James Bond 26 has finally begun its search for the next 007, after months of casting rumours that we now know had little merit.
Earlier this week, Amazon MGM Studios confirmed that the search for Daniel Craig's successor as Bond had officially begun, with the trades later reporting that Nina Gold (Game of Thrones, Star Wars) had been tapped as casting director. Denis Villeneuve is directing the movie from a script by Steven Knight, while David Heyman and Amy Pascal are the franchise's new producers.
Today, Variety (via ActionNewz.com) brings word of at least one actor who has actually auditioned. 26-year-old Tom Francis, best known for his stage work alongside Nicole Scherzinger in Jamie Lloyd's unconventional revival of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Sunset Boulevard, is said to be "one of many performers jockeying for the part in a casting process that is ongoing."
Unsurprisingly, he's on the younger side, which lines up with reports that the studio wants an actor who can play Bond for at least the next decade.
A recent Deadline report explained, "The actor chosen to play the next James Bond has got 'to ooze sex appeal,' as well as the obvious stuff, like well, actually being able to act, says 007 casting director Nina Gold."
"Plus, as this column noted way back, the successful applicant picked to take on Ian Fleming’s Commander Bond should be young enough to play him in three or four, or more pictures," columnist Baz Bamigboye added.
Francis won an Olivier Award for his work in Sunset Boulevard and was nominated for a Tony Award. In terms of on-screen performances, he could be considered a newcomer, having only racked up small parts in Jay Kelly and the upcoming The Mosquito Bowl. He also appeared briefly in the final season of Netflix's You.
Recent months have seen names like Callum Turner, Harris Dickinson, Jacob Elordi, and Louis Partridge thrown around, though it currently remains to be seen who will follow in Craig's footsteps following his memorable send-off in 2021's No Time to Die.
Before getting too excited about the idea that Francis is playing Bond, it's worth bearing in mind that Amazon MGM Studios could ultimately audition dozens of actors—a mix of newcomers and big-name stars—for the coveted role.
Stay tuned for updates on the next 007 as we have them.