We're one step closer to finding out who the next James Bond is.

The casting process has officially kicked off to find Daniel Craig's replacement, with Amazon MGM Studios auditioning actors over the past few weeks.

"The search for the next James Bond is underway," the studio said in a statement (via Variety). "While we don’t plan to comment on specific details during the casting process, we’re excited to share more news with 007 fans as soon as the time is right."

Casting director Nina Gold, who was responsible for casting Daisy Ridley as Rey in the Star Wars sequel trilogy, is leading the search. She was nominated for the Oscar for Best Casting in the category's inaugural year for Hamnet, and she's also worked on Game of Thrones, The Crown, and Andor.

It's been half a decade since Craig's swan song as 007 in No Time to Die, but Amazon MGM Studios boss Courtenay Valenti has said they don't want to rush the process. "Please know that we’re taking the time to do this with care and deep respect," she said at this year's CinemaCon. "It is the dream of a lifetime for all of us to bring audiences this next chapter, and it’s a responsibility we don’t take lightly."

Dune helmer Denis Villeneuve will direct the next Bond movie, and Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight is writing the script. "I’m hoping that being a Bond fan for so many years, that will sort of be imbued into me and I’ll be able to produce something that’s the same but different and better and stronger and bolder," Knight said last year.

While we wait for more updates on the next James Bond, check out our guide to the best upcoming movies on the way in 2026.

Amazon's hunt for the next James Bond is still happening as many actors throw their hat in the ring, but one of the actors behind the popular video game 007: First Light says the game's very own James Bond, Patrick Gibson, should be considered.

"He's fantastic in our version of Bond, and I genuinely think he should be a candidate for the main role that they're trying to find someone for," said 007: First Light actor Lennie James to Radio Times Gaming. "I'm sure he's under consideration. The people in control would be mad not to consider him."

007: First Light hasn't been released yet, but it is set to explore the agent's origin story, as he embarks on the mission he must complete to earn his licence to kill. The upcoming action-adventure game is inspired by the Bond novels by Ian Fleming, which state that Bond was an orphan before he joined the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, where he was then recruited into the Secret Service. The game is set to release on May 27, 2026.

Irish actor Gibson is best known for starring in such series as The Tudors, The OA, and Shadow and Bone, and more recently starred as a young Dexter Morgan in the Dexter prequel series Dexter: Original Sin.

It feels pretty serendipitous that Gibson is playing a younger version of Bond at the same time as Amazon is looking for a younger actor to play the agent. The studio has stated that they want someone under 30 to play 007, which rules out fan picks such as Henry Cavill and Idris Elba. When asked if he could see this helping Gibson's case, James answered, "I think it's entirely possible and that would be my hope."

Amazon has already tapped Dune helmer Denis Villeneuve to direct the next James Bond movie, which will be the 26th film in the franchise. The main candidates are Jacob Elordi, Tom Holland, and Harris Dickinson. Gibson is 31 years old.

For more on all things 007, check our guides to the best James Bond movies and our list of the actors we think could play 007.

The search for the next James Bond is still ongoing, and Amazon has explained the reason for the long wait. Speaking at CinemaCon, the head of film at Amazon MGM Studios addressed the elephant in the room.

"Now, I know you’re all wondering when we’re going to announce who’s playing James Bond," Courtenay Valenti told audiences (per Variety). "Don’t get too excited. Please know that we’re taking the time to do this with care and deep respect. It is the dream of a lifetime for all of us to bring audiences this next chapter, and it’s a responsibility we don’t take lightly."

It's been five years since Daniel Craig last played 007, leaving the iconic role behind. Speculation about who could replace him has been ongoing for even longer, with several names touted for the part over the years. But despite no movement on who will take on the role next, we do have some details about the next movie.

Dune's Denis Villeneuve will direct, with Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight writing the script. According to Valenti, it's a "world-class filmmaking team" for the studio, which is "setting the stage for something that’s truly worthy of the Bond legacy." She added: "That film is coming, and when the time is right, we’ll have much more to share."

The candidates for the next James Bond have included just about everyone, with focus shifting over the years from stars like Idris Elba and Henry Cavill to more recent favorites like Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Callum Turner. Only time will tell if any of these predictions have been right or whether a newcomer may take the lead.

In the meantime, check out our list of the best James Bond movies to watch now.

Henry Cavill may have been Superman and Geralt of Rivia, but there is one role that keeps following him around. The actor first auditioned to play James Bond back in 2005, ultimately losing out on the role to Daniel Craig.

However, fans have always wondered if he could return to the part, especially now there is a vacancy for a new 007. Cavill isn't so sure anymore though, as he revealed in a new interview with Heat magazine from March 2026.

"I didn’t turn the role down – it just wasn’t the right time," the actor replied when asked if he'd ever want to play 007 again. "What actor wouldn’t love to be Bond? But at 42, I’d probably be considered a bit old to start now."

While he isn't keen for the lead, Cavill isn't ruling out potentially joining the franchise. He added: "I would love to be a Bond villain, though. If it was the right character, I think that would be fascinating to explore."

Bond is set to return with a new leading actor in charge after the rights moved over to Amazon Studios. Dune director Denis Villeneuve is attached, with reports suggesting that Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight could pen the script. However, no actor has been attached to the role yet, despite many, many rumors.

You can check out our pick of the most likely next James Bond through that link, as well as our round-up of the best James Bond movies of all time.

Fans are desperate to know who will be the next James Bond now that there's a new 007 film in the works, but they shouldn't look Austin Butler's way. The Elvis star has taken himself out of the running to play the British agent, and for good reasons.

The actor was asked about the iconic role because of his previous experience working with Denis Villeneuve, who is set to direct the upcoming James Bond film. Butler played Feyd-Rautha in Villeneuve's acclaimed sequel Dune: Part Two.

"No calls as far as that goes, but I love that man,” he told Hits Radio UK, referring to the Canadian filmmaker.

"Would I play James Bond? I don't think that would be a good idea. Because I’m an American. I can do an accent but that would be kind of sacrilegious," Butler explained.

"Those movies meant so much to me, but I think that it’s gotta be somebody who is from your own country," he added.

Perhaps not James Bond, but the actor would be up to play the villain in the upcoming movie. After the Dune sequel, we have no doubts that he could do an amazing job in a villain role. "That would be alright. I’d do that," Butler said.

Last weekend, another American actor, Glen Powell, rejected the idea of playing Bond for similar reasons. "I’m Texan. A Texan should not play James Bond," he said. "My family and I joke around, I can play Jimmy Bond, but I should not be playing James Bond. Get an authentic Brit for that job. That’s who belongs in that tuxedo."

Meanwhile, in the UK, Tom Holland downplayed speculation that he might be the next James Bond, asking to keep rumors "to a minimum for now" during an interview. "Every young British actor, it's the pinnacle of working in our industry," he said. "I already consider myself to be the luckiest kid alive. I could never have dreamed to have the career that I've had."

Other names on the table right now are Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Tom Hardy, Idris Elba, and Jacob Elordi, but nothing has been confirmed yet. The last Bond movie was 2021's No Time to Die, which saw Daniel Craig saying goodbye to the character after fifteen years.

Earlier this year, Amazon announced that Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight will pen the script of the new film. In an interview, Knight teased the upcoming Bond movie, saying: "I’m hoping that being a Bond fan for so many years, that will sort of be imbued into me and I’ll be able to produce something that’s the same but different and better and stronger and bolder."

While we wait for more updates, check out our list of the best upcoming movies, and our guide to the biggest 2025 movie release dates.

Another week, another big star getting asked about playing England's greatest spy in a suit and often seen sipping a Martini (how are those made again?). Honestly, though, if we had to pick who the next James Bond would be, Glen Powell wouldn't make the cut, and he's fine with that.

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, the star of Twisters and the upcoming sci-fi action movie, The Running Man, was asked what he thought about his name being considered for the next 007, alongside many others. His response seemed like a realistic one. “I’m Texan. A Texan should not play James Bond,” Powell stated. “My family and I joke around, I can play Jimmy Bond, but I should not be playing James Bond. Get an authentic Brit for that job. That’s who belongs in that tuxedo.”

While many argue that the role of Bond belongs to a star from the British Isles, it wouldn't be the first time the secret agent was brought to life by someone outside the hero's native land. In 1969, Australian actor George Lazenby took on the role for a one-time appearance with what many consider the best Bond film ever made (and which Craig's final appearance in No Time To Die draws heavily from), On Her Majesty's Secret Service. Even before that, and before Sean Connery first picked up the Walther PPK, American actor Barry Nelson played Bond in a 1954 adaptation of Casino Royale on the television anthology series Climax! .

Currently, rumors are swirling about which brave soul will be MI6's top employee under the new management of director Denis Villeneuve, with a script penned by Peaky Blinders mastermind Steven Knight. We even have our dream list of who he could be, but we expect a decent time to wait before the announcement is made.

As for Powell, his schedule is jam-packed with no time for taking on evil villains with pet cats and secret volcano bases. He'll be sprinting across screens in Edgar Wright's adaptation of Stephen King's The Running Man on November 7, 2025 as well as taking the lead in football comedy, Chad Powers, which will be streaming on Hulu on September 30, 2025. For now, why not check out our ranking of Bond movies and see what the next star to take on the secret agent has to live up to.

The next James Bond is around the corner, and Tom Holland is a heavily rumored name to take the mantle as 007. Following the announcement of Denis Villeneuve as director of the next Bond film, the pressure is on to find a lead actor.

While making a spicy fried chicken sandwich in a video with chef Gordon Ramsay, Holland addressed the ongoing casting rumors, keeping his cards close to his chest. When the chef cheekily asked him if he ever thought about "using the word James with future movies going forward," the actor replied: "Listen, there's speculation at the minute. We'll keep it to a minimum for now."

At Ramsay's surprised "Really?", Holland added mysteriously: "We'll get there one day."

Are conversations happening? Is an announcement coming? Or did he mean that could happen further in the future? Either way, why not shut down the rumors completely? Holland, who is currently busy filming his next MCU movie Spider-Man: Brand New Day, just added a little bit of fuel to the speculation surrounding a new James Bond actor, but so far nothing is officially confirmed.

"Every young British actor, it's the pinnacle of working in our industry," he continued in the video. "I already consider myself to be the luckiest kid alive. I could never have dreamed to have the career that I've had."

The last Bond movie was 2021's No Time to Die, which saw Daniel Craig saying goodbye as agent 007. The subject of his replacement has been a hot topic since, but it's heating up now amid recent news about a new Bond production. Following Villeneuve's announcement as the director, Amazon confirmed that Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight will pen the script.

