Amazon MGM Studios auditions actors for next James Bond, Tom Francis leads shortlist

Amazon MGM Studios has launched the search for a new actor to portray James Bond after Daniel Craig's departure. The studio confirmed that casting director Nina Gold, known for her work on Game of Thrones and Star Wars, is overseeing the process. Among the contenders is 26‑year‑old British stage actor Tom Francis, who won an Olivier Award for his performance in the revival of "Sunset Boulevard" and was nominated for a Tony. Francis has already auditioned, according to Variety, and has minor film credits including a role in "Jay Kelly" and an upcoming part in Peter Berg’s "The Mosquito Bowl".

Other names circulating in recent weeks include Jacob Elordi, Aaron Taylor‑Johnson, Callum Turner and, earlier, Cosmo Jarvis, whose representative stated, “Cosmo is not in the mix for the role of James Bond and is not auditioning for it.” Filmmaker Shekhar Kapur publicly backed Bollywood star John Abraham, saying, “my vote for the next Bond after Daniel Craig would be John Abraham. He has the cool ‘shaken not stirred’ persona.”

The next installment, tentatively titled "Bond 26," is in early development with Denis Villeneuve slated to direct, and producers Amy Pascal and David Heyman attached. Amazon MGM Studios and the actors have not commented further, and the studio has said it will share more news when the time is right.