Bond casting agent Debbie McWilliams spoke to The Independent and said "I don’t want to see any of them as James Bond." She further expanded her thoughts by offering:
It is absolutely essential that he retains a total enigma. I don’t want to see any of them as Bond because we now know so much about them.
There is some precedence for this line of thinking. While actors like Sean Connery and Pierce Brosnan had worked prior to becoming 007, they weren't household names in the way that actors like Jacob Elordi are thanks to his work on Euphoria (streaming with a HBO Max subscription). The same can also be said for Daniel Craig, who wasn't nearly as famous prior to debuting in Casino Royale. Later in the same interview, McWilliams went on to share why she thinks this is an important distinction, saying:
We want to know as little about them personally as possible, because that’s what spies are. We don’t need to know where he goes shopping or who his parents are, or where he lives. We never want to see him at home. And a vital element of the whole thing is his job description. He’s licensed to kill, and we have to believe that he can do that. If you don’t, then you’ve lost the audience.
While this is a tried and true method for 007 casting (Debbie McWilliams cast the last three actors), I'm not sure I agree that this method is essential nowadays. Because while new talents might be relative unknowns in their first Bond movie, whoever takes on James' martini and PPK is instantly catapulted into mega fame. And in doing so, they're not longer the mysterious "enigma" that she'd like. Maybe now is the time for the strategy to be shaken and stirred up.
The early reports about the next Bond casting claimed that the studio was looking for a younger actor to replace Daniel Craig, given how physically grueling the role can be. Jacob Elordi is 29, so he seems appropriate. And with an impressive resume and recent Oscar nomination, why not bring this hot star into the fold? The franchise is already having a change of ownership, so why not change its casting strategy? Of course, Elordi is only one of many names being tossed around online.
We'll just have to wait for official news about Bond 26's casting, and who ends up being the next actor to be the beloved MI6 agent. Hopefully some news about Denis Villeneuve's developing blockbuster arrives soon, even if its not going to be on the 2026 movie release list.
