The search for the next James Bond continues, and former 007 star Pierce Brosnan believes audiences could be in for a major surprise.
Brosnan, who played the British secret agent across four films from 1995 to 2002, says he is following the casting speculation like everyone else. But rather than backing one of the famous actors repeatedly linked to the role, he believes Amazon MGM Studios could ultimately go in a completely unexpected direction.
Speaking to The Times, the 73-year-old actor suggested producers could “go left-field” and choose someone audiences barely know.
His comments arrive at an interesting moment for the franchise. Gary Oldman recently claimed the next Bond has already been selected, while Amazon MGM Studios has yet to officially announce Daniel Craig’s successor.
Pierce Brosnan Thinks the Next Bond Could Surprise Everyone
Brosnan isn’t trying to influence the decision.
Instead, he says he is now simply another audience member waiting to discover who will inherit one of cinema’s most recognizable roles.
“There are lots of good hats in the ring,” Brosnan told The Times, before suggesting the filmmakers could choose an actor “none of us know about.”
That would be a significant departure from years of online speculation surrounding established names.
Actors including Jack Lowden, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Harris Dickinson, Jacob Elordi and Callum Turner have all been associated with the conversation around the role, although speculation should not be confused with confirmed casting.
Amazon MGM’s most recent official casting update said the search was underway and that the studio would not comment on individual candidates during the process.
Pierce Brosnan Refuses to Name His Choice for 007
When asked who he personally would cast, Pierce Brosnan deliberately avoided giving a name.
He joked that his wife had warned him not to say anything because even a casual endorsement could quickly become a headline.
That caution makes sense. Few casting decisions generate as much sustained speculation as James Bond, and an endorsement from someone who actually played 007 would immediately carry additional weight.
Instead, Brosnan offered something closer to encouragement for whoever eventually gets the job.
He described himself as a member of the audience and said he was waiting for the next Bond while “wishing him well.”
Has the Next James Bond Already Been Cast?
That’s where the story becomes more complicated.
Gary Oldman recently suggested that a decision has already been made.
While discussing his Slow Horses co-star Jack Lowden on Canada’s The Morning Show, Oldman noted that Lowden has been rumored to be on the shortlist before saying the producers had already “made their choice” but had not announced it.
Oldman also made it clear that he hopes Lowden gets the role.
However, there is an important distinction.
Amazon MGM Studios has not officially announced the new James Bond.
Screenwriter Steven Knight has also declined to confirm the identity of the next 007 amid the latest speculation.
So while Oldman’s comments have fueled rumors that the search is effectively over, there is currently no official confirmation that Lowden, or anyone else, has been cast.
Why Jack Lowden Is Suddenly Getting More Attention
Lowden has been part of the Bond conversation for some time, but Oldman’s comments have pushed his name back into the spotlight.
The 36-year-old Scottish actor is best known internationally for playing River Cartwright opposite Oldman’s Jackson Lamb in Apple TV’s Slow Horses.
His other credits include Dunkirk, Mary Queen of Scots, Fighting With My Family and Benediction.
Lowden’s wife, Oscar-nominated actress Saoirse Ronan, has meanwhile expressed interest in entering the Bond universe herself.
Ronan has said she would be serious about playing a Bond villain, particularly the opportunity to explore a younger female antagonist.
For now, though, neither Lowden nor Amazon MGM has confirmed that he will be the next 007.
7 Things to Know About the Next James Bond Movie
As speculation continues, here are seven important facts about where the franchise currently stands:
- No new Bond actor has been officially announced. Amazon MGM has publicly confirmed a casting search but has not named Daniel Craig’s successor.
- Denis Villeneuve is directing. The Dune filmmaker officially joined the project in 2025 and has described Bond as “sacred territory.”
- Steven Knight is writing the screenplay. The Peaky Blinders creator was officially announced as the film’s writer.
- Amy Pascal and David Heyman are producing. Pascal Pictures and Heyday Films are leading production, with Tanya Lapointe serving as executive producer.
- Gary Oldman believes a choice has been made. He recently suggested that producers have selected their actor, although the studio has not confirmed his claim.
- Jack Lowden remains heavily discussed. Oldman openly said his “fingers are crossed” for his Slow Horses co-star.
- This will be the first Bond era under Amazon MGM’s creative control. Amazon MGM, Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson remain co-owners of the Bond IP, but Amazon MGM gained creative control under their 2025 joint venture.
Denis Villeneuve Will Direct the New James Bond
Whoever becomes Bond will work with one of Hollywood’s most prominent filmmakers.
Amazon MGM Studios officially announced Denis Villeneuve as director in June 2025.
Villeneuve’s credits include Arrival, Blade Runner 2049 and the Dune films. When his Bond appointment was announced, the filmmaker revealed that some of his earliest moviegoing memories involved watching 007 films with his father.
