James Bond studio bosses urge patience over casting announcement | film

New James Bond studio bosses have tried to calm fans over who will play the British spy in the new film.

Speaking at the CinemaCon trade show in the US on Wednesday, executives from Amazon studios MGM – which bought the rights to the series as part of an $8.45bn (£6.9bn) deal in 2022 – suggested that an abundance of caution on their part meant the role had not yet been cast.

“I know you’re all wondering when we’ll announce who will play James Bond,” said Courtenay Valenti, head of movies at Amazon MGM. “Don’t get too excited. Please know that we are taking the time to do this with care and deep respect. It is a lifelong dream of all of us to bring audiences this next chapter, and it is a responsibility we do not take lightly.”

She added: “What I can tell you is: When you combine one of the most beloved franchises in history with a world-class filmmaking team, including the amazing director Denis Villeneuve, exceptional producers Amy Pascal and David Heyman, executive producer Tanya Lapointe and screenwriter Steven Knight, you set the stage for something truly worthy of the Bond legacy.”

“This movie is coming, and when the time is right, we will have a lot to share,” Valenti concluded.

Speculation about the casting was fueled by the amount of time that had passed since the studio announced Villeneuve as director (in June 2025) and Knight as screenwriter (in August 2025). The film is scheduled to be released in 2028, suggesting filming will begin in late 2026.

Key actors expected to be in the running include Callum Turner, Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Jacob Elordi. If cast, Elordi would be the youngest and longest-serving Bond ever, as well as the second Australian to play him.

Despite his recent Oscar-nominated role in Frankenstein, as well as his high-profile performance in Wuthering Heights, Elordi’s upcoming schedule seems surprisingly straightforward.