In a recent interview, Knight teased the upcoming Bond movie, saying: "I’m hoping that being a Bond fan for so many years, that will sort of be imbued into me and I’ll be able to produce something that’s the same but different and better and stronger and bolder."

The next James Bond movie doesn't have a release date yet. While we wait for more updates, get up to speed on the rest of this year's best upcoming movies with our guide to the biggest 2025 movie release dates.

Dune director Denis Villeneuve is on board to direct the first James Bond film of the Amazon era, and though we don't know yet who will take up the 007 mantle, we now know that Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight is reportedly on board to write the film, per Deadline.

Little is known about what the film will entail. It'll be the first James Bond film not to be produced by lifelong Bond producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson since Broccoli's father Albert Broccoli first started producing the franchise all the way back in the '60s.

If you can even believe it, now that the creator of Peaky Blinders is on board, all I can think about is the kind of tour de force performance the series' star Cillian Murphy could deliver as James Bond - and what a remarkably different take on the character it could be from previous Bond actor Daniel Craig's spiritually damaged, blunt force version of the super spy. I'm betting just about everyone who knows Peaky Blinders is suddenly thinking the same thing.

Knowing how Deni Villeneuve works, the new James Bond film is likely to be a deeply gorgeous and enigmatically engaging affair. Villeneuve has lately been working in a more sci-fi focused milieu with Blade Runner 2049 and his Dune series, which have proven definitively that the director is more than capable of picking up the baton of a beloved character or story and making it his own.

I'm not necessarily sure I'd want something like a sci-fi James Bond, but something a little more distinctively stylish than the Craig films with few more of the franchise's requisite spy-gadgets might hit the mark quite nicely.

For more, check out our rankings of the best James Bond films, from Dr. No all the way through to No Time to Die. Then discover the latest movie release dates to pencil in to your calendar.

Kingsman star Taron Egerton has no interest in being the new James Bond, despite being a popular choice among franchise fans.

"No. And I don't think I'm a good choice for it," Egerton told Collider, when asked if he'd like to throw his hat in the ring for 007. "I think I'm too messy for that. I think I'm not – I really love James Bond and particularly Daniel Craig's tenure. But I think I wouldn't be good at it, and I think there's so many cool, younger actors who would be great for it. I think it would be wasted on me, probably."

Egerton is perhaps best known for starring in Matthew Vaughn's spy action-comedy franchise Kingsman as Gary 'Eggsy' Unwin, as well as Elton John in the Academy Award-nominated biopic Rocketman. Because his Eggsy is pretty suave, debonaire, and effortlessly cool kind of spy...it makes sense that he'd be a popular fan-cast.

It was announced earlier this year that Denis Villeneuve would direct Amazon's upcoming Bond movie (as the studio now houses the intellectual property rights to the James Bond franchise) and that the film is eyeing a 2028 release date. The studio is reportedly looking for a much younger Bond this time around, with Tom Holland, Jacob Elordi, and Harris Dickinson making the top of the list. If we're going by that, Egerton is technically a bit too old for consideration anyway.

For more on all things 007, check our guides to the best James Bond movies, ranked from worst to best, and the best James Bond stunts.

Former James Bond producer Barbara Broccoli has weighed in on the hiring of Denis Villeneuve to direct the long-awaited next instalment of the spy saga. Speaking to the Kermode on Film podcast, Broccoli described Villeneuve as "a fantastic filmmaker" and stated, "I'm thrilled he's going to be doing it."

Broccoli and her brother Michael G. Wilson surprised many in the industry earlier this year when they ceded creative control of the 007 series to Amazon MGM Studios. They had previously been the co-producers of the series since 1995's Goldeneye. In an unusual agreement, Broccoli and Wilson remain co-owners of the franchise alongside Amazon MGM Studios, with the latter party steering the course of Bond's missions.

When asked if she would have any involvement in Villeneuve's film, Broccoli turned the attention to her new project – a stage adaptation of the 2016 movie Sing Street, saying, "You know, I did it for 44 years and I loved every minute of it, but I'm getting up there now and there's a lot of things I want to do… like this beautiful musical. I'm doing a lot of other things. I have other movies I want to make and other stage shows."

Broccoli is the daughter of Albert R. "Cubby" Broccoli, one of the original producers on the Bond films, starting with Dr. No back in 1962. In total, Cubby Broccoli co-produced 16 Bond movies, ending with 1989's Licence to Kill. He had a "presenter" credit on 1995's Goldeneye, but by that point Barbara Broccoli and her brother Michael G. Wilson had taken charge of the franchise.

The untitled new Bond film remains a little ways off. Denis Villeneuve is currently hard at work on Dune Part 3, which is set for a late 2026 release, with reports stating that the tricky task of finding a replacement for Daniel Craig's Bond won't take place until the film's script is complete.

While we wait, why not check out our Bond movie rankings here.

It's all well and good hearing about the potential candidates for the next James Bond, but other news about Amazon MGM's most anticipated movie project might have fans a little worried. Following the announcement earlier this week that Dune and Blade Runner 2049 director Denis Villeneuve has been tasked with directing the next Bond movie, reports reveal that he won't have the final say on what makes it to theaters.

The news comes from Puck, who also confirmed that the top-secret signing of the revered filmmaker is currently only a one-time deal. After he's done shaking (but not stirring) up whatever adventure Bond finds himself on next, it will be onto the next daring director who thinks they can handle the secret agent. However, that depends on whether the film is a success, in which case Villeneuve could return for a follow-up.

But just as M accepted that her best agent gets the job done when he's left alone, would the studio really hold back the filmmaker behind some of the best films of the last decade? As Villeneuve himself stated in his official statement following his hiring, "To me, he’s sacred territory. I intend to honor the tradition and open the path for many new missions to come. This is a massive responsibility, but also, incredibly exciting for me and a huge honor."

One of the most essential parts of the mission that still isn't finished is finding a writer for whatever Villeneuve has in store for Mr. Bond. Right now, no names are confirmed, but whoever it is will need to start working while Villeneuve is off on his final trip to Arrakis with Dune: Messiah. Only then will we find out if James Bond will return looking like Spider-Man, a guy who had alone time in a bathtub, or the fella who's more fond of a glass of milk than a martini.

Should you need a fix of the hero with the license to kill in the meantime, why not check out our Bond movie rankings here.

Amazon reportedly wants a young James Bond for its upcoming movie, with Spider-Man himself Tom Holland and Saltburn's own Jacob Elordi making the top of the list.

According to Variety, Amazon is interested in casting "a British actor under the age of 30" with Jacob Elordi, Tom Holland, and Harrison Dickinson as the top choices. Denis Villeneuve is set to direct the pic, which is eyeing a 2028 release date.

Call it manifestation for Tom Holland: the actor pitched a Young Bond movie some years ago, only for it to end up becoming the live-action Uncharted movie (which isn't a bad outcome by any means given how well it did at the box office).

This is a bummer for 35-year-old Aaron Taylor-Johnson (and me, a hopeful Bond fan), who has been rumored to be the next James Bond for quite some time – with many believing that a recent brand deal with the same watch company that sponsors James Bond was confirming his casting.

Amazon now houses the intellectual property rights to the James Bond franchise, and allegedly wants to turn James Bond into a shared universe. We're not sure how much involvement OG producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli have in the casting process, as they are now co-owners of the franchise and have accepted a "reduced role" in production. Taylor-Johnson reportedly auditioned and screen-tested for the pair some time ago.

For more on all things 007, check our guides to the best James Bond movies, ranked from worst to best and the best James Bond stunts.

Next James Bond director Denis Villeneuve is saying all the right things as he promises to "honor the tradition" of 007 and "open the path for many new missions to come."

As revealed overnight, Villeneuve – who is undoubtedly one of the 21st Century's most accomplished directors, with the likes of Blade Runner 2049 and Arrival on his resume, will take the reins in Bond 26,; though the all-important new Bond casting has yet to be decided.

In a statement, Villeneuve said, "Some of my earliest movie-going memories are connected to 007. I grew up watching James Bond films with my father, ever since Dr. No with Sean Connery. I’m a die-hard Bond fan. To me, he’s sacred territory. I intend to honor the tradition and open the path for many new missions to come. This is a massive responsibility, but also, incredibly exciting for me and a huge honor. Amy [Pascal], David [Heyman], and I are absolutely thrilled to bring him back to the screen. Thank you to Amazon MGM Studios for their trust.”

Earlier this year, long-time Bond stewards Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson sold up to Amazon, with Amy Pascal and David Heyman taking over as they steer 007 into a brave new world following the acclaimed era of Daniel Craig.

Pascal and Heyman added, “Denis Villeneuve has been in love with James Bond movies since he was a little boy. It was always his dream to make this movie, and now it’s ours, too. We are lucky to be in the hands of this extraordinary filmmaker.”

Previously, there had been reports that Villeneuve was on a shortlist of directors set to pitch their ideas for Bond. They included Edgar Wright, Paul King, Edward Berger, and Jonathan Nolan. Ultimately, Villeneuve won out, though not everyone is convinced by the pick.

"Thoroughly uninteresting as a voice," one wrote. "Cool dull and simple. Makes good movies but as a creative he is so bog standard for the era. Prestige tv as film."

Another chimed in, "Another modern Bond film led by a big-name director who feels they have to ‘fix’ the franchise. Yippee…"

For more, check out our rankings of the best James Bond films, from Dr. No all the way through to No Time to Die. Then discover the latest movie release dates to pencil in to your calendar.

The reported shortlist for the next James Bond director has been revealed – and it has me feeling excited and terrified about the future of 007 in equal measure.

According to Puck, Shaun of the Dead's Edgar Wright, Dune's Denis Villeneuve, Conclave's Edward Berger, Paddington's Paul King, and Fallout and Westworld's Jonathan Nolan – brother of Christopher – are in line to pitch their take on MI6's finest. Among them, Berger has purportedly delivered his ideas to new Bond bosses Amy Pascal and David Heyman, with others to follow suit.

Of course, it's hard not to get a little hot under the tuxedo collar at the thought of the likes of Villeneuve or Jonathan Nolan (who seems to have an innate knack for completely 'getting' established franchises right out of the gate) behind the camera.

The rest of the field, too, either strikes the right sort of quaint Britishness (King), fizzy action (Wright), or a more pared-back approach (Berger) that could take Bond into a brave new world under Amazon.

The issue is, though, that this Bond has to work. Now that long-time stewards Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson have stepped aside after selling up to Amazon, there's a lot of pressure on getting the tone right.

