James Bond to Stay British, Not American, Says Brosnan; 'Longlegs' Director Slams Bezos

The James Bond franchise continues to be a hotbed of speculation and rumors, especially after Amazon's recent acquisition of full creative control over the 007 series. The identity of the next actor to don the iconic tuxedo remains a mystery, but new reports suggest that James Bond will stay true to his roots—remaining a man and either British or from the Commonwealth. This decision effectively rules out potential candidates like Ryan Gosling.

The Mail on Sunday reported that an internal memo from Amazon confirmed that the character's gender and nationality would not change under their stewardship. This news is likely to be welcomed by former Bond actor Pierce Brosnan, who played the suave spy in four films from 1995 to 2002. Brosnan emphasized to The Telegraph that Bond's Britishness is "a given."

Potential Candidates for the Next James Bond

If the door remains open for actors from the Commonwealth, Australian star Chris Hemsworth could be a contender. Hemsworth has previously expressed his interest in the role, telling Balance magazine in 2019, "When we were shooting Rush, someone had said that and I thought, 'Cool, if this is my audition tape, then great.' I don’t think you’ll ever meet anyone who doesn’t want to have a crack at James Bond. I’d love to do it." He acknowledged, however, that the decision is influenced by many factors beyond an actor's control, including the approval of Bond fans and the franchise's key figures like Barbara Broccoli. Following the Mail on Sunday's report, The Today Show Australia confidently declared, "It's a surety. He is in."

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Amid these speculations, concerns linger about the future direction of the franchise, especially with the departure of long-term producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G Wilson. Variety reported that despite rumors of a potential Bond TV series, a new film remains the "top priority" for Amazon. The company is reportedly on the hunt for a new producer, with David Heyman, known for his work on the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts series, being the type of visionary they seek.

In the director's chair, Christopher Nolan had shown interest post-Tenet, but was reportedly turned down by Broccoli due to her stance on not allowing directors final cut. Nolan went on to direct Oppenheimer, which became a massive success, grossing nearly $1 billion and earning him Best Director and Best Picture Oscars.

Amazon's control over the franchise has not been universally welcomed. During a Reddit AMA, the director of Longlegs and The Monkey was asked about his interest in directing a Bond film and responded bluntly, "No, because f**k Jeff Bezos."

Fans are eager to know who will step into Bond's shoes next. While names like Tom Hardy, Idris Elba, James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, and Aaron Taylor-Johnson (previously rumored to be a top contender) have been floated, the clear fan-favorite is Henry Cavill, known for his roles as Superman and in The Witcher.

Who’d You Pick as the Next Bond? --------------------------------

Henry CavillTom HardyChris HemsworthJames McAvoyMichael FassbenderAaron Taylor-JohnsonIdris ElbaSomeone else (tell us who in the comments!)

According to Variety, Amazon cannot proceed with hiring for the Bond project until the conclusion of their deal with Broccoli and Wilson, expected sometime this year. This comes after reports from the Wall Street Journal that the franchise is "on pause" due to an "ugly" stalemate between the Broccoli family and Amazon. The tension arose after Amazon acquired the rights to release Bond movies following their purchase of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer for $8.45 billion in 2021. As of now, neither Amazon nor Eon Productions has issued a comment on the situation.