Replacing Daniel Craig in the James Bond franchise will be no easy feat, but taking more time to recast the iconic role is actually a good thing. No Time To Die provided a clean, decisive end to Daniel Craig's tenure, and there are now unlimited possibilities for the future of Bond. Both as a franchise and as a character. With the Bond franchise coming off Daniel Craig's tenure, the most financially successful in 007 history, and facing more pressure than ever before to justify its own existence, it's important that 007 franchise producer Barbara Broccoli and her team take all the time necessary to get their next move right.
The 007 series has been without a lead actor for its title character since Craig's 15-year run as the famous action character ended in 2021's No Time To Die. And, according to recent James Bond casting updates from Barbara Broccoli, the series will not decide on the next James Bond actor for quite some time. In fact, the casting process hasn't officially begun yet as the team decides on the overall direction of the long-running series. The fact that Broccoli and her team are taking their time to decide on a new, post-Daniel Craig focus for the franchise should be a welcome development for James Bond fans.
Who Are The Favorites To Be The Next James Bond?
Should Broccoli and her team decide to pick up the 007 franchise directly after the conclusion of No Time To Die, that film saw the introduction of an intriguing female character whose story could be further explored in Bond 26. Lashanna Lynch's character, Nomi, became the first agent 007 other than James Bond, and in the future, Lashana Lynch could return for Bond 26 as the series lead. If the next Bond decides to go a more traditional route and start with a fresh continuity, there is no shortage of male British stars available to take on the mantle of James Bond.
Action stars like Tom Holland, Henry Cavill, Tom Hardy, and Sam Heughan (The Outlander) have been speculated about as perfect casting choices. Despite years of fans calling for Idris Elba to consider the role, the star himself has shot down the idea. However, audiences hoping for a Black actor to take on the mantle of James Bond have recently turned their attention to younger Black stars like Regé-Jean Page (Bridgerton) for a Bond casting.
When Could James Bond 26 Actually Happen?
According to what Barbara Broccoli told EW, the casting process won't start until "sometime next year". There is currently no lead actor, script concept, director, or anything else attached to Bond 26, so it may be several years before the next iteration of the James Bond franchise releases in theaters. As disappointing as the delay may be to fans of the franchise eager to return to the world of MI6, it's important that Barbara Broccoli and the team at Eon Productions are not hastily throwing together a new direction for the 007 franchise. The way the series moves forward after the end of Daniel Craig's tenure will be pivotal to the future of James Bond and fans should feel comforted that Eon Productions is taking that seriously.