Could we have a 1960s-inspired spy caper? Or a hard-hitting Bond? Will 007 embrace camp or chaos? Either could work, with such an eclectic mix of directors, it's apparent that even those calling the shots haven't quite settled on what their vision for Bond is just yet.

Of course, Bond is a broad church. This is the franchise that has had one 007's allies be chomped by sharks and, a few films prior, featured a battle in outer space. But this is, arguably, the biggest decision in the series' long and storied history.

Personally, I would have played it very safe and once again brought Martin Campbell back into the fold after he kicked off both Pierce Brosnan and Daniel Craig's eras in fine style with GoldenEye and Casino Royale respectively.

But I'm not paid the big bucks at Amazon. From the shortlist alone, it seems like Pascal and Heyman can't make a bad choice – but they need to get the director right and, hopefully, the rest will slot into place. Otherwise the, ahem, spectre of starting off on the wrong foot could haunt James Bond for years to come.

We have our own picks – for your eyes only, naturally – for who should play 007. Discover more in our guide to the next James Bond, then also dive into all the latest on upcoming video game 007 First Light.

James Bond fans are convinced that Aaron Taylor-Johnson has been cast as the new 007 - and it's all because of a brand partnership with a watch company.

Omega took to Instagram to announce their latest partnership with Taylor-Johnson, including the actor in a joint post. You can check out the photo below. Fans were quick to point out that James Bond has been wearing an Omega watch since 1995, and that this must mean that Taylor-Johnson - who has been rumored to be the next Bond for quite some time - is hinting at his takeover of the role.

It's worth noting that when the film franchise first began, Bond wore a Rolex. Specifically, he wore a Rolex from 1962's Dr. No until 1974's The Man with a Golden Gun. When The Spy Who Love Me came around, continuing the Roger Moore era and leading up to Timothy Dalton, 007 switched to a Seiko. Omega has been the official James Bond watch since 1995, with Daniel Craig being the last Bond to wear an Omega on his wrist.

It could be a reach, but given that Taylor-Johnson reportedly auditioned and screen-tested for the role back in 2022 - which were both met with positive feedback and made him the 'front-runner' for the role - it's definitely possible. A new Bond movie has not yet been announced, but we're sure some news is on the way what with the Amazon acquisition.

"If they're welcoming Aaron Taylor-Johnson into the Omega Brand Ambassador Family then he's definitely the next James Bond," one person wrote.

"The fact that Aaron Taylor-Johnson just signed with Omega and Henry Cavill is with Longines doesn’t bode well for Cavill becoming James Bond," wrote another.

"Is this confirmation he is the new Bond? Coincidence? I think not," one fan said.

"Just announce him as Bond and make some movies already," said another.

"He's definitely got the job," someone else tweeted.

For more, check out our complete ranking of the best Bond movies. Then take a look ahead to what's coming your way with our movie release dates calendar.

Every actor that has picked up the license to kill and taken on the role of James Bond has had to take a few hits, but former 007 Pierce Brosnan might be one of the only ones to have caused issues on the first day of filming, thanks to injuries he got before he even started.

Appearing on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert about his upcoming show, MobLand, Brosnan shared some stories about his days working for MI6 and how his little finger created what could've been a big problem in his first Bond movie, Goldeneye. "I had actually just had hand surgery, to tell you the truth. I had sliced this tendon open at home, so I'd been in a splint for about 12 weeks, and I got it off the first morning of shooting James Bond. Six-page scene, and I could hardly move my hand."

Keeping in line with his new hero status, though, Brosnan powered through. "The very first shot is the camera following Robbie Coltrane, and he comes behind a curtain, and I point the gun to his head, and he says, 'Only three men in the world own that weapon, and I've killed two of them.' So we went for the take, and my finger went, 'toot' — like this," with Brosnan's little finger involuntarily sticking out as if he was drinking tea with the Queen rather than serving on Her Majesty's Secret Service.

Thankfully, director Martin Campbell was quick to address the issue. “I shouldn't be even telling you this, but anyway, Martin Campbell was the director, and he said, 'Let's go again. Let’s go again.’ Same line, finger just went like that. So, I got a Band-Aid, and I stuck it to the gun. And that was it, problem solved." With the issue addressed, Brosnan was able to carry on and give us one of the best Bond films of his beloved run. To see where Goldeneye sits in our ranking of James Bond movies, head here and prepare to be shaken or stirred by the results.

After the surprise move that saw Amazon pay $1 billion dollars for reported 'creative control' over the James Bond franchise, one of the studio's key bosses has outlined the desire to honor the legacy of 007 – as well as providing an exciting update on the iconic spy's future.

"We are committed to honoring the legacy of this iconic character, while bringing a fresh, exhilarating new chapter to audiences around the world alongside [producers] Amy [Pascal] and David [Heyman]," Amazon MGM's head of film, streaming, and theatrical Courtenay Valenti said at CinemaCon (via Deadline).

Valenti added of the producers, "They are both in London getting started and couldn’t be here tonight, but we wanted to thank them for what we know will be an incredible partnership."

While 'getting started' could mean many things – from preliminary meetings about the next Bond actor to hashing out the general direction of the series – the message appears to be one of sudden forward momentum, which is a far cry from how James Bond has stalled post-No Time to Die.

With 007 under new leadership (longtime producers and stewards of the franchise Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson have now stepped aside), it remains to be seen what Amazon's new strategy will look like, however. Even so, fan response has been largely negative.

"It’s over. Bond is dead," one wrote on Twitter upon hearing the announcement. Another chimed in: "Random streaming shows set in the James Bond universe without Bond himself incoming."

Speaking to Screen Rant, former James Bond actor Pierce Brosnan expressed optimism at 007's future under Amazon.

"I wish them well, and that's it. It's as simple as that, really. I really hope they take care of it and I'm sure they will," Brosnan said. "It's a much loved character. There's no other character on the stage like him, really. They know what they're doing, the studio, and they'll take care of him, I'm sure."

For more on all things 007, check out our ranking of the best James Bond movies.

After the shock news that Amazon now has full creative control over James Bond, a new movie is reportedly in development.

The update comes courtesy of Puck, which reports that David Heyman and Amy Pascal are in talks to "shepherd the next iteration of James Bond." Though, according to the report, nothing can be made official until the transaction with outgoing producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson is wrapped up.

Heyman has produced the likes of Barbie, Harry Potter, and Paddington, while Amy Pascal (who also produced Barbie) works on the Sony Spider-Man movies – and she has previous Bond experience with Skyfall, Quantum of Solace, and Casino Royale, since Sony distributed those films.

Per the Puck report, a new Bond theatrical movie is planned before any spin-offs/TV projects, which means Heyman and Pascal will need to find writers and/or a director before the next James Bond is selected.

"I was very, very surprised and shocked," former Bond Timothy Dalton said recently of the Amazon news. "Barbara is, I think, a fabulous woman and a wonderful producer, as was her father Cubby Broccoli, who I got on with very well and liked a lot. He was a very powerful and strong anchor for the project. Nothing went on that he didn't want, and it's sad that he's not with us anymore, that's all I can say. He was well in charge of the show, and that's not so anymore."

We'll just have to wait and see what the future has in store for Bond, but, in the meantime, you can check out our guide to the year's most exciting upcoming movies for everything 2025 has on the way.

Michael Fassbender has recalled his audition for James Bond, ahead of Daniel Craig being cast in Casino Royale. However, he admits that he doesn't think he was ever really "in the mix" for the role.

"I met with Barbara Broccoli just you know through passing and I actually went in like an audition phase before Daniel [Craig] was cast, but I don't think I was ever in the mix," the X-Men star explained to Josh Horowitz on the Happy Sad Confused podcast. "But I remember going into that room and meeting with her and [Michael G.] Wilson and I think I was like, 'Daniel Craig is…' I don't know why I was promoting him, I should have been promoting myself."

Fassbender laughed adding: "This is what I was saying, I was terrible at auditions. Obviously Daniel did a fantastic job and went on to be I think the most successful Bond in history but that was it really, there was never a conversation after that."

Asked about whether the possibility might still be there now the spy job is up for grabs again, the actor admitted "I think it's over". However, he does have a few picks himself, including Aaron Taylor-Johnson and a Bridgeton star. "Regé [Jean Page] who's in this movie, I think after people see his performance in this, he could be a frontrunner," he added.

The movie he mentions is Black Bag, which sees Fassbender play a spy called George Woodhouse who is assigned to investigate his wife when she's suspected of treason. Alongside Fassbender and Page, the movie also stars Cate Blanchett, Tom Burke, Naomie Harris, and Pierce Brosnan. It hits theaters on March 14.

For more on 007, check out our guides to the best Bond movies and all the potential candidates for the next James Bond.

Apparently Amazon's acquisition of the James Bond franchise didn't exactly go smoothly.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, longtime Bond producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson weren't super happy with Amazon's idea to do a spin-off series about Miss Moneypenny, secretary to M, and didn't enjoy hearing the Bond movies being referred to as 'content.'

Allegedly, after these grievances were published in The Wall Street Journal, Amazon boss Jeff Bezos said, "I don't care what it costs, get rid of her." The report then goes on to say that Bezos ended up paying "close to a billion dollars" for the franchise.

The acquisition came just days before the Oscars, where a seven-minute tribute to James Bond was performed by the likes of Doja Cat, Margaret Qualley, and Raye. Apparently, this was to celebrate Broccoli and Wilson's honorary Oscar (and the Academy was unaware of the buyout at the time of planning).

Amazon now houses the intellectual property rights to the franchise with Wilson and Broccoli remaining co-owners - and allegedly wants to turn James Bond into a shared universe. The Moneypenny spin-off isn't entirely out of left field given that she had her own series of standalone novels known The Moneypenny Diaries.

There is still no word as to who will play the new 007, though fans were quick to shout Henry Cavill and Tom Hardy when Bezos asked in a tweet.

For more, check out our lists of the best Prime Video shows and the best Prime Video movies.

This week, the film industry was shaken and stirred following the news that Amazon had gained complete creative control of James Bond, while longtime producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli will step back but remain co-owners. Daniel Craig shared his thoughts on the matter following the handover, and now another former 007, Timothy Dalton, has also weighed in with his opinions on the deal.

"I was very, very surprised and shocked," Dalton told Radio Times after hearing the news. "Barbara is, I think, a fabulous woman and a wonderful producer, as was her father Cubby Broccoli, who I got on with very well and liked a lot. He was a very powerful and strong anchor for the project. Nothing went on that he didn't want, and it's sad that he's not with us anymore, that's all I can say. He was well in charge of the show, and that's not so anymore."