He called himself a “die-hard Bond fan” and said he intends to respect the franchise’s traditions while creating a path for future adventures.
That suggests the next movie won’t simply be about replacing Daniel Craig. It will establish the creative direction for an entirely new Bond era.
Peaky Blinders Creator Steven Knight Is Writing the Movie
Villeneuve will be working from a screenplay by Steven Knight, whose career spans film and television.
Knight created Peaky Blinders and has worked on projects including Taboo, SAS Rogue Heroes, A Thousand Blows and All the Light We Cannot See.
Amazon MGM officially announced him as the next Bond screenwriter in July 2025.
Knight has remained careful when questioned about casting.
Amid recent speculation that the new actor may already have been chosen, he declined to reveal anything and emphasized that his responsibility is ultimately to write James Bond as a character.
A New Era Began When Amazon MGM Took Creative Control
The next movie also represents a major behind-the-scenes transition.
For decades, the Bond films were closely guided by producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson, continuing the stewardship established by Albert R. “Cubby” Broccoli.
That structure changed in 2025.
Amazon MGM Studios, Wilson and Broccoli formed a joint venture to hold the franchise’s intellectual property rights. The three parties remain co-owners, while Amazon MGM gained creative control after the transaction closed in March 2025.
That means the next Bond actor won’t simply succeed Daniel Craig. He will become the face of the franchise’s first cinematic era developed under Amazon MGM’s creative leadership.
Pierce Brosnan Helped Revive Bond for a New Generation
Pierce Brosnan understands the pressure surrounding a new 007 better than most.
He took over from Timothy Dalton after a six-year gap between Bond movies and made his debut in GoldenEye in 1995.
The movie successfully introduced Bond to the post-Cold War era and began a four-film run for Brosnan.
He returned for Tomorrow Never Dies in 1997, The World Is Not Enough in 1999 and Die Another Day in 2002. The official 007 archive confirms all four films as part of his tenure.
Brosnan’s Bond blended the sophistication traditionally associated with the character with the larger-scale action filmmaking that increasingly defined blockbusters during the 1990s and early 2000s.
After Die Another Day, the franchise was rebooted with Daniel Craig in Casino Royale.
Daniel Craig Changed Expectations for Whoever Comes Next
Craig’s arrival in 2006 dramatically changed the tone of the series.
Beginning with Casino Royale, his Bond was more physically imposing, emotionally vulnerable and narratively connected across multiple movies.
Craig eventually appeared in five films: Casino Royale, Quantum of Solace, Skyfall, Spectre and No Time to Die. His tenure ended in 2021.
That creates an unusual challenge for the next actor.
Simply copying Craig would make little sense, but returning completely to an earlier interpretation could feel equally limiting.
The next Bond will need an identity strong enough to establish a new era while still retaining the characteristics audiences associate with Ian Fleming’s spy.
That may explain why Brosnan’s suggestion of an unexpected actor is particularly interesting.
Could an Unknown Actor Actually Become Bond?
Casting a less familiar performer wouldn’t be unprecedented for a major franchise.
A recognizable star provides immediate marketing value, but an emerging actor can arrive without audiences strongly associating them with another character.
For Bond, that could be particularly useful.
The selected actor will likely become closely identified with 007 for years, potentially appearing across multiple films while carrying enormous international expectations.
Choosing someone outside the most frequently discussed names could allow Villeneuve, Knight and the producers to build their version of Bond without the baggage that comes with an established superstar.
And if Brosnan’s prediction proves correct, the endless lists of rumored candidates may ultimately have been looking in the wrong direction.
The Bond Casting Decision Could Define the Franchise for Years
The question of who becomes the next James Bond has been hanging over Hollywood since No Time to Die concluded Craig’s run in 2021.
Now, meaningful pieces are finally in place.
Villeneuve is directing. Knight is writing. Pascal and Heyman are producing. Amazon MGM has creative control.
Only the face of the new era remains publicly unknown.
Whether the studio ultimately chooses Lowden, another frequently rumored actor or someone completely unexpected, Brosnan’s response reflects the unique position of a former Bond: he knows exactly how dramatically one casting announcement can change an actor’s life.
For now, he’s content to watch with everyone else.
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FAQs
Who does Pierce Brosnan think should be the next James Bond?
Brosnan hasn’t endorsed a specific actor. Instead, he suggested the producers could make a “left-field” choice and cast someone audiences don’t currently know.
Has the new James Bond actor officially been chosen?
Gary Oldman has claimed that a choice has been made, but Amazon MGM Studios has not publicly announced Daniel Craig’s successor. Until the studio confirms the casting, reports about specific actors remain speculation.
How Many James Bond Movies Did Pierce Brosnan Make?
Brosnan starred in four Bond films: GoldenEye (1995), Tomorrow Never Dies (1997), The World Is Not Enough (1999) and Die Another Day (2002). Daniel Craig succeeded him beginning with Casino Royale in 2006.
