James Bond to Stay British, Male; Brosnan Opposes American 007, 'Longlegs' Director Slams Bezos

The James Bond rumor mill is still churning following the surprising news that Amazon has taken full creative control over the 007 franchise. The identity of the next actor to step into the iconic role remains a mystery, but new reports suggest that James Bond will continue to be portrayed by a man who is either British or from the Commonwealth, dashing hopes for actors like Ryan Gosling.

According to The Mail on Sunday, Amazon has made it clear through an internal memo that under its stewardship, the character of James Bond will not undergo a change in gender or nationality. This decision is likely to resonate well with former Bond actor Pierce Brosnan, who played the suave spy in "GoldenEye," "Tomorrow Never Dies," "The World Is Not Enough," and "Die Another Day" from 1995 to 2002. In a conversation with The Telegraph, Brosnan affirmed that it's a given that 007 should be British.

The Next James Bonds Who Never Played 007

26 ImagesWith the possibility of a Commonwealth actor in the role, Australian star Chris Hemsworth, who has previously expressed interest in playing Bond, could be a contender. In a 2019 interview with Balance magazine, Hemsworth remarked on his role as British Formula One driver James Hunt in "Rush," suggesting it could serve as his audition for Bond. He said, "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's comments have gained renewed attention following The Mail on Sunday's report. The Today Show Australia even declared with confidence, "It's a surety. He is in."

Could Chris Hemsworth play Bond? Photo by Tuane Fernandes/picture alliance via Getty Images.

There is some apprehension about the future of the James Bond franchise following Amazon's acquisition and the reduced involvement of long-time producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G Wilson. Amid speculation about a potential Bond TV series, Variety reported that a new Bond film remains the "top priority." Amazon is reportedly in search of a producer with a cohesive vision, similar to David Heyman, who successfully managed the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts series.

Christopher Nolan reportedly showed interest in directing a Bond film after "Tenet," but Broccoli insisted that no director would have "final cut" while she was in charge, leading Nolan to decline and subsequently direct "Oppenheimer," which was a box office success and Oscar winner.

Amazon's control over Bond has not been well-received by everyone. During a recent Reddit AMA, the director of "Longlegs" and "The Monkey" was asked about directing a Bond movie and responded firmly, "No, because f**k Jeff Bezos."

Fans are eager to learn who will be the next James Bond. While names like Tom Hardy, Idris Elba, James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, and Aaron Taylor-Johnson have been floated, Henry Cavill remains the fan-favorite.

According to Variety, Amazon cannot hire anyone for Bond until the closure of its deal with the Broccoli-Wilson team, expected sometime this year. This news comes after reports that the future of the James Bond franchise is "on pause" due to a contentious stalemate between the Broccoli family and Amazon.

The behind-the-scenes struggle between Barbara Broccoli, who had long held creative control over the franchise and the decision-making power on who would play Bond, and Amazon, which acquired the rights to release Bond movies following its $8.45 billion purchase of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in 2021, has left the franchise "trapped," as reported by the Wall Street Journal.

Amazon and Eon have yet to issue any official statements regarding these developments.