With rumors swirling about Amazon’s plans for the 007 franchise, speculation has reached a fever pitch that the next iteration might feature a significantly younger James Bond.
This potential origin story approach could take audiences back to the spy’s early days at MI6 before he became the polished agent known worldwide. Such a bold reimagining would require finding not just a replacement for Daniel Craig but an actor who can convincingly portray the formative years of cinema’s most enduring secret agent. As Hollywood buzzes with possibilities, here are seven contenders who could breathe new life into a rookie Bond still finding his footing in the espionage game.
The White Lotus / HBO
Theo James became truly compelling after The White Lotus. His performance was devious, magnetic, and impossible to look away from — exactly what a young Bond needs. His recent starring role in Netflix’s The Gentlemen series further showcased his ability to play a fish-out-of-water aristocrat thrust into the criminal underworld, balancing refinement with an adaptable ruthlessness. James has this quality where he seems posh, but there’s something feral underneath, like he might punch someone or quote Shakespeare, depending on his mood. He’s got that physical presence, but doesn’t look like he was built in a lab. Plus, at 39, he could play younger but still has enough life experience to bring weight to scenes where Bond is learning what it means to have a license to kill.
Kingsman: The Secret Service / 20th Century Fox
Yes, Taron Egerton already did the spy thing in Kingsman. So what? That just means he knows how to sell a fight scene while wearing bespoke tailoring. What makes Egerton intriguing for a young Bond isn’t the obvious stuff — it’s what he showed in Rocketman and Black Bird: vulnerability alongside steel. Bond can’t start out as a cold-blooded machine. The audience needs to see him develop that hardness, and Egerton has the range to portray a guy who’s in over his head but too stubborn to admit it. He’s also got that scrappy Welsh energy that would make sense for a Bond who isn’t born into privilege but claws his way into it.
Bridgerton / Netflix
The Bridgerton heartthrob has smolder for days, but what’s interesting about Regé-Jean Page is the intelligence behind his eyes. He’s believable as someone who’s constantly calculating, which is essential for a spy character who isn’t just muscle. His classical training means he can handle period dialogue without sounding like he’s in a high school play. Page also has an understated physicality — he doesn’t move like an action star trying to look cool; he moves like someone comfortable in his own skin who could absolutely wreck anyone if necessary. The question is whether he’d sign on for potentially a decade of Bond or if he’s too focused on building a broader career.
Jason Bourne / Universal Pictures
Riz Ahmed might not scream “conventional Bond,” but that’s exactly why he’d kill it as an unconventional young 007. His performances in Sound of Metal and The Night Of show an actor who can convey seismic internal shifts while barely changing his expression. A Bond who isn’t immediately comfortable with violence or deception would be compelling — Ahmed could make viewers feel the weight of each compromise. He’s got this coiled intensity that suggests danger without needing to throw a punch.
Crazy Rich Asians / Warner Bros. Pictures
If producers want someone who effortlessly embodies that old-school movie star quality, Henry Golding is their guy. After Crazy Rich Asians, he’s proven he can do both charm and action. What makes him perfect for a young Bond is that he feels simultaneously approachable and slightly untouchable — the type to share a drink with while clearly harboring secrets. There’s a natural elegance to Golding that would make sense for a character learning to infiltrate high society, plus he’s got that rare quality of being handsome without being boring about it.
My Policeman / Amazon Studios
Harry Styles might seem like a wild card, but Dunkirk proved he could hold his own in a serious ensemble, and he’s got that ineffable quality that makes audiences unable to look away. A young Bond needs to be someone audiences will follow through multiple films as he transforms — Styles has already shown he can reinvent himself while maintaining an essential core. What he lacks in traditional acting credits, he makes up for in raw charisma and unpredictability. Plus, the marketing practically writes itself. Is it risky? Hell yes. Might it be brilliant? Also yes.
Hitman / Netflix
Anyone not on the Glenn Powell train yet should hop aboard immediately. After stealing Top Gun: Maverick and proving his leading man chops in Hitman and Anyone But You, it’s clear this guy has that rare combination of comedic timing, genuine charm, and action credibility. There’s something distinctly American about Powell’s energy (which normally would disqualify him), but that could actually work for a green Bond who hasn’t fully embraced the stiff-upper-lip British persona. He’s got a hint of throwback appeal that would work perfectly in a Cold War setting — perfectly suited for ’60s tailoring without it feeling like a costume party. At 35, he’s in that sweet spot where he could play younger but isn’t too young to convey gravitas.
