While “Tomorrow never dies” with Pierce Brosnan in the role of the famous agent of his Majesty, is broadcast this evening on France 2, we take stock of the next film in the James Bond franchise.
October 6, 2021 was released in theaters Dying can wait by Cary Joji Fukunaga, the last film in the saga carried by Daniel Craig.
Since then, discussions have been underway to determine who will take over the role of Agent 007. But beyond the actor or actress, the producers want to completely reinvent the saga.
Last September, the historical producerBarbara Broccoli declared that discussions were underway on how to reinvent the saga.
“We’re figuring out where to go with 007, we’re discussing it. There’s no script and we can’t come up with one until we decide how we’re going to approach the next movie, because it it’s really about reinventing Bond. We’re reinventing who he is and that takes time. I’d say filming will take place in at least two years.”
The first adaptation of Ian Fleming’s work to the cinema dates back to 1962. It was Sean Connery, then almost unknown to the general public, who played the spy in James Bond 007 against Terence Young’s Dr No.
MGM Sean Connery, in Dr No
60 years later, six actors have succeeded in the role of 007: the Scotsman Sean Connery, the Australian George Lazenby, the Englishman Roger Moore, the Welshman Timothy Dalton, the Irishman Pierce Brosnan and the Englishman Daniel Craig.
The contenders for the position of 007
After 25 feature films carried by a white man, the producers seem ready to reinvent the franchise. If Idris Elba will not play James Bond, despite the incessant rumors, and that the future agent has not yet been announced, the bookmakers already have their favorites!
Thus, Aaron-Taylor Johnson, Taron Egerton, Tom Hardy, Regé-Jean Page (The Bridgerton Chronicle), James Norton (The Daughters of Dr. March), Mahershala Ali (Green Book), Henry Cavill (who could have played the agent in place of Daniel Craig) and Lucien Laviscount (Emily in Paris) would be serious contenders for the title.
After the release of Dying can wait, the name of Lashana Lynch – who also embodies agent 007 at the start of the film – has been mentioned. But the producers quickly refuted the information specifying that James Bond would remain a man.
A statement endorsed by Ana de Armas, who plays 007’s CIA ally Paloma in Dying Can Wait.
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Ana de Armas in Dying Can Wait
The latter thus specified at the microphone of The Sun: “There is no need for a James Bond woman. There shouldn’t be a need to steal someone else’s character to feminize it.
There are novels, which lead us into a whole world of fantasies in which James Bond gravitates. Therefore, what I would like is for the female roles in the 007 films to be portrayed in a different way. We need to give them more substance and real recognition. This is what seems more interesting to me rather than reversing things“.
And the actress would see Paul Mescal, nominated for the Oscar for best actor for his role in Aftersun, in the title role. The Irish actor will also be the star of Ridley Scott’s Gladiator 2, scheduled for theaters on November 20, 2024.
A 30-something actor
This choice is rather well thought out since producer Michael G. Wilson specified in October 2022 on the site Deadlinethat it took an actor in his thirties to play James Bond.
“Remember Bond is a veteran. He’s got experience. He’s been through wars, so to speak. He was probably in the SAS [Special Air Service, unité de forces spéciales des forces armées britanniques, ndlr] or something like that. It’s not a kid out of high school that we can throw in the bath like that. That’s why it works with a 30-something.”
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Daniel Craig in “Dying Can Wait”
A director for James Bond 26?
On the staging side, the debate is also in order. Sam Mendes, director of Skyfall and Spectre, believes that, since the character must evolve, the same goes for the technical team and in particular for the position of director.
The 25 previous opuses have indeed all been directed by men and for Mendes it is time for a female director to direct a James Bond film. He told the site Deadline in September 2022: “I think that if the actor who plays Bond must evolve, the director must also evolve. It would be wonderful to see a woman lead Bond.“
And the name of Phoebe Waller-Bridge, currently starring in Indiana Jones and the dial of destiny, is circulating precisely for the writing and staging of James Bond 26. The actress and creator of Fleabag could therefore well be responsible for laying the groundwork for an all-new British secret agent adventure.
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Phoebe Waller-Bridge in Indiana Jones 5
Nevertheless, several directors have already expressed their desire to direct a James Bond, this is particularly the case of Denis Villeneuve, director of Dune 1 & 2, who admitted in November 2021 that he would love to direct a James Bond film. A day. “He’s a character I’ve lived with since I was a kid. I have a huge affection for Bond. It would be a big challenge to try and reboot him after what Daniel did.”
A desire shared by Korean director Park Chan Wook (Old Boy), who specified in October 2022 to Deadline: “It would be fun to do a James Bond. However, I’m not sure fans would enjoy the film as much as I would have enjoyed making it..”
As you will have understood, you will have to wait a little longer to find out more about James Bond 26, which should be released in our theaters in 2025 or 2026.