When people picture the next James Bond, names like Henry Cavill, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Callum Turner, and Jack Lowden tend to come up first. But 007 needs more than a sharp suit and the right look. The best Bonds have confidence complimented by their vulnerability, charm with danger, and effortless composure with the sense that something complicated is happening beneath the surface.
James Bond has changed considerably from Sean Connery to Roger Moore to Daniel Craig, but each actor understood what makes 007 more than a stylish action hero. Bond needs to be able to move between glamour and danger while keeping up professional duty with his own desires. As David Leigh argues in The James Bond Dossier, that tension is more important to the character than any Aston Martin, Martini, or gadget.
As the search for the next 007 continues, several actors have something beyond just looking the part. Some have the charisma, others have the intensity, and a few could take Bond somewhere audiences have not seen before. None are the most obvious of choices, and that is precisely why they deserve a closer look.
7
Regé-Jean Page
Regé-Jean Page has been associated with James Bond speculation since his breakout as Simon Baset, the Duke of Hastings, in Bridgerton. The connection was not difficult to understand. Page gave Simon the polished confidence of a Regency gentleman while gradually revealing the pain and guardedness beneath it. He could make a ballroom entrance feel as commanding as a confrontation, then shift into something quieter without losing the character’s presence. The balance is important for Bond, who has always needed to be more than the most capable man in the room.
Page’s career since Bridgerton has also given him opportunities to show that his acting range is not limited to just period dramas. He has played intelligence official Denny Carmichael in The Gray Man, the heroic Xenk Yender in Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (2023), and Colonel James Stokes in Steven Soderbergh’s espionage thriller Black Bag. None of those roles are Bond, but together they show his comfort with action, comedy, ensembles, and spy-world intrigue. He already has the range to make 007 feel like a character, rather than just a costume.
6
Tom Francis
Tom Francis could be seen as an unusual choice for the next James Bond because his strongest credentials come from the stage rather than the screen. The 26-year-old English actor won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical for playing Joe Gillis in Sunset Boulevard, then earned a Tony Award nomination when the production transferred to Broadway. He also played Romeo in the West End production of & Juliet. Those roles required very different kinds of leading-man charisma, giving Francis experience with romance, vulnerability, confidence, and darker dramatic material.
His screen resume is still small, with roles in the final season of You and Noah Baumbach’s Jay Kelly. That could make for an interesting lead as Bond if the next film does not want to target an actor audiences have already seen dominate a large action franchise. Francis has already shown that he can carry a production and hold an audience’s attention, but he has not yet become associated with a particular screen persona.
Francis and the role of Bond already have a connection. In April 2026, Variety reported that he had auditioned for the role, citing a source familiar with the casting process. Amazon MGM Studios and Francis’ representative declined to comment, and the report described him as one of many actors competing for the part. While Francis remains a theoretical pick, his relative lack of screen experience could be exactly what makes him worth watching.
5
Paul Mescal
Paul Mescal could bring a more emotionally grounded intensity to James Bond. His breakthrough in Normal People established his gift for restraint, while Aftersun earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor. He has since shown a very different side of himself in roles like Stanley Kowalski in A Streetcar Named Desire and Lucius in Gladiator II, proving he can command both intimate dramas and major productions.
Gladiator II also showed that Mescal can handle Bond’s physical demands. Paul Mescal spent months training in strength work, fight choreography, horse riding, and sword fighting for the role, showing that he can carry a large-scale action film without sacrificing the intensity that defines his best performances. All of that combined could make him an interesting successor to Daniel Craig, whose Bond was as emotionally complicated as he was physically capable.
Mescal is not the most obvious choice for 007, but that could be his advantage. He has repeatedly shown an ability to make internal conflict feel compelling without overstating it. Rather than just replicating Craig’s interpretation, Mescal could bring a more vulnerable, psychologically layered Bond to the screen while still possessing the physical presence for the role.
4
John Boyega
John Boyega has the franchise experience and dramatic range to bring something distinct to James Bond. He broke through with Attack the Block before becoming an international star as Finn in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, reprising the role in two sequels. Outside the franchise, his Golden Globe-winning performance as Leroy Logan in Small Axe, alongside roles in The Woman King, Breaking, and They Cloned Tyrone, has allowed him to explore considerably different characters.
Boyega’s potential casting would also represent a significant shift for the franchise. In 2022, he expressed skepticism about becoming 007 because of the character’s history, though he remains open to the possibility (via SiriusXM). That perspective adds an interesting layer to his candidacy, particularly if the next Bond is intended to move beyond the conventions of previous iterations. Boyega has shown he already can lead blockbuster action while bringing genuine emotional weight to the character underneath.
3
Sope Dirisu
Sope Dirisu has developed a compelling combination of dramatic range and physicality that could make him an excellent James Bond. His career includes Shakespearean theater, prestige television, independent films, and action-heavy productions, giving him a wide range of experience well beyond the typical action-hero role. He broke through with Gangs of London, where his performance as undercover officer Elliot Carter demanded both brutal fight work and considerable emotional depth.
Dirisu has continued to show off his versatility in His House, Mr. Malcolm’s List, and Slow Horses. He also has a personal connection to the Bond role, having spoken about watching the films with his father and describing the franchise as deeply meaningful to him (via NME). As a Black British actor, his casting would also represent a significant evolution for 007. Most importantly, Dirisu could bring the character both physical authority and vulnerability that would make for a memorable Bond performance.
2
David Jonsson
David Jonsson has quickly risen as one of Britain’s most promising young actors, making his an intriguing James Bond candidate. He broke through with Industry before showing range in Rye Lane and Alien: Romulus. His performance in The Long Walk further proves he can carry a physically demanding blockbuster without loosing emotional depth.
Jonsson also fits the profile of a long-term Bond. Born in London in 1993, he is young enough to potentially lead the franchise for years while already possessing substantial experience across television, theater, and film. His BAFTA Rising Star win in 2025 confirms his growing industry reputation. He may not yet be an established action-oriented star, but that gives him the opportunity to build a fresh interpretation of 007 instead of imitating what came before.
1
Daryl McCormack
Daryl McCormack has built a resume that makes for an interesting James Bond contender. After establishing himself on stage as Isaiah Jesus in Peaky Blinders, he broke through with Good Luck to You, Leo Grande, earning a BAFTA nomination for Best Actor (via UKExpress). That specific role shows his ability to balance confidence, charm, and vulnerability, qualities that could translate very naturally into 007.
McCormack has since expanded his range through The Woman in the Wall, Twisters, and Rian Johnson’s Wake Up Dean Man. Born in 1993, he is also young enough to potentially lead a new Bond era for years. He reportedly came close to joining Star Wars: The Force Awakens, but unlike some contenders, he does not arrive as an established action star. That also gives him room to build a fresh interpretation of James Bond from the ground up.
- TV Show(s)
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Fleming: The Man Who Would be Bond
- Video Game(s)
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GoldenEye 007, The World Is Not Enough, 007: Nightfire, James Bond 007: Everything or Nothing, Quantum of Solace, James Bond 007: From Russia with Love, James Bond 007: Blood Stone, GoldenEye 007 Remake, 007: Agent Under Fire
- First TV Show
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Fleming: The Man Who Would be Bond
