In contrast to earlier rumors, Aaron Taylor-Johnson has not yet officially been cast as James Bond.
He appears to be in serious negotiations for the role though, and is very likely the front-runner.
TMZ caught up with Lazenby, who stated, "[Aaron] can handle the stunts, and all the ladies who love a man in a tux." He went on to share that the Kraven actor should, "be true to himself and reinvent the role to fit him."
Another former 007, Pierce Brosnan, also gave Aaron his seal of approval.
“I think the man has the chops and the talent and the charisma to play Bond, very much so...So yes, I read the news about his possibilities of being a Bond, so I would definitely tip my hat to the fellow.”,” Brosnan said when he recently appeared on The Ray D’Arcy Show on RTÉ Radio 1.
As far was what advice he would give him, Brosnan stated something very similar to what Lazenby advised, "Be bold. Go out there, have a great time. Just love it. Just go for it."
It should be mentioned that Johnson and Brosnan previously collaborated on a movie, having costarred in The Greatest (2009), which Brosnan also produced. That shared experience seems to have impressed Brosnan no end.
Last year, Johnson commented on the possibility of suiting up as the next 007, stating, "It’s flattering. You can have something really positive [written about you], but you can also have something really negative that can circulate."
"You just want to stay in your lane, stay grounded, stay around the people that you love and love you back, and stay in that world. Because the moment you start believing the sh*t people say about you, you’ve lost your f***ing mind. You’ve lost it."
The last James Bond film was 2021's No Time to Die, which marked Daniel Craig's final performance as Her Majesty's premiere Secret Service agent. It was Craig's 5th Bond film after debuting in the role in 2006's Casino Royale.
Producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson, who are leading development on the Bond IP, have previously stated that they similarly want the next Bond actor to portray the character for nearly as long as Craig did.
This has ruled out some popular choices for the role including Idris Elba, Henry Cavill, Tom Hardy, and Michael Fassbender as they are all a little too old to portray the character for as long as Broccoli and Wilson desire.
Currently, Johnson is the odds-on favorite with sportsbettingdime.com, with +150 odds.