Not even Daniel Craig can reveal who will take on the role of the next James Bond.
Craig, a fan-favorite actor, portrayed the legendary 007 character in five films over nearly two decades. His Bond filmography includes Casino Royale (2006), Quantum of Solace (2008), Skyfall (2012), Spectre (2015), and No Time To Die (2021).
After declaring that No Time To Die would be his final Bond movie, speculation about his successor naturally emerged. Names such as Idris Elba, Tom Hardy, and Aaron Taylor-Johnson have been in the mix.
Despite the lack of information on the new Bond or the upcoming film, Craig recently shared his thoughts on who might assume the iconic role.
While promoting his latest film, Queer, alongside co-star Drew Starkey, Craig was asked by Variety: “If you were to pass the James Bond torch, who would you love to see play him?”
His candid reply was, “I don’t care.”
It’s important to note that Craig was chuckling when he made this remark, implying it’s all in good humor. Nonetheless, he has previously stated he has no regrets about stepping away from the Bond role.
“I had an incredibly fortunate 17 years of my life making this,” Craig told the BBC in 2022. “I literally want to spend the next 20 years of my life trying to unhook it all and try and put it into a place because it was incredible.”
“I left it where I wanted it to be,” he added. “And that I was given the chance to do that with the last movie.”
Although the search for the new Bond continues, casting officials and producers have offered some insight into what they’re avoiding.
In a 2023 conversation with the Radio Times, casting director Debbie McWilliams mentioned that while younger actors were initially considered, they are no longer being considered. “We did look at a lot of younger actors, and I just don’t think they had the gravitas,” she told the outlet.
“They didn’t have the experience, they didn’t have the mental capacity to take it on, because it’s not just the part they’re taking on, it’s a massive responsibility.”
Producer Barbara Broccoli also highlighted that the new Bond shouldn’t be too young or too old. “When we cast Bond, it’s a 10-, 12-year commitment,” Broccoli told Variety in 2022. “So he’s probably thinking, ‘Do I really want that thing?’ Not everybody wants to do that. It was hard enough getting [Daniel Craig to do it].”