Although James Bond (Daniel Craig) died in 2021’s No Time To Die, James Bond will return. After years of speculation, the venerable spy franchise is set for a massive comeback: the 26th film in the official James Bond movie canon, and, for those counting the non-official films, the 28th James Bond feature film overall. But what is this next 007 movie all about? Who is playing the next James Bond? Who is the next Bond Girl? Who is writing and directing Bond 26? How will this be different from the nearly six decades of EON-produced James Bond movies?
Here’s absolutely everything we know about Bond 26—the next James Bond movie—including cast, plot, director, writer, and possible release date.
James Bond 26’s Big Amazon Pivot
Back in February 2025, the moviemaking world was stunned by the news that longtime producing partners Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson were stepping away from the James Bond franchise and selling the rights to Amazon MGM. Broccoli is the daughter of Albert R. Broccoli, who, along with Harry Saltzman, produced the official Bond movies, starting with Dr. No in 1962. The production company EON (Everything or Nothing) has been the steward of the Bond franchise from the 1960s all the way to the 2020s with the release of No Time To Die. Barbara Broccoli essentially inherited the family business from her father and became a driving force behind the franchise, starting with GoldenEye and the Pierce Brosnan era in 1995. She was also the champion behind casting Craig as James Bond in Casino Royale (2006), a move that was considered to be controversial and risky at the time.
After Amazon acquired the Bond franchise, Broccoli reportedly worked behind the scenes to reach some kind of agreement as to the direction of the next Bond installment, but eventually gave up and sold the franchise to Amazon in early 2025, following what was described as a “bitter” behind-the-scenes feud.
This decision marked a new era for the Bond franchise, which, up until this point, was basically created in a crucible at EON with little outside input from larger studios, beyond questions about distribution and financing. Creatively, the Bond films were, from 1962 to 2021, a family-run business, in which the major decisions were made internally. The switch to an Amazon MGM-produced Bond movie created some concern among many fans, especially when Amazon mogul Jeff Bezos briefly seemed to want to crowd-source the casting of a new 007.
Eventually, it was revealed that experienced producers Amy Pascal and David Heyman were taking up the mission to reboot the Bond franchise. Pascal has a background with Sony, having worked on various Spider-Man films, while Heyman was a producer on the Harry Potter films for Warner Bros. Upon taking up the Bond job, Pascal and Heyman issued a joint statement in March 2025 saying: “We are humbled to follow in the footsteps of Barbara Broccoli and Michael Wilson who made so many extraordinary films and honoured and excited to keep the spirit of Bond very much alive as he embarks on his next adventure.”
The producers have frequently made it clear that the character of Bond would remain male, despite some rumors that the spy would be reimagined as a woman.
James Bond 26 Writer and Director
After years of rumors that various directors would take on the next James Bond movie—including Christopher Nolan, Alfonso Cuarón, and Edgar Wright—it was confirmed on June 25, 2025, that Dune director Denis Villeneuve would direct the next Bond movie for Amazon MGM. It was also quickly confirmed that this would be Villeneuve’s only James Bond film and that the director would not have film cut privileges, meaning the studio would retain final creative control over the movie.
Upon confirming the gig, Villeneuve said, “I grew up watching James Bond films with my father, ever since Dr. No with Sean Connery. I’m a die-hard Bond fan. To me, he’s sacred territory.”
After Villeneuve was revealed to be the director of Bond 26, the writer of the next film, Steven Knight, was confirmed on July 31, 2025. Knight is perhaps most famous for creating the popular crime drama Peaky Blinders, and as such, a Bond script from him was met with celebration and affirmation from fans and experts alike.
Incumbent James Bond novelist Kim Sherwood cheered the hiring of Knight in August 2025, saying: “Like Bond, Knight’s protagonists are intelligent, charming, witty, courageous, withdrawn, and ruthless – scarred by violence with a seam of cold anger. It is this crosscurrent that makes Knight such a strong pick as the scribe for Bond’s next cinematic incarnation.”
James Bond 26 Plot
The current plot of Bond 26 is unknown, though some rumors suggest that the film will somehow deal with Bond battling the dangers of artificial intelligence. Knight has also confirmed that he is writing the script without a particular actor in mind, instead focusing on the idea of Bond. (This process has happened with several of the films in the franchise before.)
One other unconfirmed rumor suggests that Bond 26 could be a historical piece, which goes back and adapts Ian Fleming’s novels from the 1950s and 1960s. This notion has been floated before, with Andor creator Tony Gilroy revealing that he and Steven Soderbergh had previously pitched a retro 1960s Bond movie, which is what he believed, “sounds to me very much like what they’re doing now.”
