‘James Bond’ Officially Replaces Daniel Craig, New 007 Actor a Big Hit With Fans

A new James Bond has entered MI6.

Since Sean Connery first brought Ian Fleming’s iconic, globe-trotting spy to the big screen in 1962’s Dr. No, 007 has been portrayed by seven actors in the official film series, with George Lazenby, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan, and Daniel Craig each putting their own stamp on the character.

Craig’s 15-year tenure came to an end with No Time to Die (2021), leaving one of cinema’s most famous roles vacant and sparking years of speculation over who could possibly follow him.

Related: Two James Bond Actors Confirmed, Amazon MGM Film Likely To Feature Multiple 007s

Who Is the Next James Bond?

Discussions surrounding the next James Bond have dominated fan forums and social media since Craig was still playing the character, with names including Aaron Taylor-Johnson (28 Years Later), Henry Cavill (Man of Steel), Austin Butler (Elvis), Jacob Elordi (Wuthering Heights), and Tom Holland (Spider-Man: Brand New Day) among those repeatedly linked to the role. Now, the search for the next 007 is officially underway at Amazon MGM Studios.

The new film will be directed by Denis Villeneuve (Dune), with Steven Knight (Peaky Blinders) writing the screenplay. Amy Pascal and David Heyman are producing. The studio has yet to announce its new 007, although Pascal recently suggested to Deadline that fans could learn the identity of Craig’s successor by the end of 2026.

Since Craig’s exit, however, we’ve already had an official new Bond — in this year’s 007 First Light.

Developed and published by IO Interactive in partnership with Amazon MGM Studios, the game stars Patrick Gibson as a 26-year-old Bond at the beginning of his MI6 career. He’s joined by Priyanga Burford as M, Lennie James as Bond’s mentor John Greenway, Alastair McKenzie as Q, Kiera Lester as Moneypenny, Noémie Nakai as Miss Roth, Gemma Chan as Dr. Selina Tan, and Lenny Kravitz as Pirate King Bawma.

007 First Light has been an enormous success, selling 1.5 million copies in its first 24 hours and more than 3 million within its first two weeks.

Amazon Game Studios has also discussed plans for potential sequels, making a return for Gibson, whose performance in the game has been highly praised by gamers and critics, a huge possibility.

But whether the Dexter: Original Sin actor could make the leap from gaming’s 007 to cinema remains to be seen. Speaking to Deadline, Pascal said the new Bond has “got to be something really different that is stirring and exciting and different,” while suggesting the actor could be announced before the end of the year.

Whether he gets to keep it on the big screen is another matter entirely. For now, Gibson has already earned the number.

Meanwhile, another actor has been cast as Bond.

Isaac Rouse, best known for his role as Ollie Chadwyck-Healey in The Crown Season 6, will voice a teenage version of the character in Young Bond: SilverFin Part 1, an upcoming audio drama series that adapts Charlie Higson’s 2005 book of the same name. It’s set for release this October.

There’s no release date for the untitled Bond reboot.

Do you think Patrick Gibson should be the next James Bond? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!