There's still a lot of talk about who will ultimately be chosen to play the next James Bond, with many fans concerned that their top picks - Henry Cavill, Idris Elba, and Jamie Dornan, for example - will be aged out by the time the next movie finally begins shooting. However, that might not be the problem we thought it would be.
Following recent comments from producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson that they're looking to find an actor who will commit to the role for the long haul, the latter has followed that up by making it clear that they're not planning to cast a younger actor as Daniel Craig's replacement.
In an interview with Deadline (via ActioNewz.com) discussing the changes at MGM since Amazon acquired the studio, Wilson said, "It’s a whole new world. We’ve got to see what happens with Amazon. But there’ll always be a Bond." He'd add to that by making it clear there's still no new 007 "no matter what others tell you."
Elaborating on that latter point, the producer said: "We’ve tried looking at younger people in the past. But trying to visualize it doesn’t work. Remember, Bond’s already a veteran. He’s had some experience. He’s a person who has been through the wars, so to speak. He’s probably been in the SAS or something."
"He isn’t some kid out of high school that you can bring in and start off. That’s why it works for a thirty-something."
Well, at least we know what age range they're looking for now, even if we are no closer to casting news.
There are quite a lot of candidates in their late 20s likely to be the right age by the time the next James Bond movie comes along, but there's clearly no rush to replace Craig after No Time to Die. We're hoping for some news next year, but at this rate, we wouldn't be surprised if they keep us waiting until 2024 for an official James Bond casting reveal.
Who do you think should play the next 007? Let us know in the comments section!