The Bond 26 casting search has moved to its next phase. According to Deadline, director Denis Villeneuve has begun contacting actors directly to inform them they have advanced to the next round of auditions, scheduled for August 2026. Amazon MGM Studios aims to lock the role by year's end, with production set to begin in 2027.
Casting director Nina Gold, whose credits include Game of Thrones, The Crown, and five Star Wars films, closed her deal in April and has been meeting actors for several weeks. The number of active candidates sits somewhere between five and seven, though some sources place the field higher, Deadline reports.
Three names have been identified by sources as fitting the producer prototype: Harris Dickinson, Callum Turner, and Jacob Elordi. None are confirmed, and the studio has offered no public comment on specific contenders. Denis Villeneuve directs from a script by Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight, with Amy Pascal and David Heyman producing.
The franchise has been in reset mode since Daniel Craig's exit after No Time to Die in 2021. With Villeneuve's name attached and a prestige team in place, Amazon MGM appears to be moving with unusual deliberation. August will tell more.