Other rumors have suggested that the new film will be a kind of origin story, in which Bond is slightly younger and first becomes a Double O agent.
James Bond 26 Title: The Property of a Lady?
Obviously, Bond 26 won’t be called “Bond 26.” The title of the film has yet to be revealed. In terms of the original Ian Fleming books, all the titles of the novels and collections have been used for film titles. In 2008, Quantum of Solace was the last Bond film to use an Ian Fleming title, taken from the 1959 short story of the same name. Though following The Living Daylights in 1987, none of the films from Licence to Kill to Die Another Day used Fleming titles. 2006’s Casino Royale was, of course, taken from the title of the first Bond novel ever, the 1953 book of the same name. But, after Quantum of Solace, the Bond movies haven’t dipped into any Fleming Bond short story titles or book titles since then. There is no Ian Fleming-penned book version of Skyfall, Spectre, or No Time To Die.
If Bond 26 is a remake of a Fleming novel, then many of the old titles would be available again. (For example, the 1979 film Moonraker is nothing like the 1955 book.) Have there been any Fleming Bond titles that haven’t been used for film adaptations? Yes! The short stories “The Hildebrand Rarity,” “Risico,” “007 in New York,” and “The Property of a Lady” have not been used for James Bond movie titles. Of these titles, fans have long wanted The Property of a Lady to be the title of a new Bond film, and it was once rumored to be the title of an unmade Timothy Dalton movie.
So, if Amazon, Villeneuve, and Knight really want to go classic, The Property of a Lady could be a great choice. That said, it’s likely that, like Skyfall or No Time To Die, the title will be brand new.
James Bond 26 Cast
Who is playing the Next James Bond?
Since 2019, when it was revealed that No Time To Die would be Daniel Craig’s last outing as James Bond, rumors began swirling about who could replace him. From that time, nearly every single name under the sun has been floated as a possible new 007, from longtime favorite Idris Elba, to Henry Cavill (who auditioned for Bond in 2005), to the name most often at the top of the list, Aaron Taylor-Johnson.
That said, throughout 2024 and 2025, even more names have been rumored to be in the running, including Cillian Murphy, Josh O’Connor, Austin Butler, and Glen Powell. Both Powell and Butler have stated that neither believes they would be right for the role since James Bond is a character from the U.K. Tom Holland, who is English, has also been linked with the role, though certain statements form him make it seem like he’s taken himself out of the running: “I’ve got a slightly busy year next year, and then I’ll probably take a bit more time off in 2027,” Holland said in August 2025, which made it seem like he’d be unavaible to shoot the next Bond movie in 2026 or 2027.
Though Taylor-Johnson has been linked with the role for years, and is even a current spokesman for Omega, the watchmaker connected with the Bond franchise, the actor has been evasive about whether or not he has already quitely, has the role. On the red carpet for 28 Years Later in June 2025, Taylor-Johnson simply said of Bond, “I can’t talk about it.” Meanwhile, 28 Years Later director Danny Boyle seemed to imply in April 2025 that Taylor-Johnson would be the next Bond, saying that the actor “may or may not be the next Bond.”
On top of all of this, it seems even more likely that the new James Bond won’t be a well-known actor at all. Instead, casting reports suggest that Villeneuve is looking for a “fresh face,” and that Bond could be played by a relatively “unknown” actor. If true, this decision would align with the casting of former Bonds Sean Connery, George Lazenby, and Daniel Craig, none of whom were household names prior to becoming 007.
Is Sydney Sweeney the Next Bond girl?
For several years now, many Bond fans have asserted that Sydney Sweeney would make the perfect new Bond Girl for the next film. This makes a certain amount of sense: Sweeney loves good action roles, and she’s also really into cars, a crucial component in the Bond films. But is she really starring as a Bond Girl in the next movie?
Some rumors have suggested that because she’s friends with Jeff Bezos that Sweeney almost certainly will be in Bond 26. In a profile for Variety, she said, “I don’t know all the Bond rumors, but I’ve always been a huge fan of the franchise, and I’m excited and curious to see what they do with it.” She also added” Depends on the script…I think I’d have more fun as James Bond.”
Other future Bond Girl casting rumors have focused on Dakota Johnson, while some fans have suggested that Florence Pugh would be perfect as a new version of Miss Moneypenny.
James Bond 26 Release Date
Right now, an exact release date for Bond 26 is unknown. However, recent rumors suggest that Villeneuve will start shooting Bond 26after he completes Dune 3. This means the next movie could start filming as early as April 2026, which may suggest a 2027 release date. That said, a 2028 release date feels more likely.
