Is Josh O'Connor the next Bond? Actor reveals
What's the story
Hollywood actor Josh O'Connor recently set the record straight on the rumors of him being the next James Bond. Speaking to Deadline, he said, "I have no thoughts, really." "I think in the space of a week, I made a joke about, wouldn't it be funny if I played Bond? Then, me and Daniel [Craig] did an Actors on Actors... and then suddenly I was James Bond. If I am Bond, I don't know about it."
Co-star's remark
O'Connor's co-star Kali Reis joked about Bond rumors
Kali Reis, O'Connor's Rebuilding co-star, also humorously addressed the Bond rumors. She quipped, "Just as long as I can be your sidekick." The actor isn't the first to be linked with the iconic role. Other names that have surfaced recently include Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Rege-Jean Page, Sam Heughan, Tom Hardy, and Henry Cavill.
Franchise's future
Uncertainty looms over future of 'James Bond' franchise
The future of the James Bond franchise remains uncertain after Daniel Craig's last outing as Bond in No Time to Die, which was released in 2021. This uncertainty is compounded by a reported feud between Amazon and the Broccoli family, who own the franchise. Amazon bought Bond studio MGM for $6.5B in 2022. However, it remains unclear when another installment will head toward production.
Actor's schedule
Meanwhile, O'Connor remains busy with numerous projects
O'Connor is engaged with different projects. He has earned critical acclaim for his performance in Luca Guadagnino's Challengers, where he starred opposite Zendaya and Mike Faist. He will next star with Craig in Rian Johnson's new Knives Out film, Wake Up Dead Man, as well as Steven Spielberg's upcoming untitled event film for Universal and Amblin.