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

The James Bond rumor mill is abuzz following the surprising news that Amazon has taken full creative control of the iconic 007 franchise. The future of the legendary British spy remains uncertain as we await the announcement of who will step into Bond's shoes next. However, a recent report from The Mail on Sunday sheds light on Amazon's vision for the character, stating that James Bond will continue to be portrayed as a man and remain British or from the Commonwealth, effectively ruling out actors like Ryan Gosling from the role.

Amazon has circulated an internal memo emphasizing that under their stewardship, Bond's gender and nationality will remain unchanged. This decision 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 from 1995 to 2002. In a conversation with The Telegraph, Brosnan affirmed that Bond should indeed be British.

The Next James Bonds Who Never Played 007

26 Images

The possibility of an actor from the Commonwealth taking on the role opens up opportunities for stars like Australian actor Chris Hemsworth, who has previously expressed his interest in playing James Bond. In a 2019 interview with Balance magazine, following his role as British Formula One driver James Hunt in Rush, Hemsworth stated, “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 amid speculation fueled by The Mail on Sunday's report, leading The Today Show Australia to confidently declare, "It's a surety. He is in."

Concerns linger about the future of the James Bond franchise following Amazon's acquisition and the stepping back of long-term producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G Wilson. Amid rumors that Amazon might opt for a Bond TV series, Variety has reported that a new Bond film remains the "top priority." Amazon is reportedly in search of a producer for the franchise, with David Heyman, known for his work on the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts films, being the type of visionary they seek.

Director Christopher Nolan expressed interest in helming a Bond movie post-Tenet, but Broccoli insisted that no director would have "final cut" under her leadership, leading to Nolan's rejection. Nolan went on to direct Oppenheimer, which grossed nearly $1 billion worldwide and secured Oscars for Best Picture and Best Director.

Amazon's control over Bond has not been universally welcomed. The director of Longlegs and The Monkey, in a recent Reddit AMA, firmly declined the prospect of directing a Bond film, stating, "No, because f**k Jeff Bezos."

Fans are eager to discover who will be the next James Bond. While names like Tom Hardy, Idris Elba, James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, and Aaron Taylor-Johnson have been floated, Henry Cavill remains the fan-favorite to take on the role.

According to Variety, Amazon cannot proceed with hiring for Bond until the closure of its deal with Broccoli and Wilson, expected later this year. This follows a report suggesting that the franchise is "on pause" due to a contentious stalemate between the Broccoli family and Amazon. The Wall Street Journal described the situation as leaving Bond "trapped" amid the ongoing battle between Barbara Broccoli, who had maintained creative control over the franchise, and Amazon, which acquired the rights to release Bond movies after purchasing Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer for $8.45 billion in 2021.

Neither Amazon nor Eon have issued a comment on the matter, leaving fans and industry insiders eagerly awaiting further developments in the saga of the next James Bond.