Amazon MGM Studios officially announced on May 14, 2026, the start of auditions to find the next actor to play James Bond, following Daniel Craig's departure from the role [1, 2]. Nina Gold, renowned for casting Game of Thrones and the Star Wars sequels and nominated for the first-ever Oscar for casting in 2025, is leading the casting for the 26th official James Bond film [3, 4, 1, 2]. Amazon MGM described the process as cautious and respectful toward the franchise’s legacy and promised to share more details with fans when appropriate [3, 1].
The upcoming Bond film will be directed by Denis Villeneuve, with a screenplay by Steven Knight [3, 4, 1]. Producers Amy Pascal and David Heyman are overseeing production [1]. The film is tentatively expected to release around 2028 [5].
Auditions began in early May and have continued into mid-May as reported by multiple outlets [1, 2, 5, 6, 7]. Leading rumored candidates include Jacob Elordi, Callum Turner, and Aaron Taylor-Johnson [4, 8, 2, 5]. Pierce Brosnan, Bond’s former portrayer, commented on May 15 via Zoom that the incoming actor will be “nervous as hell” taking on such an iconic role [1].
Nina Gold's credentials include casting for major films like The King’s Speech, Les Misérables, The Martian, and the Jurassic World sequels in addition to her TV work [3, 1]. She received widespread praise for her ability to identify talent.
On May 16, the White House sparked an online debate by sharing an AI-generated poster of Donald Trump styled as James Bond, which drew both humor and criticism amid current economic and geopolitical tensions [4, 8, 6, 7, 9]. Trump himself has posted AI images portraying himself in various iconic roles, including Bond [4, 8]. Some social media users appreciated the humor, while others lamented ongoing inflation and conflicts undermining the sentiment behind the image [4, 10].
The casting and production team have been working for months before the announcement, indicating a carefully planned search for Bond 26 [1]. The next step will focus on finalizing the casting choices before official filming begins in the months ahead.
