As James Bond Casting List Officially Narrows, A New Contender Has Emerged

Published Aug 19, 2026, 6:30 AM EDT

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We're getting to the point where we could find out who the next James Bond is at any time. The Daniel Craig run is over; it's time to anoint a new super-spy now that the franchise is under the control of Amazon. While James Bond doesn't have the same cultural cachet it once did, the casting of a new Bond often makes headlines, and we're in that phase right now.

Many different actors are being considered, but a new headliner may be emerging thanks to a discussion on Reddit. Depending on what direction Amazon goes in, we could see a wildly different take on Bond.

Our New James Bond Could Be A Very Familiar Face

Speaking about the odds of a new James Bond casting update from The Action Network, the community is stoked that Patrick Gibson, the star of the James Bond: First Light video game, could be considered in the running. Gibson plays a younger Bond with aplomb, offering up a different archetype for the character, in a brasher form. That said, Gibson still nails the suave aspect of the character when he needs to, and could feasibly play him well if offered the role.

Other top candidates include Callum Turner, Tom Francis, Louis Partridge, Harris Dickinson, and Aaron Taylor Johnson. It's a bit meta, but Riz Ahmed just played a Bond hopeful in the TV series Bait, which is part meta-commentary on the casting process as a whole. Other hopefuls include "Jack Lowden, Jacob Elordi, Arty Froushan, Donal Finn, and Leo Suter."

Fans Aren't Convinced It'll Happen, Sadly

The odds that Patrick Gibson will get the role seem low, especially given his bankability for a mega-corp like Amazon. Gibson is a fine actor, but his roles have been limited, especially in recent years, where he's only starred in Dexter: Original Sin as a younger version of Dexter Morgan, and 007 First Light. Before that, he played an eight-billed character on Shadow and Bone.

Some folks think it won't happen at all: "I think people really underestimate on-screen presence. I like Patrick Gibson and think he’s a great voice actor, but I don’t see him being live-action Bond." Another writes: "I would rather have distinct continuities. I think the game is too good to become an accessory to the movies, and I think Denis Villeneuve is too good a director to not have his own distinct vision for the character. One of the actors in particular, Tom Francis, would be great in a Villeneuve Bond series anyway."

One user thinks it's just too much to take on: "Sadly, I don't think there's much chance of him being the next Bond. Aside from Amazon trying to establish their own canon, he couldn't possibly do the games and the movies. The production of the game requires just as much if not more time commitment than the movies. I'd rather get 3 good Bond games out of Gibson while someone else takes up the live action mantle.....and then make Gibson the next Bond after that guy in about 10 years."

Other fans don't think he even needs the James Bond role outside of the game universe: "He doesn't need to. He basically starred in what we can consider top five James Bond media. He doesn't need the movie to consolidate his performance."