Denis Villeneuve has a busy future in Hollywood ahead of him.
The Oscar-nominated director, 57, will begin his search for an actor to play James Bond next year when he completes production on Dune: Part Three, Deadline reports.
It was officially announced in June that Villeneuve will direct Bond 26 for Amazon MGM Studios.
The French-Canadian filmmaker and his collaborators are seeking a “fresh face” to portray the coveted 007 role, sources tell Deadline. Plus, Bond will be male, as written by creator Ian Fleming — and will be British.
This rules out a whole slew of possibilities, as the industry has speculated that perhaps a North American A-lister might fill the shoes — or maybe even an Aussie like Jacob Elordi.
Sources also told Deadline that the ideal approach is to cast “an unknown,” possibly in his late 20s or early 30s. This further rules out options for celebrated actors hailing from the U.K., such as Idris Elba.
“Whoever it is, has to look like he could kill you with his bare hands in a trice. From the moment you see him, that has to be readily apparent,” a person close to discussions also informed the media outlet.
Let’s not forget that the previous 007, Daniel Craig, certainly was not a household name when he was tapped to play the iconic British government assassin. Craig, 57, first appeared as Bond in Casino Royale (2006), which is based on Fleming’s novel where 007 was featured for the very first time.
According to Deadline, Bond 26 will be released in 2028 with filming due to take place in 2027. There is chatter about the film premiering in the November slot favored by past Bond installments.
Earlier this month, the film’s writer Steven Knight gave a tiny bit of insight into his writing process for the project. When asked during an interview with Radio Times magazine if he’s drafting the script with no particular actor in mind, Knight, 66, hesitantly said, “Er… yes.”
This story was originally reported by Parade on Sep 24, 2025, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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