No Time to Die ended Daniel Craig's tenure as James Bond, and all eyes are now on who the next 007 will be. Many names have been suggested by fans, including Richard Madden, Henry Cavill, and Idris Elba, but considering the fact no one ever pictured Craig in the role, chances are the actor chosen won't be who we're expecting.
Talking to Deadline, longtime James Bond franchise producer Barbara Broccoli was asked about the continued support for Elba to play the iconic Ian Fleming creation.
"Well, we know Idris, we're friends with him, and he's a magnificent actor," she said. "And, you know, it's been part of the conversation, but it's always difficult to have the conversation when you have someone in the seat." Broccoli clearly isn't giving anything away, but seeing as Elba is now 49, there's a strong chance the studio will be looking for someone younger (which could explain recent reports the Thor: Ragnarok star is being eyed for a villainous role instead).
Adding that they're in no rush to name the next Bond, Broccoli added: "So, you know, I think we have decided that until No Time to Die has had its run and Daniel has been able to - well, we've all been able to savour, reap the benefits of Daniel's wonderful tenure, we're not gonna think about, or talk about anybody else."
No Time to Die was one of just a few box office hits during the pandemic, so chances are we won't be waiting too much longer before the next movie begins production.
Amazon recently purchased MGM, meaning they hold the rights to the franchise. While Broccoli insists the plan is for Bond to remain on the big screen (which does feel right), we'd be shocked if the series isn't eventually expanded on for streaming as that would be the perfect platform for spinoffs featuring other characters.
Stay tuned for updates.