The next James Bond will be a "thirty-something" and not a younger actor
007 producer Michael G. Wilson rules out going younger when casting Daniel Craig's replacement.
James Bond producer Michael G. Wilson has ruled out the possibility of casting a younger actor to explore the character's early days.
Wilson told Deadline that while the search for Daniel Craig's replacement is yet to officially begin, the next 007 will be "a thirty-something" in line with franchise tradition.
"We’ve tried looking at younger people in the past but trying to visualise it doesn’t work," he insisted.
"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."
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Series co-producer Barbara Broccoli suggested back in June that the next Bond movie is "at least two years away" from filming.
"We’re working out where to go with him, we’re talking that through," Broccoli said.
"There isn’t a script and we can’t come up with one until we decide how we’re going to approach the next film because, really, it’s a reinvention of Bond. We’re reinventing who he is and that takes time."
Despite the hiatus, the future looks bright for secret agent 007, with the next actor to take on the mantle of Ian Fleming's super spy expected to sign up for "a 10-, 12-year commitment", while a new distribution deal will reportedly help keep Bond on the big screens until at least 2037.
The most recent film in the long-running series, 2021's No Time to Die, was Daniel Craig's fifth and final outing, grossing over $770 million at the box office.
Read more:
- James Bond's next "reinvention" needs to bring the fun back to 007 movies
- 007 producers reveal why they finally agreed to James Bond TV series
- Daniel Craig jokes about negative Bond comments: "I wouldn't change a second"
- James Bond special The Sound of 007 to stream on Prime Video
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Authors
Morgan Jeffery is the Digital Editor for Radio Times, overseeing all editorial output across the brand's digital platforms. He was previously TV Editor at Digital Spy and has featured as a TV expert on BBC Breakfast, BBC Radio 5 Live and Sky Atlantic.
