Although every James Bond franchise star brought their own unique vision to the character of 007, Amazon’s latest rumored Bond 26 prospect would fundamentally redefine the super-spy’s story. The James Bond franchise’s many movies have varied in terms of tone and style over the years, as noted by many of the directors and stars who worked on them.
Although No Time To Die’s ending was particularly notable for killing off a version of James Bond, the franchise had hinted at this sort of darkness earlier in its run. Daniel Craig’s Bond debut, Casino Royale, provided 007 with a devastating backstory, while On Her Majesty’s Secret Service killed off Bond’s wife in its truly tragic final twist.
On the other hand, Pierce Brosnan’s later James Bond movies and Roger Moore’s time in the role were much cartoonier, more outlandish, and more outright comedic than their predecessors. Timothy Dalton provided Bond with many of his grittiest moments to date, only for Brosnan’s movies to inject a cheeky, self-aware sense of humor into proceedings.
Jacob Elordi Is Rumored To Be Bond 26’s New 007
Image courtesy of Everett Collection
Now, as the search for Bond 26’s leading man continues, it is clear that the franchise’s choice of actor will help define the tone of its next outing. Bond 26’s director has been announced and, while Dennis Villeneuve is hardly known for making knockabout comedies, his involvement alone doesn’t define the tone of the project.
After all, Goldeneye director Martin Campbell ensured that Brosnan’s first 007 outing was a fun, campy affair, but the same director made Casino Royale one of the most brutal and heart-wrenching outings in the entire franchise. Thus, the news that Wuthering Heights star Jacob Elordi is rumored to be the next James Bond could do much more to shape the upcoming outing.
Elordi’s name has been in the running for some time, alongside fellow front-runners Harris Dickinson, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and Tom Hardy. However, an unverified rumor on the celebrity blog Deuxmoi suggested that Amazon has already offered the Australian actor the role, claiming that he accepted and that filming on the project could proceed as soon as October 2026.
There is a good chance that this rumor is just that, as the announcement of Bond 26’s bew James Bond actor still hasn’t happened years after the release of No Time To Die. However, Elordi’s casting would fit with one major change that the producers behind the franchise were reportedly considering since Amazon acquired the rights to the James Bond series.
A report from 2025 claimed that the franchise’s producers were searching for a younger actor to play the next 007 since this would allow the series to lock down this star for a long time. There are multiple-year gaps between most James Bond movies, meaning it could be tough for the franchise to hold onto an older actor who is busy with commitments to other projects.
Elordi Would Be The Youngest James Bond In The Franchise’s History
Roger Moore as James Bond pointing his Walter P5 in Octopussy (1983).
While it might be true that Elordi has beaten the likes of Timothée Chalamet, Glen Powell, Harris Dickinson, Hardy, and Idris Elba to the role, this would be shocking news for one reason. Elordi is only 28 years old, meaning he would comfortably be the youngest actor to play Bond in the history of the series.
George Lazenby was 29 when he played James Bond, but the Australian actor also only lasted one movie in the franchise. Although Lazenby’s Bond was arguably underrated, there can be no doubt that his relative youth was one factor in his brief tenure in the role. After all, he was replaced by a 45-year-old Roger Moore in the next James Bond movie.
Moore held onto the role until he was 57 before it was taken over by 41-year-old Timothy Dalton. Brosnan was a year older, at 42, when he took on the role, and he didn’t finish playing Bond until he was almost 50. Meanwhile, Daniel Craig was considered a fresh young face for Bond when he was cast.
007 Actor
Age In First Bond Movie
Age In Final Bond Movie
Sean Connery
32
41
George Lazenby
29
N/A
Roger Moore
45
57
Timothy Dalton
41
43
Pierce Brosnan
42
49
Daniel Craig
38
51
For a frame of reference, Craig was already ten years older than Elordi when he began playing Bond. Although Sean Connery was only 32 years old when he first played Bond, the advanced age of the rest of the franchise’s actors made 38 seem youthful when Craig took over the role.
Making Bond Younger Fundamentally Redefines The Character of 007
Daniel Craig as James Bond in the Spectre gun barrel sequence
Although the age of the character’s real-life actor might not seem to have much bearing on the role, this is not quite true for the James Bond franchise. 007 is a slick, polished professional, and not traditionally portrayed as a rookie by any means. Even Craig’s version of the character, who was a new agent in his first movie, was already almost 40.
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Craig’s Bond was a little wizened by the time viewers met him, even though he had not even become 007 yet. Thus, the thought of a Bond who is a full decade younger than him seems like a fundamental change to the James Bond franchise’s lead character if Bond 26 goes through with this casting after all.