After George Lazenby, Timothy Dalton is the Bond with the least amount of missions on his belt, only appearing in both The Living Daylights and License to Kill. Even so, his impact still keeps him in high regard as one of the best Bonds we ever had. Thankfully, even years later, he still loves his super-spy alias.

"It's a wonderful franchise. The movies have taken different courses over the years, but there is something very good about the original and I hope Amazon latch onto that and give us the kind of film that's brought so much excitement and fun to so many people," Dalton added. "Anyway, good luck to them, I say. I do wish them all the very, very best. They'll be doing their best to make a lot of money, so hopefully they will make good movies."

There's no confirmation yet as to which brave soul will introduce a new era of 007 as James Bond, but Jeff Bezos has already asked fans for suggestions. In the meantime, check out our rankings of every Bond movie before Amazon adds it to the list.

Following the news of Amazon's acquisition of creative control over the James Bond franchise, Jeff Bezos took to Twitter to ask fans who should be the next actor to play 007.

"Who’d you pick as the next Bond?" Bezos asked plain and simply, adding a screenshot of an article about the news. Earlier today, Amazon MGM Studios released a joint statement with Bond producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli announcing that the studio will now house the intellectual property rights to the franchise with Wilson and Broccoli remaining co-owners.

The top reply to Bezos' tweet, sitting at 10,000 likes, is none other than former Superman actor Henry Cavill. "This guy. Just cast him. Cast him right now and don't screw it up, and you'll make billions," the post reads.

Cavill did, in fact, audition for Bond in 2005, and his screentest has since been posted online. Casino Royale director Martin Campbell said Cavill would've made an "excellent Bond" if "Daniel [Craig] didn't exist."

Another popular reply agrees with Cavill but also suggests Michael Fassbender, saying, "Fassbender for Bond, then Cavill. Crank out 2-3 quickly while F is young enough, like they used to do in the 60’s. In fact, make Fassbender’s a period series set early in the Cold War, then switch back to ultramodern with Cavill."

Other replies include Tom Hardy, Charlie Hunnam, and James McAvoy. Oddly enough, absent from the responses seems to Aaron Taylor-Johnson, who was rumored to be the frontrunner for Bond as of 2024..

For more on all things 007, check our guides to the best James Bond movies, ranked from worst to best and the best James Bond stunts.

Amazon MGM Studios just acquired creative control over James Bond – and the fate of the 60-year-old spy franchise now rests in the streaming giant's hands.

Amazon released a joint statement with Bond producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli that the studio will now house the intellectual property rights to the franchise with Wilson and Broccoli remaining co-owners. The news comes after reports that Broccoli and Amazon were disagreeing where to go with the next James Bond film, which involves going the MCU route and turning Bond into a shared universe.

"We are grateful to the late Albert R. Broccoli and Harry Saltzman for bringing James Bond to movie theatres around the world," Amazon wrote in their statement. "And to Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli for their unyielding dedication and their role in continuing the legacy of the franchise that is cherished by legions of fans worldwide. We are honoured to continue this treasured heritage, and look forward to ushering in the next phase of the legendary 007 for audiences around the world.”

Amazon acquired distribution rights for the James Bond franchise after merging with MGM in 2022. Some fans are worried that this means any upcoming 007 movies (after they finally choose the new Bond, of course) will be released straight to streaming, and that the focus will be put on streaming shows set in the Bond universe, but necessarily starring Bond (Think John Wick spin-off The Continental).

"It’s over. Bond is dead," a Twitter user wrote. "Random streaming shows set in the James Bond universe without Bond himself incoming," one fan wrote. "They better still make movies for the cinema, James Bond should not be straight to streaming," wrote another. "This is terrible news because Barbara was the only one who was keeping Amazon away from turning 007 into a cinematic universe," someone said.

Even Domino's Pizza chimed in, writing, "The name's Bezos. Jeff Bezos."

For more, check out our lists of the best Prime Video shows and the best Prime Video movies.

Sam Worthington was among the stars auditioning for James Bond back in 2005, and his screen test has now been released online. Shared by a YouTube channel alongside Henry Cavill's ill-fated Bond audition and The Boys actor Antony Starr's take on 007, the new video sees Worthington tackle some dialogue from Goldeneye.

In the seven-minute clip, the Avatar actor gives his version of iconic lines like "Martini, shaken not stirred" and "Bond, James Bond" as well as doing a few run-throughs of the same scene. The audition was for the part of the super spy in Casino Royale, when a new Bond took on the mantle from Pierce Brosnan. The role ultimately went to Daniel Craig.

Worthington has previously spoken about auditioning for the role, revealing that he thinks it wasn't his best work. Per ComicBook.com, Worthington recounted the experience on the Australian radio show Fitzy and Wippa back in 2023.

"I did go for Bond. I went and did the audition with Martin Campbell, who ended up directing Casino Royale," he recalled. "You walk in, there’s the girl in the bed, you charm her. I could get the killer of Bond down. I just couldn’t get the charm. I couldn’t charm her. The suit didn’t fit, man."

Worthington then added: "I tried to do a British accent. I did say to them I wanted to wear the white tuxedo like Roger Moore. I wanted to bring back kung fu chops, and they looked at me like I was crazy." He then pointed out: "It was awful. I sounded like Dick Van Dyke from Mary Poppins. I remember Martin going, 'Just do your normal voice, it’s all cool, man.'"

Fans of the star disagree though, with plenty of positive comments on the YouTube video. One wrote: "Really good actually… The best out of them all on here from 2005" while another pointed out: "He has a natural charisma and interesting body language." A third added: "Everyone starts somewhere. Worthington may not have qualified as Bond, but he does demonstrate a lot of good potential."

The same YouTube channel, Ron South, has released screentests for Cavill, Starr, and Pride and Prejudice actor Rupert Friend. According to his YouTube description, he found the tapes in a recycling bin at a movie studio.

For more 007, check our guide to the best James Bond movies, ranked.

Along with Henry Cavill, Rupert Friend, and Sam Worthington, The Boys actor Antony Starr has had his James Bond screen test from 2005 mysteriously posted online, and fans are absolutely loving it.

The four-and-a-half-minute video, posted on YouTube by Ron South, shows Starr reading for the role of the new James Bond, presumably for the 2006 flick Casino Royale, after Pierce Bronson sipped his last Martini as 007 in 2002. The star is reading from the Golden Eye script, where Bronson’s agent is flirting with Bond girl Xenia Onatopp. Check out the full video below.

The response to Starr’s screen test has been mostly positive, with many pointing out how refreshing it is to hear the star’s native New Zealand accent, and others comparing his performance to that of '70s Bond actor Roger Moore. "Out of all the ones you've uploaded so far, Starr seems to be the best fit in my eyes," commented one viewer.

However, it hasn't taken long for The Boys fans to get their hands on the video, and the jokes have already started to reel in on Reddit. "Lander HomeLander," responded one fan, while another added, "Breast milk, squeezed not pumped."

It seems that although Starr appeared in many TV shows and movies before The Boys, fans will always see him as Homelander. Starr will return as the milk-loving villain next year in the final season of the hit Prime Video show. The Boys season 5 is currently filming, with Starr suiting up for the last time alongside co-stars Karl Urban, Jack Quaid, and more. The season is expected to land in 2026.

For more Bond, check out Henry Cavill’s screen test, or see our list of the best James Bond movies ranked.

It's been over three years since the last James Bond movie, and there's still no news of casting for the next installment – but Amazon MGM Studios boss Jennifer Salke isn't worried about the wait.

"There are a lot of ideas [about potential actors] that have popped up that I thought are interesting," Salke told The Guardian in a new interview. "I think there are a lot of different ways we can go. We have a good and close relationship with Eon [Productions] and Barbara [Broccoli] and Michael [G. Wilson]. We are not looking to disrupt the way those wonderful films are made. For us, we are taking their lead. The global audience will be patient. We don’t want too much time between films, but we are not concerned at this point."

No Time to Die, released in 2021, was former Bond star Daniel Craig's swan song as 007. Of course, there were six years between that movie and its predecessor, 2015's Spectre, so we may have a while longer to wait before we get another Bond big-screen outing. Gaps between films are usually much shorter, however – there were only three years between Skyfall and Spectre, and two years between Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace.

If we do have to wait a few more years, though, we're sure the casting rumors will continue to fly. The most recent name thrown into the mix was Aaron Taylor-Johnson, while former Superman actor Henry Cavill says he hasn't written off his own casting rumors just yet. 

While we stay tuned for news of the next James Bond movie, check out our guide to the biggest movie release dates still to come in 2024. 

Because this is the internet, a debate has erupted over the biggest suspensions of disbelief in movies: moments that are too silly, stupid, or take you out of the film entirely.

James Bond fans have their own answer for this, but it’s not one you might like – and it could even ruin one of the best Bond movies.

"Skyfall is a great Bond movie, but the beginning where 007 survives a bullet to the chest before plummeting head first from a great height into a river was too much disbelief to suspend, even for Bond," one wrote on Reddit, referring to the cold open that saw Daniel Craig's Bond inadvertently take a bullet from Moneypenny (Naomie Harris) before plunging off a bridge and into the water below.

Others have pointed to Skyfall villain Raoul Silva (Javier Bardem) orchestrating an unnecessarily complicated plan that, once you realize none of it needed to happen, feels especially futile.

"None of it was necessary," another wrote. "He didn't need to be captured or renditioned. He didn't get anything other than escape from his laptop trick. He didn't need to figure out where the new MI6 headquarters was. He didn't need to figure out where M was. It's all just superfluous, stupid plot mechanics to show what a fake genius this guy is. Skyfall is flat out the dumbest Bond movie. And, yes, I'm including the one where Bond has to stop Telly Savalas from destroying the world's chickens in that evaluation.”

Ouch. All told, Skyfall is far from the most egregious logic leap in the franchise. Up to that point, we already had Bond head to space (Moonraker), doing a barrel roll in a car, complete with slide whistle (The Man with the Golden Gun), and witnessing a pigeon do a double take (Moonraker… again).

Meanwhile, pre actors' strike, the search for the next James Bond was well and truly on. Producers Barbara Brocolli and Michael G. Wilson have indicated they want a "thirtysomething" in the role, and someone who will be in it for the long haul. Time will tell if we'll be shaken – or stirred – by the announcement of the next actor to step into the tuxedo of MI6's finest.

For more, check out all the upcoming movies heading your way in the rest of 2023.

