The James Bond franchise is now under the stewardship of Amazon MGM Studios, and with casting beginning soon for the upcoming 26th Bond movie, a frontrunner for the role has proven himself perfect for the part with an excellent Guy Ritchie Netflix series. Many James Bond candidates have played similar roles in the past, and setting that example can help to prepare an actor for the iconic role. With so much legacy to contend with and so many great performances already in the franchise, Bond is an important character to get right.

There have been many different iterations over the years, and each has brought something different to the role. However, a genuinely new era for the famous spy is now set to begin after Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson ceded control of the Bond franchise to Amazon MGM earlier this year. Even with inspired director choices for the Bond series being rumored, there is concern that the franchise will evolve under Amazon’s stewardship with spinoff films and series, becoming more like the Marvel Cinematic Universe. For this to work, the studio will need a great star to lead their franchise.

Theo James Is A Current Favorite For The Next James Bond

He’s Actually Been Given The Second-Best Odds

Theo James, star of the recent The Gentlemen on Netflix, is currently among the most rumored stars that might next play the iconic role of James Bond. The actor is ranked with 9/4 odds of securing the role worldwide (via Oddschecker), second only to Kraven the Hunter star Aaron Taylor-Johnson, although James is the current favorite within the UK. James broke through as the male lead of the Divergent films, but has since carved out an excellent space for himself as an actor, starring in films like The Monkey and series like The White Lotus.

Rumors of who could take on the Bond role next have circulated since 2021, which saw the death of Daniel Craig’s James Bond in the ending of No Time To Die. As the first time Bond has been killed onscreen, this was a bold choice, and it creates the perfect opportunity to reboot the franchise with a new star. While Aaron Taylor-Johnson has been rumored for Bond for some time, betting odds also put Henry Cavill, Jack Lowden, James Norton, and Harris Dickinson on that same list.

The Gentlemen Shows Theo James Would Be A Great James Bond

The Netflix Series Allows James To Show Off His Charm And His Chops

The Gentlemen was a strong hit for Netflix. Spun off from the Guy Ritchie film of the same name released in 2021, Theo James stars in the series as Eddie Horniman, an aristocratic man who inherits his father’s enormous state. On taking over the estate, he discovers it is the home of an enormous weed empire, and that he must adjust his expectations and take over the role his father played. The series was a hit, and The Gentlemen season 2 was ordered in August 2024.

The show provides James one of those rare opportunities to shine in a charismatic and charming lead role. While there is much to be compared between his performance in this series and Daniel Craig’s run as James Bond, there are also some significant differences that would allow James to shine in the role. Despite having a distinctly hard look and edge to himself as an actor, James is also great at servicing the looser, more comedic moments, which could be an ᴀsset to him as Bond.

There’s One Catch With Theo James Being The Next James Bond

He Might Not Fit Amazon MGM’s Casting Criteria

There is one notable concern about James taking over the role: The actor is already 40 years old. While he is not too old to play James Bond, he might be too old to begin what may wind up being a 20-year tenure as the character. Amazon wants to build something new, fresh, and sustainable with the franchise, and this might best be done by bringing in a younger star who could take on the role and play it over the course of several decades.

Granted, being 40 should not outright disqualify Theo James. Looking at how old each Bond star was when they took the role is illuminating, as more than half of the James Bond actors were older than 40 in their first appearance. Timothy Dalton was 41, while Roger Moore was 45. Producers from previous films, including Michael G. Wilson, have even spoken about how a younger actor cannot play Bond. With this in mind, James is clearly still in the running for the role.

News on the next James Bond film will certainly be coming forward soon, but in the meantime, it is interesting to speculate who might secure this iconic role next. Casting the next James Bond is an important pop culture event, and the actor will go on to be ᴀssociated with the famous figure for many years to come. As production on Bond 26 is awaited, watching The Gentlemen on Netflix is an excellent way to get an idea of what a great job Theo James would be able to do with the popular role.