Now that Daniel Craig's final chapter is written, which actor should star in the next George Lazenby in On Her Majesty's Secret Service. Live & Let Die marked the beginning of Roger Moore's prolific run, while Timothy Dalton embraced 007's darker side in 1987's The Living Daylights. Pierce Brosnan's era started strongly with Goldeneye, but desperately needed reinvention by the time Daniel Craig took over in 2006.
Craig breathed new life into 007 with a more modern, realistic approach to the character, and across a 5-film arc, audiences have watched James evolve from a bitter rookie proving a point, into a bitter veteran with nothing to prove whatsoever. Casino Royale continuity into a fresh 007 narrative. Who'll be playing James Bond when that happens is the all-important question. Eon will shortly begin (if it hasn't already) casting Bond no. 007, and there's no clear frontrunner.
Names on everyone's martini-soaked lips include Henry Cavill, Idris Elba, Tom Hardy, and Regé-Jean Page. Naturally, plenty other famous - and, indeed, not so famous - actors also have the tools, experience, and looks to steer the James Bond franchise into the future, and successfully navigate the daunting task of following Daniel Craig, widely considered the best since Sean Connery. These are our picks for the next 007.
Chiwetel Ejiofor
Whenever names like Cavill, Elba and Hardy are thrown around the Bond conversation, their fame is the biggest drawback. No James Bond actor has been a bona fide star before taking the 007 role, and Eon seem unlikely to break that tradition. The same accusation could be aimed toward Chiwetel Ejiofor who, with nominations from every major awards institution, is not exactly an up-and-comer. Unlike the aforementioned trio, however, Ejiofor has never previously been the face of a major blockbuster franchise, allowing him to narrowly squeeze past the "too famous for Bond" question. That's fantastic news for Eon, as Ejiofor is a ready-made James Bond whose impressive catalog of credits already contains everything a prospective 007 needs.
With an Oscar-nominated performance in Triple 9 provide a more-than-solid backbone.
Luke Pasqualino
As successful as Skins as Freddie McClair, Pasqualino played a casual, romantic protagonist determined to do the right thing - not especially Bond-ian, but certainly a good indication of Pasqualino's leading man ability.
As an adult in BBC's The Musketeers, Luke Pasqualino played d'Artagnan, swashbuckling from one adventure to the next and providing the titular trio with their maverick moral com. Even more recently, Pasqualino earned praise for bringing British Special Forces Captain Elvis Harte to life in Our Girl, echoing the military past that underpins Ian Fleming's 007. Bring all of these disparate elements together, and Luke Pasqualino could be the "spy with a smile" many James Bond fans have missed during the Daniel Craig era - someone who takes their work seriously, but doesn't look like they'd rather be anywhere else.
Jacob Fortune-Lloyd
Since Daniel Craig has nailed the modern Bond formula so effectively, some believe 007's next iteration should shy away from the 2020s completely, and instead return to the original 1960s setting that made Ian Fleming's creation famous. The old-fashioned environment would be a first for the James Bond franchise and a palette-cleanser after 5 films of unflinching modernism. Casting a 1960s James Bond, Jacob Fortune-Lloyd outmaneuvers his rivals to the front of the smartly-dressed queue.
Most famous for playing Townes in The Queen's Gambit, Fortune-Lloyd conveys that same self-aware upper-class status James Bond exudes in many of his forms - privileged and from wealth, but completely likable and almost apologetic about his background. The manner in which Townes seductively romances Anya Taylor-Joy's Beth Harmon is a page ripped straight from the James Bond playbook, and it's barely a stretch to envision Fortune-Lloyd with a gun in his hand where a pawn used to be. Interestingly, Jacob Fortune-Lloyd began as a stage actor, making his bones in Shakespeare and other classics. Such experience mirrors the path of Timothy Dalton, who also swapped The Bard for Bond.
Damson Idris
With so much attention on one Idris getting measured for his new tuxedo, another might've been unfairly overlooked. One of the lesser-known names on this list, Damson Idris is everything Eon typically look for in a Black Mirror's "Smithereens." Though Andrew Scott did the heavy lifting for that episode, Idris' Jaden caught the eye as a relatable, morally-conscious protagonist who evoked viewer sympathy and made the most of his ing part. However, it's Netflix's 2021 movie, Outside The Wire, where Damson Idris really demonstrates his potential as a future 007.
Despite the futuristic sci-fi setting and premise, Daniel Craig's James Bond continuity, 007's story will begin again in his next cinematic adventure. Damson Idris represents a younger, realistic Bond that can grow into the role just as Daniel Craig did, and continue his predecessor's mission to make Ian Fleming's character more human.
Tom Cullen
You'd be hard-pressed to find a James Bond fan who looks at Tom Cullen and doesn't see 007's steely eyes staring back. Put Sean Connery, Timothy Dalton and Pierce Brosnan's faces into a blender, and something vaguely resembling Tom Cullen would come out (though we don't recommend trying it for yourself). But this ain't no lookalike competition and, fortunately, the Welsh actor has shown more than enough in his career to prove suitable for bigger, Bond-shaped things. In his Earl of Grantham's Edwardian estate, you'd be forgiven for thinking Gillingham might pull a Walther PPK from his jacket pocket and save the day.
Cullen's James Bond could exist in either a modern or traditional setting, and would scratch an itch for those who dearly miss the days of Sean Connery and Roger Moore. Even in the 14th century era of Knightfall, Tom Cullen still comes across as a James Bond desperately trying to escape. His character, Sir Landry, is a tough-as-nails, take no prisoners type who isn't afraid to get his hands bloody, or march into battle when the odds are stacked against him.
Elizabeth Debicki
Eon's Barbara Broccoli (who calls the shots alongside Michael G. Wilson) recently debunked the idea of a female actor leading the James Bond franchise, and her sentiments were echoed by Daniel Craig, who claimed women should get their own Bond-like characters to play. Those attitudes miss the wider point about a female Bond, and it's not quite as simple as conjuring up another iconic 60-year series from thin air. There's a century of Hollywood patriarchy to break down, and established franchises such as James Bond will be far more effective in doing that compared to low-budget original IPs. Not to mention, widening the casting criteria can help keep 007 fresh as he heads toward the grand age of 70. Though there are many exciting possibilities - Lara Pulver, Hayley Atwell, Ruth Wilson - Elizabeth Debicki is best placed to give James Bond an extra X chromosome.
In the likes of John David Washington and Tom Hiddleston, respectively, but was kept at arm's length by virtue of being the typical damsel in distress (her characters in each are remarkably similar, incidentally). That's a shame, because with her ice cold demeanor and unique blend of sparkling wit meets tenacious grit, Elizabeth Debicki would make an ideal lead for a future James Bond film. Her role in the climax of Tenet, an undercover time-bending assassination, gives a small hint at what Debicki could do if her character was the one saving the day.
