James Bond to Stay Male and British, Brosnan Opposes American 007, Longlegs Director Slams Bezos

The speculation surrounding the future of the iconic James Bond franchise continues to swirl following the surprising news that Amazon has taken full creative control over 007. Despite this shift, the identity of the next actor to don the tuxedo remains a mystery. However, a recent report from The Mail on Sunday has shed some light on what fans can expect: James Bond will continue to be portrayed by a man and will remain British or from the Commonwealth, dashing any hopes of seeing actors like Ryan Gosling in the role.

An internal memo circulated by Amazon confirmed that under their stewardship, Bond's gender and nationality will not change. 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 between 1995 and 2002. Brosnan emphasized to The Telegraph that Bond's British identity is "a given."

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The possibility of an actor from the Commonwealth opens up intriguing possibilities, with Australian actor Chris Hemsworth emerging as a potential candidate. Hemsworth, known for his roles in Thor and Extraction, has previously expressed interest in taking on the role of 007. In a 2019 interview with Balance magazine, after his performance as British Formula One driver James Hunt in Rush, Hemsworth remarked, “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. 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.”

Hemsworth's comments have resurfaced following the Mail on Sunday's report and the news that a man from the Commonwealth could potentially play Bond. This has led to speculation on The Today Show Australia, with some declaring, "It's a surety. He is in."

Concerns about the future direction of the James Bond franchise have grown since Amazon's acquisition and the stepping back of long-time producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G Wilson. Amidst rumors that Amazon might opt for a Bond TV series, Variety reported that a new Bond film remains the "top priority." Amazon is reportedly on the hunt for a producer akin to David Heyman, known for his work on the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts series.

Director Christopher Nolan expressed interest in helming a Bond movie after Tenet, but Broccoli reportedly insisted that no director would have "final cut" under her watch, leading Nolan to direct Oppenheimer instead, which was a massive success, grossing nearly $1 billion and winning multiple Oscars.

Amazon's control over the franchise has not been universally welcomed. The director of Longlegs and The Monkey, during a Reddit AMA, firmly rejected the idea of directing a Bond movie, stating, "No, because f**k Jeff Bezos."

Fans are eager to discover who will next step into Bond's shoes. Among the names floated are Tom Hardy, Idris Elba, James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, and Aaron Taylor-Johnson, who was previously rumored to be at the top of the list. However, the clear fan-favorite seems to be Henry Cavill, known for his roles in Superman and The Witcher.

According to Variety, Amazon cannot proceed with hiring for the Bond franchise until the closure of their deal with Broccoli and Wilson, expected sometime this year. This follows reports of an "ugly" stalemate between the Broccoli family and Amazon, leaving the future of James Bond "on pause," as reported by the Wall Street Journal. The acquisition of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer by Amazon in 2021 for $8.45 billion has led to this behind-the-scenes battle for control over the franchise. Neither Amazon nor Eon have issued a comment on the situation.