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

The James Bond rumor mill is buzzing following the surprising news that Amazon has taken full creative control over the iconic 007 franchise. Despite the acquisition, the identity of the next actor to portray the suave spy remains a mystery. However, a recent report sheds light on the criteria for the next James Bond: the character will remain a man and continue to be British or from the Commonwealth, effectively ruling out actors like Ryan Gosling.

The Mail on Sunday disclosed that Amazon circulated an internal memo ensuring that James Bond's gender and nationality will not change under its stewardship. This news is likely to be welcomed by former Bond actor Pierce Brosnan, who portrayed the spy in films like GoldenEye, Tomorrow Never Dies, The World Is Not Enough, and Die Another Day from 1995 to 2002. In a statement to The Telegraph, Brosnan affirmed that it's essential for 007 to remain British.

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With the possibility of a Commonwealth actor stepping into Bond's shoes, Australian star Chris Hemsworth, known for his roles in Thor and Extraction, has expressed interest in the role. In 2019, he told Balance magazine, "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. 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."

Hemsworth's comments have resurfaced following the Mail on Sunday's report, fueling speculation that he could be the next 007. The Today Show Australia even declared, "It's a surety. He is in."

Concerns about the future of James Bond have arisen since Amazon's acquisition and the stepping back of long-term producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson. Amid rumors of a potential Bond TV series, Variety reported that a new Bond film remains the "top priority." Amazon is reportedly on the hunt for a producer for the franchise, with David Heyman, known for his work on the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts series, being a top contender.

Christopher Nolan expressed interest in directing a Bond film following Tenet, but Broccoli insisted that no director would have "final cut" while she was in charge, leading Nolan to direct Oppenheimer instead, which was a commercial and critical success.

Amazon's control over Bond has not been universally welcomed. When asked during a Reddit AMA if he would direct a Bond film, the director of Longlegs and The Monkey responded, "No, because f**k Jeff Bezos."

Fans are eager to learn who will next portray Bond. While names like Tom Hardy, Idris Elba, James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, and Aaron Taylor-Johnson have been floated, the clear fan-favorite is Henry Cavill, known for his roles in Superman and The Witcher.

Variety reported that Amazon cannot proceed with hiring for Bond until the closure of its deal with Broccoli and Wilson, expected later this year. This follows a report suggesting that the future of the James Bond franchise is "on pause" amid an "ugly" stalemate between the Broccoli family and Amazon.

The behind-the-scenes tension between Barbara Broccoli, who had maintained creative control over Bond and the decision on who plays the iconic British spy, and Amazon, which acquired the rights to release Bond movies after purchasing Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer for $8.45 billion in 2021, has left the franchise "trapped," according to the Wall Street Journal.

Amazon and Eon have yet to issue a comment on the matter.