This potential origin story approach could take audiences back to the spy’s early days at MI6 before he became the polished agent known worldwide. Such a bold reimagining would require finding not just a replacement for Daniel Craig but an actor who can convincingly portray the formative years of cinema’s most enduring secret agent. As Hollywood buzzes with possibilities, here are seven contenders who could breathe new life into a rookie Bond still finding his footing in the espionage game.
Theo James
The White Lotus / HBO
Theo James became truly compelling after The White Lotus. His performance was devious, magnetic, and impossible to look away from — exactly what a young Bond needs. His recent starring role in Netflix’s The Gentlemen series further showcased his ability to play a fish-out-of-water aristocrat thrust into the criminal underworld, balancing refinement with an adaptable ruthlessness. James has this quality where he seems posh, but there’s something feral underneath, like he might punch someone or quote Shakespeare, depending on his mood. He’s got that physical presence, but doesn’t look like he was built in a lab. Plus, at 39, he could play younger but still has enough life experience to bring weight to scenes where Bond is learning what it means to have a license to kill.
Taron Egerton
Kingsman: The Secret Service / 20th Century Fox
Yes, Taron Egerton already did the spy thing in Kingsman. So what? That just means he knows how to sell a fight scene while wearing bespoke tailoring. What makes Egerton intriguing for a young Bond isn’t the obvious stuff — it’s what he showed in Rocketman and Black Bird: vulnerability alongside steel. Bond can’t start out as a cold-blooded machine. The audience needs to see him develop that hardness, and Egerton has the range to portray a guy who’s in over his head but too stubborn to admit it. He’s also got that scrappy Welsh energy that would make sense for a Bond who isn’t born into privilege but claws his way into it.
Regé-Jean Page
Bridgerton / Netflix
The Bridgerton heartthrob has smolder for days, but what’s interesting about Regé-Jean Page is the intelligence behind his eyes. He’s believable as someone who’s constantly calculating, which is essential for a spy character who isn’t just muscle. His classical training means he can handle period dialogue without sounding like he’s in a high school play. Page also has an understated physicality — he doesn’t move like an action star trying to look cool; he moves like someone comfortable in his own skin who could absolutely wreck anyone if necessary. The question is whether he’d sign on for potentially a decade of Bond or if he’s too focused on building a broader career.
Riz Ahmed
Jason Bourne / Universal Pictures
Riz Ahmed might not scream “conventional Bond,” but that’s exactly why he’d kill it as an unconventional young 007. His performances in Sound of Metal and The Night Of show an actor who can convey seismic internal shifts while barely changing his expression. A Bond who isn’t immediately comfortable with violence or deception would be compelling — Ahmed could make viewers feel the weight of each compromise. He’s got this coiled intensity that suggests danger without needing to throw a punch.
Henry Golding
Crazy Rich Asians / Warner Bros. Pictures
If producers want someone who effortlessly embodies that old-school movie star quality, Henry Golding is their guy. After Crazy Rich Asians, he’s proven he can do both charm and action. What makes him perfect for a young Bond is that he feels simultaneously approachable and slightly untouchable — the type to share a drink with while clearly harboring secrets. There’s a natural elegance to Golding that would make sense for a character learning to infiltrate high society, plus he’s got that rare quality of being handsome without being boring about it.
Harry Styles
My Policeman / Amazon Studios
Harry Styles might seem like a wild card, but Dunkirk proved he could hold his own in a serious ensemble, and he’s got that ineffable quality that makes audiences unable to look away. A young Bond needs to be someone audiences will follow through multiple films as he transforms — Styles has already shown he can reinvent himself while maintaining an essential core. What he lacks in traditional acting credits, he makes up for in raw charisma and unpredictability. Plus, the marketing practically writes itself. Is it risky? Hell yes. Might it be brilliant? Also yes.
Glen Powell
Hitman / Netflix
Anyone not on the Glenn Powell train yet should hop aboard immediately. After stealing Top Gun: Maverick and proving his leading man chops in Hitman and Anyone But You, it’s clear this guy has that rare combination of comedic timing, genuine charm, and action credibility. There’s something distinctly American about Powell’s energy (which normally would disqualify him), but that could actually work for a green Bond who hasn’t fully embraced the stiff-upper-lip British persona. He’s got a hint of throwback appeal that would work perfectly in a Cold War setting — perfectly suited for ’60s tailoring without it feeling like a costume party. At 35, he’s in that sweet spot where he could play younger but isn’t too young to convey gravitas.