There's still a massive amount of intrigue surrounding who will be chosen to play the next James Bond. However, many of the most popular suggestions - Henry Cavill, Idris Elba, and Jamie Dornan, for example - are being aged out of the role due to how long it's so far taken to find Daniel Craig's successor.
In 2022, producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson said they were looking to find an actor willing to commit to the role for the long haul. The latter later explained that while they're not planning to cast a considerably younger actor as the new 007, they want whoever is cast to play the iconic spy for a decade or more.
Kick-Ass, Avengers: Age of Ultron, and Kraven the Hunter star Aaron Taylor-Johnson fits the bill and, in the past, multiple sources have claimed he's met with Broccoli and Wilson to discuss playing 007.
The Sun (via ActioNewz.com) has followed up with a report today which claims Taylor-Johnson has been "formally" offered the role. He's supposedly expected to officially board the franchise later this week, with the new James Bond movie likely to begin shooting later this year.
"Bond is Aaron’s job, should he wish to accept it," a source tells the tabloid. "The formal offer is on the table and they are waiting to hear back. As far as Eon is concerned, Aaron is going to sign his contract in the coming days and they can start preparing for the big announcement."
The report says the script is being worked on with production scheduled to take place at Pinewood Studios in Buckinghamshire. As of now, there's no mention of a writer or director and we'd assume the ever-busy Christopher Nolan won't be taking the helm of the next instalment despite him previously expressing interest.
Another source adds, "Aaron may not be the best known in his field but he is an incredibly talented actor. His role in Nocturnal Animals showed his depth as an actor. He is the perfect person to play Bond and will pick up well from where Daniel left off."
The Bullet Train star would be a great pick for the new Bond and, last year, Taylor-Johnson addressed the rumours head-on.
"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."
If there's any truth to this report, expect an official announcement to be made sooner rather than later. While we'd recommend taking this source with a pinch of salt, several reliable outlets (including the trades) are sharing the story and it feels like there may indeed be something to this one...