Denis Villeneuve’s Bond 26 is reportedly entering the final stretch of casting, and several favorites can now be ruled out as the next 007 for several reasons. Ever since No Time To Die killed Daniel Craig’s James Bond, Amazon MGM has taken on the challenge of finding his replacement for a fresh reboot of Britain’s iconic MI6 spy created by Ian Fleming.

It is one of the most coveted jobs in all of Hollywood, which has led multiple actors to express interest in it over the years. There have been various reports about who could be in the running, with Tom Holland, Jacob Elordi, and Harris Dickinson noted as names on Amazon’s Bond 26 shortlist in a 2025 report. Meanwhile, betting markets have lifted other contenders into the race and latched onto any viable actor.

Now that Villeneuve is nearing the end of the line on Dune: Part Three, movement on Bond 26 is heating up. Producer Amy Pascal updated the James Bond casting timeline by teasing that a decision should be made by the end of the year. Production is expected to begin next year, and the earlier Villeneuve, the studio, and producers can agree on whom to play the next 007, the sooner the actor can really start prepping.

Various details about the qualities they are searching for have come out, with all signs pointing to a younger, lesser-known British actor taking the role, with the casting director looking for a Bond actor who can “ooze sex appeal.” For those reasons, multiple actors who have been considered favorites to play the character over the years can be ruled out once and for all, with some even dropping out of the race themselves.

8

Theo James

That is the case for Theo James. The 41-year-old actor has often been linked to Bond casting speculation over the years thanks to roles in Downton Abbey and The Gentlemen​​​​​​. Projects like those make it easy to see why, with his charm on full display, while movie roles like the Divergent franchise showed some of his action pedigree.

It’s unclear if James was ever in serious consideration to be Villeneuve’s 007, but he’s taken himself out of the running now. In a recent interview, James responded to the James Bond casting speculation by saying that it not only won’t be him due to his age, but that he wouldn’t want the role now anyway given how it would change his life:

I’m definitely too old now, for one. But, yeah, that would be an example of a place you could never come back from. Imagine, suddenly, you and I cannot walk down the street. What that does to your children, who are trying to find themselves in the midst of hyper-scrutiny and fame. None of that, to me, is worth it. At the time, it’s very intoxicating, being offered some huge, sexy part that would change your life forever. But it really wouldn’t ultimately be worth it.

This will be disappointing to anyone who had been hoping for James to snag the role. There’s no doubt that he could have crushed the part if given the chance. Perhaps he could find a place as a supporting role or villain in a future James Bond project instead.

7

Henry Cavill

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Henry Cavill has been chasing 007 for over two decades. He auditioned and screen-tested for Casino Royale and was considered a major contender to get the part, but Craig ultimately got the gig. Cavill’s age was one of the reasons he likely didn’t get the role, as he was only in his early 20s at the time. Despite all the fan interest in the casting coming to fruition now, his age is again a knock against him.

At 43 years old, Cavill is just too old for what Villeneuve and Amazon are seemingly going for. He’s not an up-and-coming screen presence anymore. Cavill has tackled iconic roles like Superman and Sherlock Holmes, but Bond won’t be added to that list. He’s already gotten his Bond-like role in The Man from U.N.C.L.E. and did the spy movie villain for Mission: Impossible – Fallout, leaving little room for Bond 26 to get him involved freshly and creatively beyond 007.

6

Tom Hardy

Tom Hardy remains one of Hollywood’s biggest stars, which is why he has always been linked to Bond. Many wanted him to take on the lead role if Christopher Nolan had taken control of the franchise. Hardy has even been consistently endorsed by former James Bond actor Pierce Brosnan, before and after they worked together on MobLand, with the GoldenEye star most recently telling THR, “Tom would be wonderful.”

Unfortunately for Hardy, it’s not up to Brosnan. He might have an in to Bond 26 with writer Steven Knight (they worked together on Locke and Taboo), but Hardy doesn’t fit what the decision makers are looking for. He’s 48 (soon to be 49) years old, which is three years older than the oldest debut age for a James Bond actor. The best-case scenario for Hardy’s involvement in Bond 26 at this point is to play M, Q, a villain, or another supporting character.

5

Robert Pattinson

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Robert Pattinson has been considered a strong potential casting option for the next James Bond over the last few years. After returning to franchise filmmaking with The Batman and having a Bond-esque role in Christopher Nolan’s Tenet, he grew in popularity as a name Amazon should consider.

While he is fresh off working with Villeneuve on Dune 3 and earned the endorsement of one-time No Time To Die director Danny Boyle, Pattinson can be ruled out at this point given his age. He is 40 years old, which puts him outside the range that Amazon and Villeneuve seem to be looking at. If anything, maybe Villeneuve will recruit him to be Bond 26‘s bad guy to continue Pattinson’s villain streak after The Odyssey and Dune 3.

4

Jacob Elordi

Jacob Elordi is a star on the rise after memorable turns in Saltburn, Frankenstein, and more, and he’s proven to have the suave and stature necessary to be a compelling 007. It’s no surprise he’s often been linked to the casting process for those reasons. But there is one major aspect of the young star that seemingly disqualifies him from really being considered.

Unlike most of the other names often linked to Bond, Elordi is not British. He’s an Australian. While 007 has been played by non-British actors before, reports state that Villeneuve and Amazon want a UK performer. So long as that holds, Elordi will not be the selection. If this new Bond needs an Aussie companion, though, he could get the call.

3

Tom Hiddleston

Tom Hiddleston has often been mentioned as a prime candidate to take over as James Bond. He’s already shown some skill in espionage with The Night Manager, and his effortless charm would be a natural fit for the spy. Like others on this list, though, Hiddleston has missed his window to take over the iconic role.

The actor is 45 years old, meaning he would be the oldest James Bond in a debut movie if he landed the part. Hiddleston is terrific, but he’s no “fresh face” at this point in his career. It appears his best chance at being connected to Bond 26 would be in another role, whether as an ally or villain.

2

Aaron Taylor-Johnson

Aaron Taylor-Johnson has loomed large throughout the Bond 26 casting cycle. Even before the movie had a director, speculation swirled that he had already been selected to step into the role. Too much time has passed since then without a formal announcement, confirming that there was never any truth to that scuttlebutt. And thanks to Bond 26‘s development cycle, he’s likely out of consideration.

Taylor-Johnson is 36 years old, which puts him in the same age range as Craig was when he was cast for Casino Royale. But with the vision for Bond 26 said to be younger and newer, it would be a stretch of those descriptions for him to be cast. Like others above, his avenue to being in the Bond universe rests in another role now.

1

Idris Elba

When it comes to the actors fans have most vocally campaigned for to play Bond, Idris Elba ranks near the top. He’s been a popular choice for years, dating back to when Craig was still entrenched in the role. His role in Luther only increased the fever for his casting, as did the rising interest in making Bond a person of color for the first time. Elba himself even confirmed he’d be interested in playing 007 over the years.

However, the actor is no longer part of the discussion for several reasons. Elba said in 2021, “No, I’m not going to be the next [James] Bond,” as discussions about 007’s future after Craig started to intensify. Now that he’s 53 years old, even Elba knows he’s well beyond the age range Villeneuve is going for and has said, “I wasn’t in the race in the first place.”

The actor has also questioned whether audiences would truly accept a Black James Bond. So far, there have been no indications that Amazon is looking to make such a diverse hire with its new 007. It would still be fantastic to get Elba involved in Bond 26 in some capacity, though.