Huge news: The next James Bond will be "a thirty-something"

James Bond producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson

Following Daniel Craig’s official retirement as James Bond in No Time To Die, the action franchise’s producers have reassured us they’re not rushing to choose a new actor for the part. The search hasn’t even really begun, they say, while offering quite a few words on the process regardless. No names have emerged as frontrunners, but the Bond crew has offered some paltry breadcrumbs on what the next 007 could maybe, possibly be like.

For example: producer Michael G. Wilson spoke with Deadline at a celebration for Bond’s 60th anniversary, and he reiterates that casting for the role has not yet begun, “No matter what others tell you.” However, he shares, ”We’ve tried looking at younger people in the past. But trying to visualize it doesn’t work. 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.”

Read more

• A definitive but possibly questionable ranking of festival films, according to standing ovations

• 20 Best Picture contenders for the 2023 Oscars

• 26 best TV shows streaming on Prime Video

• What to watch on Apple TV Plus: 14 best shows streaming right now

Wilson adds: “He isn’t some kid out of high school that you can bring in and start off. That’s why it works for a thirty-something.”

Not sure anyone was fan-casting actors straight out of high school for the part (were you?). Perhaps it’s a subtle call out to the A.V. Club for including Tom Holland, whose most famous role to date is a high schooler, on our list of potential 007s. (The rest of the list are all actors age 30 and above!)

It feels at times that the Bond producers are throwing out the most banal Bond tidbits just to remind us that the franchise exists, as if the public is likely to forget one of cinema’s most enduring heroes. Surely we can live without James Bond updates until there are actually updates upon which to be updated. In any case, file this one away as a representational win for the 30-something community. Diversity matters!