It’s been over two years since Daniel Craig bowed out as James Bond in No Time To Die. Since then we’ve had the franchise’s 60th anniversary celebrations in 2022 and the release of reality TV show 007: Road to a Million, in 2023.
Attending the premiere of the latter last November, Express.co.uk asked EON Productions producer Greg Wilson for the latest on Bond 26.
The man who many expect to take over the 007 movies after his father Michael G Wilson and aunt Barbara Broccoli gave a simple answer.
He told us: “No plans on making the next Bond at this stage. There will be another Bond someday, but we’re not actively developing it.”
Despite this, there is good reason to believe that 2024 will finally be the year that the new 007, Bond 26 title, cast, director and release date are finally announced.
Bond expert Mark O’Connell, whose book Catching Bullets: Memoirs of a Bond Fan had a prelude written by Broccoli herself, gave his insider thoughts last year.
Commenting on 007: Road to a Million on his Instagram, he wrote: “Creators, artists and producers can actually work on more than one thing at any time. And if some folk want to believe those Bond HQ cogs have yet to start turning on BOND 26, in reality they rarely stop.”
Looking back at the last time there were next Bond auditions gives a good idea of when an actual announcement will be.
Back in November 2002, Pierce Brosnan starred in his final James Bond movie Die Another Day.
Three years later on October 14, 2005, Daniel Craig was announced as the new 007, set to star in Casino Royale under the direction of GoldenEye’s Martin Campbell.
Filming kicked off in January 2006 for a November 2006 release, as EON Productions often favour an autumn release.
Considering that No Time To Die hit cinemas in late 2021, our best bet is that the next Bond auditions will take place this year in the spring or summer.
And then an official announcement of the new star, Bond 26 title, cast and director would follow in the autumn of 2024, for a late 2025 cinematic release.