Casino Royale director Martin Campbell has addressed one of 007’s biggest 'what-ifs': Henry Cavill’s James Bond audition back in 2005.

Speaking to The Daily Express, Campbell lauded Cavill’s "tremendous" audition but, ultimately, felt he was too young – then 23 – to step into the tuxedo of the iconic secret agent. Daniel Craig was then cast as James Bond – and the rest is history.

"He looked great in the audition. His acting was tremendous. And look, if Daniel didn’t exist Henry would have made an excellent Bond," Campbell revealed. "He looked terrific, he was in great physical shape… very handsome, very chiselled. He just looked a little young at that time back then."

Campbell also revealed a tidbit that many aren’t privy to: the final "democratic" process behind deciding who gets to play the next James Bond.

"You sit around a table, eight or nine of you. It was myself and the producers, casting director etc etc. And you go through the eight people and you put your hand up as you talk through each person and ultimately everybody has to be unanimous in their decision," Campbell said.

It’s something that will likely have to happen again very soon. Since Craig’s departure from the series after No Time to Die, someone fresh will have to stalk the corridors of MI6. Despite what bookies – and fans – think, Campbell suggests that Cavill (now in his 40s) could be too old for the role.

"Henry’s 40, so by the time he’s done the third one he’s going to be 50 and anything beyond that’s two, three years per Bond. He’s in good shape Henry, he’s a good guy. He did very well in the audition, but ironically he was too young," Campbell said.

Cavill, for his part, previously opened up on the almost-ran audition in a chat on the Happy Sad Confused podcast.

"They told me it was ultimately down to, and this is what I've been told, it was just down to me and Daniel, and I was the younger option," Cavill said. "I think it was an amazing choice to go with Daniel. I think Daniel did an incredible job over the past movies."

Discover our pick for 007's greatest mission in our ranking of the best James Bond movies. Then take a look ahead to what's coming to cinemas with our guide to upcoming movies.

Quentin Tarantino was looking to adapt the James Bond story Casino Royale, but the 007 producers blocked the attempt, according to the director himself.

Speaking to Deadline, Tarantino explained that there was a point where Eon Productions, which produces the Bond movies, did not own the rights to Casino Royale (hence the '67 Casino Royale movie). 

"We reached out to the Ian Fleming people, and they had suggested that they still own the rights to Casino Royale," Tarantino revealed. "And that's what I wanted to do after Pulp Fiction was do my version of Casino Royale, and it would've taken place in the '60s and wasn't about a series of Bond movies. We would have cast an actor and be one and done. So I thought we could do this."

He continued: "But then it turned out that [Bond producers] the Broccolis three years earlier figured out somebody was going to try to do what I did. And so what they did is they just made a blanket deal with the Fleming estate and said that: 'We have the movie rights to everything he's ever written. We’re going to just give you a bunch of money. This is for every single thing he's ever written. If anybody wants to make a movie out of it, they got to come to us.'"

Tarantino also explained that, while he never actually had a meeting with the Broccolis, he did hear their reasoning through the grapevine. "No, but I had people who knew them and everything," he said. "I was always told very flattering versions of like, 'Look, we love Quentin, but we make a certain kind of movies, and unless we fuck it up, we make a billion dollars every time we make that type of movie, okay? We don't want him to do it. Doesn't matter that it will still do good. It could fuck up our billion-dollar thing.'"

We can't think of anything more intriguing than a Quentin Tarantino Bond movie, so it's a shame that we'll never get to see his take on Casino Royale – the director has been clear that his next film, The Movie Critic, will be his last. 

While you wait for The Movie Critic, fill out your watchlist with our guide to 2023's major movie release dates.

The Americans’ Matthew Rhys has detailed his excruciatingly awkward audition to be the next James Bond after Pierce Brosnan. Spoiler alert: it didn’t go well.

"I do remember a time just before Daniel [Craig] got it," Rhys recalled in an interview with The Times.

The actor detailed the "intimidating" process, which featured a face-to-face meeting with the producers in London. "We were just told to wear a dark suit and read Casino Royale," he explained.

"They said, ‘What would you do differently with Bond?’ And I just remember going, ‘Ah.’ I was so not anticipating that question. And then I was like, is it a trick question? Are they waiting for people to go, ‘I wouldn’t do anything. He’s perfect’?"

So Rhys did what any of us do in that situation – crack a terrible joke. "I’d give him a limp. I said, ‘Limp?’ Nothing. ‘Eye patch?’ Nothing."

The rest is history. Daniel Craig stepped into the role of 007, shaking and stirring audiences across five movies. Rhys, himself, didn’t do too badly – starring in the critically-acclaimed The Americans and currently appearing in Perry Mason.

The search for the next Bond, meanwhile, goes on. No casting decision has been made yet – though the producers sound fairly adamant that they want a "thirtysomething" to take the role. Aaron Taylor-Johnson, who is stepping into Sony’s Spider-Man universe in the R-Rated Kraven the Hunter, is reportedly one of the frontrunners to replace Craig.

Now, for your eyes only: our complete ranking of the best James Bond movies.

Ana de Armas has revealed who she wants to play the next James Bond.

The Ghosted actor told Wired’s Autocomplete Interview that Aftersun's Paul Mescal “should be the one.”

Mescal's star has risen in recent years, giving a breakout performance in Normal People before being nominated for Best Actor for Aftersun. He's now all set to appear in a Gladiator sequel.

De Armas should know a thing or two about playing 007, having spent a Cuba-set sequence with Daniel Craig in No Time to Die. On her scene-stealing turn, she said, "It was one of the most wonderful experiences I’ve ever had on set. I love that movie and character."

Her Ghosted co-star Chris Evans added, "She killed it. Stole the movie."

Speculation has continued to rage over who will take over from Daniel Craig as James Bond. Bullet Train Aaron Taylor-Johnson has been spoken about as a frontrunner for some time, though there’s been no official word on who is next stepping into the tuxedo of MI6’s secret agent.

Thanks to producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson, however, we have an idea of the profile of the next Bond actor. The pair want the next person up to be in the role for a decade, but not to be too young. Ideally, they’re looking for a “thirtysomething” actor

"No, we haven’t even started casting yet. There isn’t even a script." Broccoli told LADBible earlier this year.

In 2022, Broccoli explained to Deadline, "We’re working out where to go with [Bond], we’re talking that through. There isn’t a script and we can’t come up with one until we decide how we’re going to approach the next film because, really, it’s a reinvention of Bond. We’re reinventing who he is and that takes time. I’d say that filming is at least two years away.”

Let’s leave you shaken and stirred with our rankings of the best James Bond movies.

Knowing how to watch the James Bond movies in order can be complicated. After all, unlike most franchises, these are not numbered entries. And while you can enjoy them all as solo adventures, or in batches depending on which actor's time as Bond you want to nestle down with, there's a reasonable order to watch them in.

The first James Bond movie was Dr. No, and came out over 50 years ago. The latest, No Time to Die, brought Daniel Craig's tenure as 007 to an end. The franchise has, at this point, never been more open-ended. Who will take over as the next James Bond? That's a question for another time. For now, let's sit down with these excellent movies and watch (or rewatch) the series.

First up, we've got the full list of James Bond movies in order if you want to marathon the whole thing. Then we've broken each Bond stint down, actor by actor. That's perfect for the year where George Lazenby slides in for a quick hello and confuses everything. It also makes choosing your favorite Bonds (and their best films) a whole lot easier. We'll even briefly touch on the decidedly non-canon entries from MI6's finest. Here's how to watch the James Bond movies in order.

How to watch every James Bond movie in order

Here’s the current order to watch Bond movies by release date. Starting in 1962 with Dr. No and ending (for now) with 2015’s Spectre.

• Dr. No (1962)
• From Russia With Love (1963)
• Goldfinger (1964)
• Thunderball (1965)
• You Only Live Twice (1967)
• On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969)
• Diamonds Are Forever (1971)
• Live and Let Die (1973)
• The Man with the Golden Gun (1974)
• The Spy Who Loved Me (1977)
• Moonraker (1979)
• For Your Eyes Only (1981)
• Octopussy (1983)
• A View to a Kill (1985)
• The Living Daylights (1987)
• License to Kill (1989)
• GoldenEye (1995)
• Tomorrow Never Dies (1997)
• The World is Not Enough (1999)
• Die Another Day (2002)
• Casino Royale (2006)
• Quantum of Solace (2008)
• Skyfall (2012)
• Spectre (2015)

But that’s not the only way to watch James Bond movies in order. Debates have raged over the best actor who has donned the tuxedo over the years. Connery. Lazenby. Moore. Dalton. Brosnan. Craig. You’re probably thinking of your choice right now. Let’s divide them up so, if you wish, you can dive straight into the oeuvre of your favourite 007 – starting with Sean Connery and his one unique entry that you won’t find in the list above. Intrigued?

Sean Connery's James Bond movies

Out of all the actors to portray Bond, Sean Connery has (by far) the strangest run with the character. Having originated the on-screen movie role of 007, he starred in the first five Bond movies, departed from the role (and replaced by George Lazenby), before returning for the seventh, Diamonds Are Forever in 1971. He’d later go on to play James Bond again in the non-canon entry Never Say Never Again, a remake of 1965’s Thunderball. It’s not part of the main franchise, so you can ignore it if you wish, though we’ve kept it here for completion’s sake.

• Dr. No (1962)
• From Russia With Love (1963)
• Goldfinger (1964)
• Thunderball (1965)
• You Only Live Twice (1967)
• Diamonds Are Forever (1971)
• Never Say Never Again (1983)

George Lazenby's James Bond movies

Just the one man for our man Lazenby. He did help kickstart the prevalent fan theory that every James Bond is a different person, though. Sure, it’d later be retconned – but it was a nice wink and a nod from the new 007 in his very first scene.

• On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969)

Roger Moore's James Bond movies

The most prolific Bond actor, Roger Moore played the character in seven movies across 12 years. His flicks are best known for heavily increasing the camp factor – and introducing a variety of several increasingly silly gadgets (crocodile submarine anyone?), which would fast become a staple of the franchise.

• Live and Let Die (1973)
• The Man with the Golden Gun (1974)
• The Spy Who Loved Me (1977)
• Moonraker (1979)
• For Your Eyes Only (1981)
• Octopussy (1983)
• A View to a Kill (1985)

Timothy Dalton's James Bond movies

Cards on the table. Dalton is low-key one of our favourite Bonds. If you’re eager for a grittier, proto-Craig version of 007 then you could do a lot worse than seeking out Dalton’s two entries as the secret agent.

