There rarely seems to be a news day where the media isn’t shaken (not stirred) by new details about what’s happening with the next James Bond film – or, rather, what’s not happening.
Well, it looks like we’re still in for a long wait before James Bond 26 is released – or we even get to know the identity of the next 007. With its new director, Denis Villeneuve, currently booked and busy with giant sandworms and the like, Heyday Films, who will produce future Bond films told Screen Daily there’s “no timeline has been set on when the first feature in the relaunched franchise will be made or released.”
Still, even with this less than desirable news, there’s plenty of excitement building for the next James Bond movie following Daniel Craig’s final bow as the MI5 agent in 2021’s No Time To Die. Here’s all the bits and pieces we know so far about the 26th James Bond film.
Who is producing James Bond 26?
When Amazon bought MGM, it also got the distribution rights to its library of films, including all the James Bond films in 2022. Amazon MGM Studios will therefore develop the next iteration of the franchise as Daniel Craig passes on the baton to a new bond following his five film run as the iconic 007.
In 2025, it was confirmed Amazon would have complete creative control of future James Bond films, having paid an addition $1 billion to Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson. Amazon then confirmed Amy Pascal and David Heyman would take over as producers from Broccoli and Wilson. This was confirmed in March 2025.
Who is directing James Bond 26?
Now with its new producers in place, it was announced in June 2025 that Dune director Denis Villeneuve would be directing James Bond 26. The script is set to be written by Steven Knight.
Has a James Bond 26 cast been announced?
Nope, it’s the question on everyone’s lips. With development of James Bond 26 in such early stages, nobody has yet been cast as the titular role – or indeed any villains on Bond girls.
Of course, there has been plenty of speculation on who might be cast as the next James Bond, but it seems like Callum Turner, Dua Lipa's beau, could be the front-runner, with many news sources citing it as a done deal. And according to Deadline film reporter Justin Kroll, an announcement of who will take on 007 could be imminent, with his inside sources claiming we'll know who the next James Bond is going to be by the middle of this year.
Aaron Taylor Johnson, Harris Dickinson, Tom Holland, Henry Cavill, Jacob Elordi, Jack Lowden, James Norton, and Theo James are also hot favourites.
Justin Kroll revealed that an insider also informed him Villeneuve wants a Bond that looks like "he could kill you with his bare hands in a trice", taking direction from James Bonds' origins in which Ian Fleming's novels detailed his time in the Royal Navy before earning his "oo" status. All eyes, then, could well be on a younger actor to take on James Bond's origin story.
When will James Bond 26 begin filming?
Towards the end of 2025, Heyday Films, who will produce future Bond films, told Screen Daily there’s “no timeline has been set on when the first feature in the relaunched franchise will be made or released.”
However, in the same podcast interview for My Mom's Basement, Justin Kroll shared his predictions that James Bond 26 could be on a trajectory to release in summer 2027 if it is to be believed we'll soon find out who will play James Bond. He also predicted that filming will begin in early 2027, which aligns perfectly with the Villeneuve finishing off Dune 3 press tours by then.
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