Jacob Elordi and Callum Turner are not suitable candidates for the next James Bond, according to Debbie McWilliams, the franchise’s veteran casting director with over four decades of experience in the role. McWilliams, who previously cast Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan, and Daniel Craig, expressed her disapproval of the rumored contenders, including Harris Dickinson, in a recent interview.
The responsibility for selecting the next Bond now falls to casting director Nina Gold—known for her Emmy and BAFTA-winning work on Game of Thrones and The Crown—and Dune director Denis Villeneuve, who was named the next Bond director in 2023. Gold has also contributed to major franchises like Star Wars, Jurassic World, and Marvel films, as well as critically acclaimed dramas such as The Power of the Dog and Hamnet.
McWilliams emphasized the importance of maintaining Bond’s mystique, stating, “We want to know as little about them personally as possible, because that’s what spies are. We don’t need to see where he lives or his background. A key part of the role is the ‘licensed to kill’ element—if the audience doesn’t believe he can do that, you’ve lost them.” She added that past actors like Dalton and Brosnan were not widely known before their casting, while Craig had a career in independent films and a “colorful romantic life,” but none were household names initially.
McWilliams also defended the tradition of Bond remaining male, arguing, “That’s how Ian Fleming wrote it. Why change it? They haven’t altered Harry Potter to a different ethnicity. It should stay true to its roots.”
Amazon officially launched the search for the next Bond in May, though they have not provided updates on the process. Villeneuve is set to direct the 26th Bond film, with a script by Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight. In December, bookmaker Coral listed Turner as the favorite for the role with 7-4 odds, followed by Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Henry Cavill. Earlier this month, Idris Elba confirmed he would not pursue the role, citing concerns over audience acceptance of a Black actor in the part.