• The Living Daylights (1987)
• License to Kill (1989)

Pierce Brosnan's James Bond movies

Brosnan picked up where Dalton left off after a six-year hiatus – to date, the joint-longest gap between Bond movies.

• GoldenEye (1995)
• Tomorrow Never Dies (1997)
• The World is Not Enough (1999)
• Die Another Day (2002)

Daniel Craig's James Bond movies

Daniel Craig’s Bond films more or less follow on from each other so should be watched in order. A fifth movie, No Time to Die, is almost here.

• Casino Royale (2006)
• Quantum of Solace (2008)
• Skyfall (2012)
• Spectre (2015) 

Non-canon James Bond movies

As you may have already noticed, there’s one Sean Connery Bond film that isn’t counted as part of the mainline canon. For reasons too head-scratching to go into here (mostly involving licensing issues and years-long legal fights), there are two films that star James Bond but aren’t considered canon.

When considering the correct order of James Bond movies, that’s important – they don’t technically count, but are still an extra slice of 007, should you so wish it. The first is Casino Royale (no, not that one) from 1967, starring David Niven as James Bond. The second is the Thunderball remake Never Say Never Again, featuring Sean Connery in his seventh spin as Bond.

• Casino Royale (1967)
• Never Say Never Again (1983)

Check out our other watch order explainers, including:
-- How to watch the Marvel movies in order
-- How to watch the Star Wars movies in order
-- How to watch the Spider-Man movies in order

Ralph Fiennes would like to train the next James Bond.

While promoting his new Netflix film The Dig, the actor tells GamesRadar+ and Total Film about being part of the Bond films beyond actor Daniel Craig's final film. In Skyfall, Fiennes' character Mallory took over as M, the head of MI6. Judi Dench previously played the character.

"If anyone from Eon Films is listening, I'm very keen to continue training the new Bond," Fiennes says with a laugh. "I love playing M, and I love being part of that franchise. But who knows? Things have to change. But I love working with Daniel. He's a terrific Bond. I will treasure that experience."

The repeatedly delayed No Time to Die will be Craig's last outing as the spy, and at the moment, we still don't know who’ll be replacing him – though Tom Hardy and Idris Elba regularly pop up in predictions, and Bridgerton's Regé Jean-Page has recently joined the pool of potential Craig successors.

As excellent a 007 as Craig has been, one of the highlights of his Bond movies has definitely been the supporting cast, with Fiennes' M, Ben Whishaw's Q, and Naomie Harris' Moneypenny all standout characters. Fiennes wouldn't be the first M to stick around for multiple Bonds, either, so there doesn't seem to be any reason why we couldn't see him again post-cast shake-up (or stir-up).

No Time to Die, which also stars Ana de Armas, Lashana Lynch, Léa Seydoux, Christoph Waltz, and Rami Malek, is currently set for release on October 8, 2021. Hopefully it'll stick to that date, after the pandemic shuffled it all the way back from April 2020.

While you wait for the next Bond installment to finally hit the big screen, check out our roundup of 2021's movie release dates – and see which movie took the top spot in our best Bond movies ranking. 

The release date delays keep on coming – No Time to Die has now been pushed back from the Easter weekend to a fall release. 

Daniel Craig’s last outing as Bond will now hit the big screen on October 8 instead of April 2, a whole 18 months after its original release date. In the wake of this announcement, Sony decided to move its antihero flick Morbius to avoid competing with Bond – it was supposed to come out on October 8 as well, but has now been pushed back to January 21, 2022. The Jared Leto-led comic-book thriller has already been delayed once this month, moving from March to October only a few days ago.

Elsewhere, Universal has decided to move Edgar Wright’s Last Night in Soho to October 22. The horror movie, starring Anya Taylor-Joy, Matt Smith, and Diana Rigg, was originally due for release on April 23. Bob Odenkirk's Nobody has also been thrown back from February 26 to April 12.

Sony has also made the decision to push back several of its other major upcoming releases – the Uncharted movie starring Tom Holland and Mark Wahlberg will now release on February 11, 2022 instead of July 16, 2021. 

Meanwhile, Ghostbusters: Afterlife has moved from June 11 to October 11, and Kay Cannon’s Cinderella has been delayed from February 5 to July 16. 

Phew. That’s a lot to keep up with – and there are potentially more announcements to come. A veteran studio executive recently told The Hollywood Reporter that every major movie between now and July 2021 is likely to be delayed.

In this time of moviegoing uncertainty, at least we’ve still got the streamers – check out our list of the best Netflix movies to watch right now.

If you were looking forward to watching No Time to Die over the Easter weekend, you might be disappointed – the latest Bond movie looks set to face further delays. 

The movie is currently scheduled to hit the big screen on April 2, 2021. However, according to Deadline, No Time to Die’s promotional partners have already been given a heads up that the movie is bound to move to an autumn release. A specific date hasn’t been set yet, though. 

Directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga, Daniel Craig’s last outing as Bond will see him joined by the new 007 Lashana Lynch as he comes out of retirement to face off against Rami Malek’s villain, Safin. Meanwhile, the supporting cast includes Ralph Fiennes, Ana de Armas, Naomie Harris, Léa Seydoux, and Ben Whishaw.

The past year has been a rocky road for No Time to Die – it was originally slated for release in April 2020 before the Covid-19 pandemic led to it being delayed until November 2020, then further delays saw it reach its current April 2021 release date. These setbacks are reportedly costing MGM millions of dollars, and the studio is determined to keep the movie on track for a theatrical release to recoup these costs. MGM has yet to reach a deal with any streaming platforms who were unwilling to pay the reported asking price of $600 million. 

While we wait for No Time to Die, check out our list of the best Netflix action movies you can stream right now.

The question of who should next play James Bond has been on everyone’s lips ever since Daniel Craig revealed that No Time to Die would be his final turn as 007. Fans have suggested everyone from Tom Hardy to Idris Elba to take over the iconic role, but now there’s a new frontrunner on our screens – Bridgerton’s Regé-Jean Page.

The tweet that got viewers’ mind whirring came from Page’s own account – back in December, before the show was released, he posted a short video introducing his character, the dashing Duke of Hastings. 

“Regency, royalty. Shaken and stirred,” read the caption. The last part, of course, refers to 007’s preferred method of martini mixing. It seems lots of viewers have taken that reference and run with it – and the internet is in agreement, too.

“If it’s not gonna be Idris [Elba], I’m totally supportive of Rege-Jean Page as the next James Bond,” one user tweeted. “I can’t wait for someone to feature Regé-Jean Page as their love interest in a steamy music video. Also, would love to petition for him to be the next James Bond,” said another. “I cannot think of a better candidate to be the next #JamesBond than @regejean,” added actor Jenny Boyd.

The odds are in Page’s favour, too. Variety reports that bookmakers have shortened them from 40/1 to 5/1. The London-born actor has previously had roles in British school drama Waterloo Road and the 2016 remake of Roots, a miniseries about an enslaved man and his descendants, but it was Shonda Rhimes new Netflix period romp that really brought Page to prominence. 

If you’ve already binge-watched Bridgerton, check out our list of the other best Netflix shows that you can stream right now.

Bond baddie Christoph Waltz authors all your pain. Saoirse Ronan gets homesick. Robert De Niro is the offices new intern. Yes, heres the new DVD and Blu-Ray releases coming out in the next two weeks. Click on for our reviews of SPECTRE, Audition, Over Your Dead Body, Brooklyn, The Intern, Nina Forever, Deathgasm, The Flintstones and A Walk In The Woods. For the best movie reviews, subscribe to Total Film.

Following Skyfall was always going to be a Herculean ask for Daniel Craig and director Sam Mendes. So much worked in the favour of Bond 23, from the very fact it wasnt Quantum Of Solace to its arrival coinciding with the 50th anniversary of 007 on screen. And thats even before you consider a cast-iron plot boasting the best villain in years and a significant death every bit as moving as Diana Riggs demise in On Her Majestys Secret Service. If SPECTRE never quite lives up to expectations, its not for want of trying. From the far-reaching narrative to the scope and scale of the locations and stunts, this 24th Bond outing is arguably the most ambitious of the Craig era. Like its predecessor, there are nods to 007 history though, as the title suggests, SPECTREs callbacks amount to more than just an Aston Martin stored in a lock-up garage. This is the return of Bonds oldest foe, the Special Executive for Counterintelligence, Terrorism, Revenge and Extortion. Our first glimpse of the shadowy cell comes in the films pre-credits sequence in Mexico City a ring inscribed with the organisations ominous octopus insignia, wrenched from an operatives finger by Craigs James Bond as the two battle it out in a spinning helicopter over the Zcalo Square. Beginning with cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytemas superb tracking shot as 007 stalks his target through revellers at the Day Of The Dead festival, via assassination, demolition and aerial mayhem, its a classic Bond opener, up there with the best. Ditto Daniel Kleinmanns wonderfully inventive titles, which set the scene for the SPECTRE organisations reach, suggesting its tentacled grip around Bond goes back to Casino Royale. Even Sam Smiths shrill-sounding golden globe winner Writings On The Wall plays far better in context than it does without the visuals (still, its not quite up there with Adeles thunderous Skyfall and after Radiohead released their own aborted theme, one cant help but wish theyd been given the go-ahead). Credits over, SPECTRE cracks along at a fair old pace, with the revelation that Bond was in Mexico following off-the-record orders to hunt and kill an assassin. Our heros trail of destruction leads him to be suspended from duty by the incoming M (Ralph Fiennes), whos already engaged in a heavy power struggle with the cocksure C (Andrew Scott). Head of the newly formed Joint Intelligence Service, C is looking to dismantle the 00 programme and sweep Britain into the Nine Eyes global surveillance/intelligence initiative. Bond is soon secretly hot-footing it to Rome, which leads to his first proper encounter with SPECTRE, via a clandestine meeting that allows Bond to clap eyes on the films real villain, Franz Oberhauser (Christoph Waltz). All shadows and slow burn, its a memorably moody scene. Shame that it also features the worst door security since Tom Cruise muttered Fidelio in Eyes Wide Shut a lapse in logic thats only the first of SPECTREs vexing flaws. The much-hyped car chase through the streets of Rome, as Bond is pursued by near-silent hulk Mr. Hinx (Dave Bautista) in his super-sexy Jaguar, never amounts to much (it doesnt help that 007 is on the phone to Naomie Harris Moneypenny for most of the journey, hardly breaking a sweat). Likewise, Monica Belluccis blink-and-miss turn as widow Lucia is a criminal waste; arguably, shed have made a more interesting female lead than La Seydoux, who underwhelms in her role as a psychologist with a connection to Bonds recent past. Then theres the notion that Oberhauser the author of all your pain as he memorably tells Bond has been pulling strings since Casino Royale. Its not the first time the franchise has dabbled in interconnected villainy (Bonds first adversary Dr. No, an agent for the original SPECTRE, is mentioned in From Russia With Love), but the handling here is tenuous. As for Waltz, despite his best efforts, he never matches the thigh-rubbing menace of Skyfalls Raoul Silva. Still, SPECTRE has its highs Austrian mountaintops, an expanded role for Ben Whishaws gadgetmaster Q, a superb train fight and a torture scene to rival Goldfingers laser beam. Then theres Craig, cuff-straighteningly sublime in a role that now fits him like a Savile Row tux. Mendes, too, deserves credit for having the cajones to come back and take a second crack, particularly with a complex story that further delves into Bonds own backstory. By comparison, the extras feel disappointingly lightweight, suggesting that maybe a more deluxe version may follow later. Comprising several video blogs (music, action, cars, girls etc.) that debuted online during the making of the film, it hardly feels like an exclusive package although Blu-ray comes with a pacey 20-minute featurette on the Day Of The Dead opener. Still, you can always revel in the moment where the Bond franchise enters the record books, courtesy of 8,140 litres of kerosene. As Mendes puts it, all one shot, come up the stairs, line of dialogue, largest explosion in the history of movies, exit frame, cut. Maybe this was the only way to top Skyfall. In James Bonds world, size still matters. EXTRAS: Featurette (BD) > Video blogs > Gallery (BD) Director: Sam Mendes Starring: Daniel Craig, Christoph Waltz, La Seydoux Digital HD release: 19 February 2016 DVD, BD release: 22 February 2016 James Mottram

