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

The James Bond rumor mill is buzzing more than ever since Amazon took full creative control over the iconic 007 franchise. While the identity of the next actor to don the tuxedo remains a mystery, a recent report has shed light on some non-negotiables for the character: James Bond will continue to be a man and hail from Britain or the Commonwealth, dashing hopes for actors like Ryan Gosling to take on the role.

According to the Mail on Sunday, Amazon has circulated an internal memo ensuring that Bond's gender and nationality will remain unchanged under their stewardship. This news has likely been welcomed by Pierce Brosnan, who portrayed Bond in films such as GoldenEye, Tomorrow Never Dies, The World Is Not Enough, and Die Another Day from 1995 to 2002. Brosnan himself emphasized the importance of Bond's British identity in a statement to The Telegraph, saying, "it's a given" that 007 should be British.

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With the door open to actors from the Commonwealth, speculation has turned towards Australian actor Chris Hemsworth, who has previously expressed interest in the role. In a 2019 interview with Balance magazine, Hemsworth remarked on his performance as British Formula One driver James Hunt in Rush, saying, "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." He further elaborated that the decision is beyond his control and depends on the Bond community, including Barbara Broccoli and her team, to make a unanimous choice. Following the Mail on Sunday's report, the Today Show Australia declared with confidence, "It's a surety. He is in."

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

The future of James Bond remains uncertain following Amazon's acquisition and the stepping back of long-time producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G Wilson. Amid rumors that Amazon might opt for a Bond TV series, Variety has reported that a new Bond film remains the "top priority." Amazon is reportedly in the process of finding a new producer for the franchise, with David Heyman, known for his work on the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts series, being the type of visionary they seek.

Christopher Nolan showed interest in directing a Bond film post-Tenet, but Broccoli's insistence on not granting final cut to any director led to his rejection. Nolan subsequently directed Oppenheimer, which became a global box office hit, grossing nearly $1 billion and earning him Best Picture and Best Director Oscars.

Amazon's control over Bond has not been universally welcomed. When asked about directing a Bond movie during a Reddit AMA, the director of Longlegs and The Monkey bluntly responded, "No, because f**k Jeff Bezos."

Fans are eagerly awaiting news on who will step into Bond's shoes next. While names like Tom Hardy, Idris Elba, James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, and Aaron Taylor-Johnson (previously rumored to be at the top of the list) have been floated, the fan-favorite choice seems to be Henry Cavill, known for his roles in Superman and The Witcher.

Variety reports that Amazon cannot hire anyone for Bond until the closure of its deal with Broccoli and Wilson, expected later this year. This follows an explosive report that the future of the James Bond franchise is "on pause" due to an "ugly" stalemate between the Broccoli family and Amazon. The Wall Street Journal detailed the behind-the-scenes battle, noting that Barbara Broccoli's retention of creative control clashed with Amazon's acquisition of the rights to release Bond movies after purchasing Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer for $8.45 billion in 2021, leaving Bond "trapped."

Neither Amazon nor Eon Productions have issued a comment on the matter.