Dickinson, Elordi, and Holland Top Studio Wishlist for 007 Reboot
Now that the martini glass has been passed from Daniel Craig, Amazon MGM are stirring, not shaking, the speculation with a new shortlist of potential James Bonds. And it’s no longer just pub talk or Twitter fantasy: Variety reports the studio has narrowed its wishlist to three names that, while young, already carry serious star power.
The announcement last week that Denis Villeneuve would direct the next Bond film was met with near-universal acclaim.
“We are honoured that Denis has agreed to direct James Bond’s next chapter,” said Mike Hopkins, head of Amazon MGM Studios. “He is a cinematic master, whose filmography speaks for itself.”
Villeneuve confessed to being a “die-hard James Bond fan” intends to “honour the tradition” of the series. And yet, nothing signals a new era quite like a new Bond, especially one likely to be molded by Villeneuve’s precise and often haunting visual language.
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According to Variety, three names have risen to the top: Harris Dickinson, Jacob Elordi and Tom Holland. All under 30. All already household names. And all, in their own ways, a significant departure from the rugged, mid-career masculinity of Craig’s incarnation.
Harris Dickinson: From Arthouse to Action Hero?
At 29, Harris Dickinson is already a fixture in the critically adored end of contemporary cinema. His breakthrough came in 2017 with Beach Rats, but it was 2022’s Palme d’Or winner Triangle of Sadness that cemented his reputation as a quietly magnetic leading man. Since then, he’s taken on challenging roles in The King’s Man, The Iron Claw, and indie darling Babygirl.
Bookies have clearly taken notice: earlier this year, William Hill have him at 7/1, and is as low as 5/2 with SkyBet and Paddy Power to become Bond.
“The 28-year-old already has a very impressive portfolio of work and has received critical acclaim for his acting alongside Nicole Kidman,” a spokesperson for the Paddy Power company noted.
In a rather poetic twist, Dickinson is also set to portray John Lennon in Sam Mendes’ upcoming Beatles biopic, yet another icon of British culture he may soon embody.
Jacob Elordi: The Brooding Outsider
If Dickinson is the critics’ favourite, Jacob Elordi might be the riskier, more enigmatic choice. The 28-year-old Australian actor vaulted into the mainstream with Euphoria, but it was Emerald Fennell’s twisted gothic satire Saltburn that made him unavoidable.
As the golden boy Felix Catton, Elordi was both alluring and unsettling, a mixture not unlike Bond at his most morally ambiguous.
Though he doesn’t carry a UK passport, precedent is on his side. George Lazenby, after all, was also an Aussie, albeit one who only wore the tuxedo once. If chosen, Elordi’s casting would add a dangerous glamour to a Bond era that may well veer darker under Villeneuve’s hand.
He also recently turned down an audition for James Gunn’s Superman: Legacy, possibly with a future eye on getting hold of the most prestigious licence to kill.
Tom Holland: The Polished Professional
Tom Holland, now 29, is the most obvious pick of the trio, at least on paper. After all, few actors alive today have carried a franchise quite like Holland, who made Spiderman relatable and endearing across six MCU films.
We reported on Holland being a likely candidate, and the actor has also made no secret of his interest in playing Bond. “I’m just putting that out there,” he said in a 2021 interview. “I look pretty good in a suit.”
There’s a polish to Tom Holland’s public image that some might view as too clean-cut for Bond, but Amazon may be eyeing a return to the suaver, quippier Bonds of Brosnan’s era.
Holland’s proven versatility, balancing Marvel chaos with more dramatic work in The Crowded Room and Cherry, suggests he could walk the tightrope between elegance and ruthlessness.
A Bold New Chapter, with Familiar Expectations
With Villeneuve steering the ship and Broccoli and Wilson having stepped back, Amazon MGM has full licence to reinvent—not just James Bond, but the world around him. The days of formula may be numbered. And if this casting shortlist is any indication, the next 007 may be less about brute force and more about ambiguity, introspection, and unsettling charm.
Whether it’s Dickinson’s chameleonic intensity, Elordi’s dark mystique, or Holland’s boyish professionalism, each choice would usher in a distinctly different yet exciting Bond era.
And so the waiting game continues. For now, the tux remains on its hanger and the Aston Martin sits idle. But with this calibre of talent in the frame, fans can rest assured: the name’s coming. Soon.
