Rumor: Tom Holland At Top Of Amazon MGM Studios' List For James Bond
A new rumor claims Tom Holland is at the top of Amazon MGM Studios’ list to play James Bond in director Denis Villeneuve’s upcoming film.
This Substack is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
Less than a week after Amazon MGM Studios announced that Denis Villeneuve will direct the next James Bond film, a new rumor from Variety reveals who Amazon has at the top of their list to play the iconic character.
Variety’s Tatiana Siegel and Angelique Jackson report, “Insiders say that the studio and producers are interested in casting a British actor under the age of 30, with Jacob Elordi, Tom Holland, and Harris Dickinson at the top of the list.”
The duo went on to note that actors such as Aaron Taylor-Johnson or Henry Cavill are too old at 35 and 42 claiming they are “unlikely to fit the mandate.”
READ: Rotten Tomatoes Accused Of Deleting Negative 'Ironheart' Reviews
On top of revealing this alleged list of actors who might play Bond, the report also claimed that Villeneuve has only signed on for one film and he “is not locked in for a sequel and does not have final cut.”
As for writers, it did not provide any details although it noted that Christopher Nolan’s brother Jonathan Nolan did have a pitch that was well received, but “he is not available to write.”
The idea that Amazon is aiming at a younger Bond is not surprising given the studio collaborated with IO Interactive to create the upcoming 007 First Light game that aims to tell a story that puts players “into the shoes of a young Bond, a promising yet rebellious Royal Navy air crewman who is recruited into MI6. His sharp instincts and heroism in combat propel him into the agency’s rigorous training program for the once revered, and newly resurrected, elite 00 section.”
Additionally, a description of the game states, “For the first time ever, fans will be able to experience Bond’s ascent at MI6 from a young 26-year-old recruit into a full-fledged spy – immersing them in the exotic and dangerous world of espionage captured in the films. Bond’s adventures will take players all around the globe, coming face to face with allies and foes (or in some cases, both), while choosing how they overcome obstacles and challenges, whether it be with brute force, cunning guile, or charming wit.
007 Franchise Director Jonathan Lacaille would also reveal the young Bond was chosen with the idea that he would be “more relatable” to a “younger audience.”
Games Radar’s Ali Jones reported, “007: First Light devs chose an origin story in part because it allowed for a ‘more relatable’ Bond for the potentially ‘younger audience’ than might turn out for the films.”
Lacaille informed Jones, “We have a story to tell that people are probably very curious to find out. What are the events and the people that shaped the character [James Bond] is today? Was he always the womanizer that he is, or the strong man that he is?”
Lacaille also reiterated Bond’s youth means he won’t be acting like James Bond, “There's a lot of youth in him, so maybe some recklessness at times. And he has a lot of charm, but he doesn't know how to use it yet. He's maybe not as efficient as a [later] Bond would be."
Lacaille went on to reveal that this younger Bond in an origin story means that they are targeting “a younger audience, maybe, than the Bond franchise is used to.”
He added that, “It’s a new story to tell, and also a story that would connect really well.”
Furthermore, he indicated that because they are not adapting any of Ian Fleming’s books or any of the films, it allows the team freedom to do what they want. Specifically he said the game “is not an adaptation or anything […] but that's what will allow us to make a great game, because then we have a lot of freedom that will fit with the gameplay mechanics."
What do you make of Holland at the top of the list of actors to play Bond?
NEXT: Michael Bay Reportedly Developing New 'Transformers' Film