Even if youve never dared watch Audition, the 1999 J-horror that announced prolific Japanese director Takashi Miike to the western world, chances are you know of its reputation. Brace yourself as demure 24-year-old Asami (Eihi Shiina) does terrible things to tricksy middle-aged filmmaker Shigeharu (Ryo Ishibashi) with needles, piano wire and the sing-song mantra kiri, kiri, kiri (deeper, deeper, deeper). Is it all in his head, male paranoia, or is she really taking revenge for his secrets and lies? Its impossible to say, and lines between fact and fiction are also blurred in Over Your Dead Body (available separately), a 2014 adaptation of the renowned 1825 kabuki play Yostuya Kaidan in which a samurais wife takes ghostly revenge on her husband after he abandons her for a younger woman. The twist, in Miikes update, is that three modern-day actors (Ko Shibasaki, Ebiz Ichikawa, Miho Nakanishi) are rehearsing the play and find their own lives paralleling those of their characters. Over Your Dead Body is Miikes first horror film and best film, period since Audition, and again tells a story of female vengeance in a style that is controlled and composed: the bursts of violence in both movies impact all the harder for coming from a place of poise. Given the films quality, the lack of extras is a shame. Not so the Audition Blu-ray, which comes with two commentaries, interviews and an excellent appreciation by Japanese cinema historian Tony Rayns. Its also a 2K restoration, meaning the scalpel-sharp visuals cut deeper, deeper, deeper. EXTRAS: Featurettes (Audition) > Commentaries (Audition) Director: Takashi Miike Starring: Various DVD (OYDV), BD (Audition) release: 29 February 2016 Jamie Graham

Based on Colm Tibns bestseller, and featuring a beautiful central performance from Saoirse Ronan, John Crowleys warm-hearted, triple-Oscar-nommed drama concerns a young woman caught between two worlds. Her home, in 50s rural Ireland, is too small to sustain her, so she emigrates, alone, to New York, a city too big to notice her. Soon shes torn between two mothers (Jane Brennan and Julie Walters), two suitors (Emory Cohen and Domhnall Gleeson), and two futures. Screenwriter Nick Hornby keeps the scale human, and the tone sweet, but the result feels slightly more parochial than it does profound. EXTRAS: Featurettes > Deleted scenes Director: John Crowley Starring: Saoirse Ronan, Emory Cohen, Domhnall Gleeson, Jim Broadbent DVD, BD, Digital HD release: 29 February 2016 Matt Glasby

Robert De Niro tries to turn his recent career lull into a career LOL with this sweet but problematic comedy by Nancy Meyers (The Holiday). He plays 70-year-old widower Ben who, to keep himself busy in later life, enlists in a senior-intern programme at a new, thriving internet business run by Anne Hathaways overworked Jules. De Niro packs tons of charm into his stoical gentleman role, while his chemistry with Hathaway brings the formulaic plot alive. But Meyers script is still all over the place, dropping the initial fish-out-of-water premise for tone-shifting silly capers and, come the films end, schmaltzy relationship drama. EXTRAS: Featurettes Director: Nancy Meyers Starring: Robert De Niro, Anne Hathaway, Rene Russo DVD, BD, Digital HD release: 29 February 2016 Matt Looker

Beating out 70+ titles to Total Films Best Film award at FrightFest 2015, this debut feature by the Blaine Brothers (Ben and Chris) blends scuzzy social realism and bloody fantasy. Like Aussie breakout The Babadook, the most distressing things on show are grief and depression, as South London supermarket worker Rob (Cian Barry) tentatively begins dating colleague Holly (Abigail Hardingham), only for the broken body of Nina (Fiona OShaughnessy), his ex who died in a car crash, to configure in their bed like something out of Hellraiser. Mnage trois, anyone? A low-budget horror-comedy with high emotional intelligence. EXTRAS: Featurettes > Two commentaries Directors: Ben Blaine, Chris Blaine Starring: Fiona O'Shaughnessy, Abigail Hardingham, Cian Barry, David Troughton DVD, BD, Digital HD release: 22 February 2016 Jamie Graham

The spirit of early Peter Jackson is alive and gorier than ever in a New Zealand horror-com thats funnier and sweeter than the title implies. Milo Cawthorne plays scrawny metal-head teen Brodie, who lives with his religious uncle. Bullied at school, Brodie meets cool, give-a-fuck Zakk (James Blake) and forms the titular band all good until they summon demons with some sacred sheet music from a reclusive rock legend. Gleefully gross (a dildos vs demons fight scene, projectile blood vom) and seriously silly, Deathgasm channels Shaun Of The Deads deadpan mundanity against an exploding satanic apocalypse. EXTRAS: None Director: Jason Lei Howden Starring: Milo Cawthorne, James Blake, Kimberley Crossman, Sam Berkley DVD, BD release: 29 February 2016 Rosie Fletcher

Is the Earth flat? asks JoHn Goodmans winning Fred. No, but almost everything else is in Universals stab at chiselling the toon into a live-action franchise. The plot mistakes corporate embezzlement and evil boss Kyle Maclachlans manipulation of Fred for childs play, yet the painful stone-age puns and sexist skits (Halle Berrys saucy secretary Sharon Stone, Liz Taylors mother-in-law) are no better. A game cast (Goodman, Rick Moranis, Elizabeth Perkins) have a gay old time in a well-realised backdrop lobster lawnmowers, dino-pets but script and story groan with strain. Yabba dabba dont. EXTRAS: Commentary > Documentary Production notes Director: Brian Lavant Starring: John Goodman, Rick Moranis, Elizabeth Perkins, Rosie O'Donnell DVD release: 29 February 2016 Kevin Harley

Think Reese Witherspoon had it hard in Wild? Check out this hiking effort from Robert Redford and Nick Nolte at about twice her age, and twice her weight in Noltes case, the pair embark on the fearsome Appalachian Trail. A Walk In The Woods is a much mellower take on the hiking experience than Wild, with Redford playing real-life author Bill Bryson, who reunites with his gravelly-voiced, somewhat embarrassing old buddy Katz (Nolte). Their trip unfolds at an age-appropriately unhurried pace, but the leads chemistry smoothes the path to the finish line. EXTRAS: Featurettes > Interviews Director: Ken Kwapis Starring: Robert Redford, Nick Nolte, Emma Thompson DVD release: 22 February 2016 Stephen Puddicombe

After the critical and billion dollar box office success of Skyfall anticipation was high for Spectre, the 24th film in the James Bond franchise. Upon its release last year, the film was met with a mixed reception, and one of the recurring critiques was that Christoph Waltz's villain was underwhelming.

If you have not yet seen Spectre, you may want to stop reading now as there are major spoilers ahead.

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If you're still with us, you'll know that Waltz was ultimately revealed to be classic Bond villain Ernst Stavro Blofeld in Spectre, despite his pre-release comments to the contrary. Now The Mirror is reporting that the star could return for two more James Bond instalments, "but only if Daniel Craig does too".

Craig made headlines last year when he hinted that he may be done playing 007, and while the film itself leaves room for a return for both agent and villain it could also easily be seen as the completion of Bond and Blofeld's respective arcs. Waltz was terribly underused in Spectre, and another Bond film would no doubt give him the screen time he needs to flesh out his villain. Indeed, it would be a shame to waste such a great set-up, even with the lacklustre impression left by Blofeld in Spectre. The question is...does Craig still want to be Bond, or would it be a smarter move to clean the slate and start over again with other actors? Whatever the case, James Bond, as always, will return.

Images: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer / Columbia Pictures

There has been plenty of speculation surrounding the future of the long-running James Bond franchise recently, from whether Daniel Craig will stay on for another film or not to Sony possibly losing the distribution rights.

Director Sam Mendes has been promoting the latest Bond outing Spectre ahead of its US release this week, and although he's previously reneged on his original plans to only direct one Bond film, the chances of that happening again are slim.

Speaking with Deadline, he confirmed that "There is a sense of completeness that wasn’t there at the end of Skyfall, and that’s what makes this feel different. It feels like there’s a rightness to it, that I have finished a journey."

"You cast a new actor and find a new director, and make something totally new. I can, off the top of my head, give you three or four ideas for where it could go next. They’re all daring and big. To me, the enemy is repetition and laziness, and the great danger is not challenging the preexisting format."

"These are my two chapters of the Bond myth. Someone else is going to write a chapter or 10 or 50, because Bond is strong enough for that, and because there’s enough to play with. Daniel may absolutely turn around six months’ time and feel his energy renewed. Or he might say just the opposite. If he is as sensible as I think he is, he needs to go away and have some time to think and do another job that’s completely different, which he’s already doing with Othello." Never say never, right? Spectre is now open in UK and US cinemas.

