Discussion about casting the next James Bond has been ongoing, and now would be the perfect time to cast an American actor in the iconic role. While actors like Austin Butler and Glen Powell have spoken about James Bond needing to be played by a non-American actor, this is actually an outdated view of the character and brand.

In every James Bond movie, the character’s British qualities have been highlighted. There is no argument that British heritage is fundamental to the Bond character. Bond has many hallmarks, including driving beautiful cars, using interesting gadgets, working for MI6, and drinking martinis, but his style and outlook being specifically British does feel essential.

With that said, there are many different ways that Denis Villeneuve can take this next Bond installment. The character has been refreshed multiple times over the years, and iterations like Daniel Craig in Casino Royale feel distantly removed from Roger Moore in Moonraker. With so many different options for the next film, disqualifying American actors from the running is a poor choice.

British Actors Have Played All Kinds Of Important American Roles

James Bond is a distinctly British character, and whoever is cast in the role will need to be able to pull that off. However, the actor’s own nationality should not be a factor in casting the role. Performers play different nationalities all the time, especially British ones, who have gone on to appear in uniquely American roles.

Bond is important to Britain, certainly, but this needs to be about the character more than the actor. Conversely, some of the most American characters of all time have already been played by British actors.

This year’s Superman had a disappointing international box office, which has been justified by pundits as being because the character is too closely ᴀssociated with America. While the latest iteration of the Man of Steel was played by David Corenswet, from Pennsylvania, the previous version was portrayed by the British Henry Cavill, which was not generally seen as an issue.

Also in the superhero realm, Spider-Man was developed to be a specifically American, New York-everyman. Regardless of this makeup, the London-born actor Tom Holland has been celebrated as one of the best versions of the role that has yet been seen onscreen.

Even if these roles are not considered among the most sacrosanct in American culture, it is hard to deny that Abraham Lincoln is more significant to American culture than James Bond is to British culture. Regardless, casting the British actor Daniel Day-Lewis in the тιтular role in Stephen Spielberg’s Lincoln was an effective choice.

The right actor should play the role, regardless of their national origins. Casting the American John Lithgow as the very British Dumbledore in the Harry Potter series is a great reflection of this. Making these choices can be an ᴀsset to these films and shows, and is a necessary thing to consider in the casting process.

Why This Is A Brand New Era For Bond

If there was ever a time to recast James Bond with an American actor, now would be it. The next film in the long-running series will be the first that will be produced without the Broccolis’ input, with much of the direction falling under the purview of Amazon MGM Studios for Bond’s future.

Amazon is among the most successful American companies, and Bond has grown to be an enormous international brand. While $109 million of No Time to Die‘s box office came from the United Kingdom, which is a large proportion considering the population, this is less than the domestic gross from the United States and Canada of $160 million.

Bond is an enormous international property, and the British income does not justify such rigid thinking around casting the next Bond. With a Canadian director and ownership by an American company, restricting American actors from consideration for the role simply based on their nationality would be a poor choice.

Granted, several of the largest developed nations have been taking a more isolationist approach in recent years. With international territories like China generating box office hits of their own, and the US focusing on much greater America-first ideals in general, casting an American might leave a poor taste at this moment.

Still, what is important is that the character seems British. Acting is an art of communication, and so long as what is seen onscreen seems like James Bond, the controversies and chatter around the nationality of the actor will not be nearly as important.

Casting the next James Bond will be a difficult task, and the eventual actor who takes on the role will likely be an unknown at this time. Without any baggage attached, the story of the performer will matter much less than the story of the film.

While it is likely that the star who takes on the iconic role will come from the United Kingdom, the project now has the opportunity to cast a wider net. James Bond must seem British, but the actor could come from anywhere, even America.