James Bond Will Reportedly Remain a Man and Still Be British or From the Commonwealth, Pierce Brosnan Insists 007 Must Not Be American, and Longlegs Director Says 'F**k Jeff Bezos'

The James Bond franchise is buzzing with speculation following Amazon's acquisition of full creative control over 007. The identity of the next actor to don the iconic tuxedo remains a mystery, but a recent report from The Mail on Sunday sheds light on Amazon's vision for the character. An internal memo reportedly circulated by Amazon confirms that James Bond will continue to be a man and will remain British or from the Commonwealth, dashing hopes for actors like Ryan Gosling to take on the role.

This news is likely to be welcomed by former Bond actor Pierce Brosnan, who portrayed the suave spy in films such as GoldenEye, Tomorrow Never Dies, The World Is Not Enough, and Die Another Day from 1995 to 2002. In a statement to The Telegraph, Brosnan emphasized that Bond should indeed be British, aligning with Amazon's reported stance.

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With the possibility of an actor from the Commonwealth taking on the role, Australian star Chris Hemsworth, known for his roles in Thor and Extraction, has re-emerged as a potential candidate. Hemsworth previously expressed his interest in playing Bond, citing his performance as British Formula One driver James Hunt in Rush as a potential audition. In a 2019 interview with Balance magazine, he stated, "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."

Hemsworth acknowledged the complexity of the casting process, noting, "But that’s up to so many elements and is way beyond myself; it’s not one you can pitch yourself on to either. It’s something that the community of Bond fans, Barbara Broccoli, and the whole crew there agree on, and it has to be a very organic decision from them. There have been a lot of names thrown out there and a lot of brilliant people can tackle that one."

Following the Mail on Sunday's report, speculation about Hemsworth's potential casting has intensified, with The Today Show Australia confidently stating, "It's a surety. He is in."

Amidst the excitement, there's also concern about the future direction of the franchise following Amazon's acquisition and the stepping back of long-time producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson. While rumors of a Bond TV series have circulated, Variety reports that a new Bond film remains the "top priority." Amazon is reportedly seeking a producer akin to David Heyman, known for his work on the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts series, to guide the franchise forward.

Director Christopher Nolan had expressed interest in helming a Bond film post-Tenet, but Broccoli reportedly rejected his proposal, insisting on retaining final cut control. Nolan subsequently directed Oppenheimer, which was a massive success, grossing nearly $1 billion and winning multiple Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Director.

Amazon's control over Bond has not been universally welcomed. When asked about directing a Bond film during a Reddit AMA, the director of Longlegs and The Monkey bluntly stated, "No, because f**k Jeff Bezos."

Fans are eager to learn who will step into Bond's shoes next. While names like Tom Hardy, Idris Elba, James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, and Aaron Taylor-Johnson have been floated, Henry Cavill remains the fan-favorite to take on the role.

According to Variety, Amazon cannot proceed with hiring for the Bond franchise until the closure of its deal with Broccoli and Wilson, expected later this year. The Wall Street Journal reported that the future of the franchise is "on pause" due to an "ugly" stalemate between the Broccoli family and Amazon, which acquired the rights to release Bond movies after purchasing Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer for $8.45 billion in 2021. This has left the franchise in a state of limbo, with no official comments yet from Amazon or Eon Productions.