James Bond to Stay British, Not American, Says Brosnan; 'Longlegs' Director Slams Bezos

The buzz surrounding the future of James Bond has intensified since Amazon assumed full creative control over the iconic 007 franchise. Despite the speculation, the identity of the next actor to don the tuxedo remains shrouded in mystery. However, a recent report from The Mail on Sunday sheds some light on what fans can expect: James Bond will continue to be portrayed by a man from Britain or the Commonwealth, dashing hopes for non-traditional casting like Ryan Gosling.

An internal memo from Amazon reportedly confirmed that 007's gender and nationality will not change during their stewardship. This news is likely to be well-received by fans, including Irish actor Pierce Brosnan, who famously played Bond from 1995 to 2002 in films such as GoldenEye, Tomorrow Never Dies, The World Is Not Enough, and Die Another Day. Brosnan himself emphasized to The Telegraph that Bond's Britishness is non-negotiable.

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With the possibility of a Commonwealth actor in the mix, Australian star Chris Hemsworth, known for his roles in Thor and Extraction, has re-emerged as a potential candidate. In a 2019 interview with Balance magazine, Hemsworth expressed his interest in the role, citing his performance as British Formula One driver James Hunt in Rush as a sort of informal audition. He remarked, "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."

Hemsworth also acknowledged the complexity of the casting process, stating, "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."

Following the report from The Mail on Sunday and the mention of a Commonwealth candidate, The Today Show Australia confidently declared, "It's a surety. He is in."

Concerns linger about the future direction of the franchise following Amazon's acquisition and the stepping back of long-time Bond producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson. Amid rumors that Amazon might consider a Bond TV series, Variety reported that a new Bond film remains the "top priority." Amazon is reportedly seeking a producer akin to David Heyman, who successfully managed the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts series.

Director Christopher Nolan expressed interest in helming a Bond film post-Tenet, but Broccoli reportedly refused to grant him "final cut" privileges. Nolan subsequently directed Oppenheimer, which grossed nearly $1 billion globally and won Oscars for Best Picture and Best Director.

Amazon's control over Bond has met with some resistance. When asked during a Reddit AMA if he would direct a Bond film, the director of Longlegs and The Monkey bluntly stated, "No, because f**k Jeff Bezos."

Fans are eagerly awaiting news on who will step into Bond's shoes next. Potential candidates include Tom Hardy, Idris Elba, James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, and Aaron Taylor-Johnson, with the latter previously rumored to be a top contender. However, Henry Cavill, known for his roles in Superman and The Witcher, remains the clear fan-favorite.

Variety noted that Amazon cannot proceed with hiring until the closure of its deal with Broccoli and Wilson, expected later this year. This news comes on the heels of a report from the Wall Street Journal, which described the future of the James Bond franchise as "on pause" due to an "ugly" stalemate between the Broccoli family and Amazon. The conflict arose after Amazon acquired the rights to release Bond movies following its $8.45 billion purchase of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in 2021.

Neither Amazon nor Eon Productions have issued a comment on the ongoing situation.