Rumored James Bond frontrunner Aaron Taylor-Johnson may have just dropped a major hint about his potential casting as speculation about the next 007 continues. Based on the character created by author Ian Fleming, Bond made his big-screen debut in 1962 with Dr. No, with Sean Connery playing the iconic British superspy. Connery returned for a handful of sequels, with actors George Lazenby, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan, and Daniel Craig eventually following in his footsteps in the decades that followed.

Craig first played the character in 2006’s Casino Royale, ushering in a more gritty era for the Bond franchise. He bid farewell to the role in 2021 with No Time To Die, and James Bond 26 was confirmed to be on the way. Earlier this year, it was announced that longtime franchise producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson had given Amazon total creative control over Bond following the company’s purchase of MGM in 2022. Speculation about who will be the next 007 has been ongoing for years, but Amazon’s new takeover has reignited interest.

Aaron Taylor-Johnson Has Been Rumored To Be The Next James Bond

The Star Has Long Been A Top Choice

Though a variety of actors have been rumored to be Craig’s Bond replacement, one of the rumors with the most traction has involved Taylor-Johnson. The Bullet Train star was first rumored to be in contention in late 2022, but more reliable reporting from Puck then arrived in early 2023, suggesting that he had met with Broccoli to discuss the role. Nothing was ever confirmed, however, and Taylor-Johnson himself would neither confirm nor deny that he was in contention, telling Esquire in August 2023: “It’s not really for me to say anything.”

Despite Taylor-Johnson’s reluctance to comment, he has remained a consistently popular choice for the role on betting sites. His potential casting aligns with what Broccoli was reportedly looking for in a new 007, which was an actor in his early or mid-30s. Taking on Bond, after all, is at least a decade-long commitment. It’s unclear what effect Amazon taking control of Bond has had on Taylor-Johnson’s chances, but Amazon Executive Chairman Jeff Bezos did post a poll on X asking users who should be the next 007, and Henry Cavill, another favorite, was a top response.

Aaron Taylor-Johnson’s New Omega Deal Sparks James Bond Speculations Again

Omega’s 007 Franchise Connection Explained

Now, Taylor-Johnson is back in the spotlight as a Bond candidate. The Omega watch brand recently shared a joint post with Taylor-Johnson on Instagram, announcing that the actor, who is now a brand ambᴀssador, recently traveled to the company’s watchmaking HQ in Bienne, Switzerland, for an “exclusive tour.” The image features Taylor-Johnson posing with an Omega watch on his wrist, and many of the comments on the post are interpreting the actor’s new deal as a sign that he could be about to be confirmed as the new 007. Check out the social media post below:

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The James Bond franchise and Omega have a long partnership dating back to 1995, when the company provided Brosnan’s 007 with a Seamaster model for GoldenEye. Brosnan wore an Omega watch in his three subsequent films, as did Craig in all five movies in his tenure. Craig’s Bond and Eva Green’s Vesper even have a brief exchange about his watch choice in Casino Royale. 007 and Omega, then, have long been linked, and Taylor-Johnson becoming a brand ambᴀssador as Bond 26 speculation continues is understandably generating excitement.

Did Aaron Taylor-Johnson Really Just Confirm He Is The Next James Bond?

Omega Doesn’t Just Partner With 007 Actors

Until Amazon makes an official announcement, no new Bond has been chosen just yet. Taylor-Johnson becoming an Omega brand ambᴀssador could just be a coincidence. The company, after all, has also spotlighted stars like Nicole Kidman, Barry Keoghan, and Colman Domingo on social media before, in addition to various athletes. Celebrities partnering with brands is nothing new, and these deals are often not connected to film projects.

That being said, there’s no denying that Taylor-Johnson’s Omega partnership comes at a curious time for the Bond franchise. Though little movement was made on a new film over the past 4 years, Amazon is clearly looking to get another movie off the ground, and casting a new actor to play 007 will be a top priority. It remains unclear whether Taylor-Johnson will actually become the new James Bond, but his chances just became a bit higher.

Source: Omega