A New James Bond Movie May Never Happen In Our Lifetime

When it comes to film franchises, few have lasted as long as James Bond. British Secret Service agent 007 has been using gadgets, combat skills, and smooth talking to save the world for over 60 years. There have been a staggering 25 James Bond movies in that time, but only six actors have ever officially played the world-renowned superspy. Over the years fans got used to a more or less steady supply of Bond thrillers, but in the past decade that's started to change. There was a six-year gap between the last two Daniel Craig films — the longest in the franchise's history — and ever since "No Time to Die" closed out Craig's tenure as Bond in 2021, fans have been dying for news about what's next.

We're now several years removed from Bond's last outing, and there isn't much to report about the agent's future. Even though the ending of "No Time to Die" promised that we'd be seeing Bond again, we still have no idea when that will be or what Bond will look like when the character does grace the silver screen again. We wish there was good news for the Bond fans out there, but the franchise's situation is looking more and more unclear every day. Judging by what we know about the situation unfolding behind the scenes, a new James Bond movie may never happen in our lifetime.

Casting the next Bond is a serious problem

One of the biggest problems with getting another James Bond movie off the ground is deciding who's going to be the next 007. Daniel Craig played Bond for longer than anyone, so he's created some pretty big shoes to fill. Naturally fans have their own opinions about who would make a great Bond, but some fan favorites have already indicated they aren't interested in the role. After his name continually came up in conversations about Bond, Idris Elba eventually told the Associated Press, "I'm not going to be that guy." After some reports got fans excited that Aaron Taylor-Johnson might step into the role, they were frustrated by Taylor-Johnson repeatedly dodging questions about Bond in interviews.

According to the people responsible for putting the next Bond movie together, finding an actor for the part is anything but easy. The producers are obviously looking for someone with excellent acting chops, and who hopefully doesn't mind learning some action choreography, but they're also hoping to find a relatively young actor willing to give them a huge commitment. That might actually be the biggest hurdle in the casting process. "When we cast Bond, it's a 10, 12-year commitment," Bond producer Barbara Broccoli told Variety, adding, "So he's probably thinking, 'Do I really want that thing? Not everybody wants to do that."

There isn't a story or a director yet

The next Bond movie might have an easier time enticing an actor to make a decade-long commitment if it could guarantee them the chance to work with an exciting director. Naturally, there have been a slew of rumors about who might get behind the camera for the next Bond movie. Christopher Nolan, a Bond fan himself, has denied rumors that he would step in to helm 007's next story, despite some fans believing that only Nolan can save the Bond franchise. Denis Villeneuve has publicly stated that he'd be interested in working on a Bond movie, but there have been conflicting reports about whether or not his involvement is a serious possibility. 

As it stands, no one has a claim on the director's chair, and there's no indication that there's going to be a director signed onto the project anytime soon. The process of nailing down a director for the next Bond film is also tied to the general screenwriting process. Right now, it doesn't seem like there's even an outline for the next movie's plot, much less an actual screenplay to show to potential directors. 

Speaking with Variety in September 2022, producer Barbara Broccoli indicated that the direction of the next Bond movie was very much still an open question, saying, "It's about a reinvention, and 'Where are we taking it? What do we want to do with the character?' And then, once we figure that out, who's the right person for that particular reinvention?" Until that question is answered, the real search for a director, screenplay, and star can't even begin.

There's serious tension between the producers and Amazon

For a long time, the James Bond franchise was shared by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios and producer Barbara Broccoli, whose family has maintained control over the Bond character for decades through its Eon Productions banner. That changed in 2022 when Amazon paid more than $8 billion to acquire MGM. Now the tech giant is responsible for Bond's future, but Broccoli reportedly doesn't see eye-to-eye with the company.

When it comes to making the next Bond movie, Amazon needs Broccoli. She has full control over all the creative decisions about the property, so even if the company wants to move as fast as possible to capitalize on its investment, it can't start making a Bond movie without Broccoli's say-so. The Wall Street Journal has reported that Broccoli is more interested in protecting Bond as a character than making money, and she doesn't approve of Amazon's vision or goals for the franchise. 

In the past Broccoli has turned down potentially lucrative deals for Bond TV shows, video games, and cross-promotions, and now it seems like she's not at all interested in making a Bond movie just for the sake of making a profit. Until Amazon and Broccoli can agree on a direction for Bond's future, none of us will see so much as a teaser trailer for "Bond 26."