James Bond will reportedly remain male and British under new Amazon management, as Pierce Brosnan says it's "a given" that the next actor must not be American

James Bond will reportedly continue to be male and British after Amazon MGM Studios took over creative control of the franchise last month.

According to a new report by the Daily Mail, an internal memo circulated by Amazon stipulated that the gender and the nationality of the character would not change after Daniel Craig stepped down from the role post-No Time to Die. "There have been so many erroneous rumours about the future of Bond. Amazon is committed to keeping the spirit of Bond alive and that means he has to be British or from the Commonwealth – and he has to be male," a source told the publication.

Meanwhile, in a new interview with the Telegraph, former 007 Pierce Brosnan said it was a "given" that the next James Bond should be British, amidst rumors that the role could go to an American actor. Brosnan, who is Irish, played Bond between 1995 and 2002 in four movies: GoldenEye, Tomorrow Never Dies, The World is Not Enough, and Die Another Day.

"In this world that is moving so fast now, at the speed of light, [the takeover] does come with a certain lament," he said. "I thought it was coming for some time I guess, but I think it was the right decision for Barbara and Michael. It takes great courage for them to let go. They will still have a say in matters. I hope that [Amazon] handles the work and the character with dignity and imagination and respect."

Producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli relinquished creative control of Bond in February 2025 for a sum of "close to a billion dollars." Amazon now houses the intellectual property rights to the franchise, while Wilson and Broccoli remain co-owners.

While we wait for more news on the future of Bond, check out our guide to this year's best upcoming movies.