Daniel Craigs back as Bond, with brand new foes will Christoph Waltz sing the theme tune? Rhys Ifans takes charge of a Dylan Thomas adaptation. Still banned from filmmaking, Jafar Panahi now drives a taxi, but happens to have a camera on the dashboard. Yes, heres this weeks new releases. Click on for our reviews of Spectre, Under Milk Wood, The Vatican Tapes, Taxi Tehran, Do I Sound Gay? and Fresh Dressed. For the best movie reviews, subscribe to Total Film.

From the gun barrel opening to the gadgets in Qs workshop, everything is back where it belongs in Spectre, an everything or nothing, kitchen-sink Bond that goes to epic lengths to deliver all you could conceivably want from this invincible and indefatigable franchise. Buoyed and emboldened by the worldwide success of Skyfall, the tireless Sam Mendes and the fearless Daniel Craig go hell for leather in a film that practically fizzes with brio, even at points when its circuitous plot comes perilously close to unravelling. If, as many suspect, it will be the last Bond for both of them, they can at least depart confident they have left it all on the field and are leaving the series stronger than how they found it. Mendes sets his stall out early on with a stunning Touch Of Evil-style tracking shot that begins high above the heads of a gargantuan Mexico City Day of the Dead parade before zeroing in on a skull-masked 007. Weaving in and out of the legions of ghoulishly made-up revellers, incoming DoP Hoyte Van Hoytema follows Craig up stairs, down hallways and out on a ledge in a sequence so fluid you can barely spot the joins. Then the fun really starts: a deluge of falling masonry sends Bond and his quarry back onto the streets and into the air in a loop-the-looping chopper. As pre-titles sequences go, its the equal of any that has gone before it and that includes the ski-jump gotcha from The Spy Who Loved Me. Back in London, Bonds rogue mission has set the cat among the pigeons. Ms MI6 is at risk of being subsumed by an umbrella outfit run by the oily C (Andrew Scott) and can ill afford to let its chief assassin go AWOL. Bond, however, has other ideas, not to mention a Tolkien-esque ring whose octopus engraving points to some seriously sinister shenanigans. So off to Rome he pops, there to seduce a widow (Monica Bellucci, age-appropriate yet criminally underused) with information to impart on a certain acronymic syndicate Mendes film is at its most atmospheric here. A clandestine gathering of Spectre bigwigs in a gothic Roman palazzo exuding all the brooding menace of an Eyes Wide Shut sex orgy. Oddly, though, the nocturnal car chase that follows fails to stir the blood, hampered as it is by an incongruously jaunty tone and the sneaking suspicion that, even with man-mountain Dave Bautista at the wheel of the Jaguar chasing Craigs Aston Martin along Romes cobbled thoroughfares, there isnt much at stake. Things quickly improve when the action moves to Austria, where Bond has a chilly encounter with old adversary Mr White (Jesper Christensen, finally making good on the promise of his all too fleeting cameos in Casino Royale and Quantum Of Solace). From this point on theres nary a let-up. A dust-up on the slopes involving one wingless plane and three 4x4s leads seamlessly to train-based fisticuffs straight out of From Russia With Love, an explosive desert confrontation, and a denouement involving a familiar place in unfamiliar shape. Ok, so sparks dont exactly fly between Craig and eventual leading lady Lea Seydoux or, for that matter, between Craig and Christoph Waltz, dismayingly bland as an overly genteel adversary whose primary beef, once revealed, verges on the petulant. (It does lead to a doozy of a torture scene, though.) Dovetailing Spectres plot with those of Craigs previous Bonds is a dubious move, while the edifice that houses Scotts Centre of National Security resembles nothing so much as Stark Tower. The influence of Marvel is felt elsewhere too: a plan to combine the worlds intelligence capabilities into one all-seeing, all-knowing supersnoop bears striking similarities to Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Only Bautista makes the crossover unscathed, this Guardian Of The Galaxy projecting the kind of brutish physical threat that like the Rolls Royce Phantom that pops up in one scene brings back happy memories of Goldfingers Oddjob. Craig, for his part, tempers his customary steely determination with a welcome lightness of touch (a scene in which he interrogates a mouse the idea, one suspects, of co-writer Jez Butterworth would have been unimaginable back in the doleful days of Quantum), while Ralph Fiennes M has some ace bants with Scott over their respective code names. The real delight, though, is Ben Whishaw, whose donnish Q is given much more to do this time around and inflects his scenes with a deliciously offbeat energy. THE VERDICT: Though not as dramatically rich or emotionally compelling as Skyfall, Spectre still ranks as a sleek, pulse-pounding if slightly overlong entertainment that should have little trouble emulating its predecessors box office. Director: Sam Mendes Starring: Daniel Craig, La Seydoux, Ralph Fiennes, Naomie Harris, Ben Whishaw, Monica Bellucci, Christoph Waltz Theatrical release: 26 October 2015 Neil Smith

In Kevin Allens adaptation of Dylan Thomas 1954 radio play, Under Milk Wood, the fantasies of dwellers in the Welsh village of Llareggub (Bugger all backwards) provide a bawdy 50s-set buffet for the eyes and ears. To unpeel it from Richard Burtons richly-voiced radio version (and the clunky 1972 film he starred in), Allen has to create moving images as potent as Thomas poetic ones, for a vast cast of characters. But he and co-writer poet Murray Lachlan Young succeed only with the sturdiest of their gamey vignettes Mr Pugh (Boyd Clack) the tangoing wife-poisoner, the hopeless letter-borne love of draper for confectioner, or Mrs Ogmore Pritchards S&M memories of torturing her husbands. Alongside these slyly enjoyable Carry On Cymru interludes, though, theres a fair amount of sub-ken Russell tits-and-landscape surrealism thrown in, all to keep your peepers occupied during rolling orations about the sloeblack, slow black, crowblack, fishingboat-bobbing sea. however, the cheerful gloss of sex on everything from Dai Bakers breast-shaped bread to Sinbad the publicans satyr fantasies doesnt solve all the films problems and, an hour in, it can get a little tedious, more seaside postcard than sensual symbolism. The problem is, the play is a looping mass of lusty private longings, and Allen struggles to translate that into a solid cinematic story. Yet its full of engaging details, as oddball sequences parade in popping colours through striking Pembrokeshire scenery. Allen also makes smart use of Charlotte Churchs star wattage as village good-time girl Polly Garter, shoehorning in a Hollywood-style ballad to add glamour to the eccentric gaiety. Worth the seat price alone, however, is Rhys Ifans, veteran of Allens long-ago Trainspotting-lite comedy Twin Town. Ifans mellifluous, unshowy narration and restrained performance as blind dreamer Captain Cat make the ripe language leap suddenly to life. THE VERDICT: Kevin Allen and Rhys Ifans colourful, carnal but careful reboot ensures that Thomas richly-written dreamscape doesnt go for a Burton. And welsh warbler Charlotte Church finds herself in good company Director: Kevin Allen Starring: Rhys Ifans, Charlotte Church, William Thomas, Julian Lewis Jones Theatrical release: 30 October 2015 Kate Stables

Mark Neveldine breaks away from Crank collaborator Brian Taylor for his first solo directorial effort, and it lacks the creativity of the filmmaking partnership that made his name. In fact, this bland, run-of-the-mill horror, in which Michael Peas priest engages two Vatican exorcists to help save a young woman possessed with an evil spirit, is remarkable only for somehow being the latest in a long line of generic horror films still following the exact template and tropes laid down by The Exorcist 40 years ago. As such, the power of Christ is the only thing compelling here. Director: Mark Neveldine Starring: Michael Pena, Dougray Scott, Kathleen Robertson, Djimon HounsouTheatrical release: 30 October 2015 Matt Looker

Banned in 2010 from filmmaking by the Iranian regime for anti-Islamic propaganda, director Jafar Panahi has since devised ingenious ways of circumventing the ayatollahs prohibition. In the latest, he adopts the profession of taxi driver and, with a dash-mounted camera, uses his various passengers a conservative loudmouth, an injured workman and his hysterical wife, two superstitious women and their precious goldfish as devices to comment on his situation, and that of Iran. He leaves us to guess whether these encounters are staged, while masking his own anger with subversive humour. Director: Jafar Panahi Starring: Jafar Panahi Theatrical release: 30 October 2015 Philip Kemp

A newly single gay man sets out to sound less like a stereotype in a provocative documentary that asks where the so-called gay voice came from and whether it can ever be gotten rid of. Drawing on everything from Truman Capote and Liberace to Disneys parade of supercilious villains, journalist David Thorpe juxtaposes testimony from George Takei, David Sedaris and others with his own half-hearted attempts to straighten out his larynx. The result is an engaging yet self-conscious film that spends so much time tiptoeing around its subject that it ends up forgetting what it originally wanted to say. Director: David Thorpe Starring: David Thorpe, David Sedaris, Dan Savage, Margaret Cho, Tim Gunn, George Takei Theatrical release: 30 October 2015 Neil Smith

Classic hip-hop fashion wasnt just about my Adidas, although as this fascinating and quirky documentary about raps threads stresses, being fresh taking a pride and swagger in your appearance started from the feet up. (In an era where Bronx-dwellers could be killed for their sneakers, the opening question Whats your size? was to be avoided at all costs.) Here, the likes of Nas and Kanye reminisce, while legendary Harlem designer Dapper Dan explains how hed illegally customise his clothes with established brands like Louis Vuitton: I blackenised it I made it look good on us. Director: Sacha Jenkins Starring: Nas, Kanye West, Jay Z Theatrical release: 30 October 2015 Ali Catterall

The wait for James Bond 007 Spectre is almost over. Daniel Craig's latest take on Bond is due on October 26, and buzz around the film is rather positive. Chrisoph Waltz plays the villain, Franz Oberhauser, who seems like a real throwback to the Bond baddies of old - a proper evil schemer with mysterious motives and a spider-web of henchmen to call upon. So, naturally, it's time to dig back into the series and look at the best baddos from previous films... except I thought it'd be more fun to quiz you all on which Bond villain you're most likely to be, rather than listing them all out. You know them all anyway, right? So, check out the quiz below, and start your plans for world domination / luring Daniel Craig into your secret lair. Ahem.

Had fun? Check out some of our other quizzes. Here's one about How well do you really know Star Wars? And another about How well do you really know video game logos? Have fun!

From the gun barrel opening to the gadgets in Q’s workshop, everything is back where it belongs in Spectre, an everything or nothing, kitchen-sink Bond that goes to epic lengths to deliver all you could conceivably want from this invincible and indefatigable franchise.

Buoyed and emboldened by the worldwide success of Skyfall, the tireless Sam Mendes and the fearless Daniel Craig go hell for leather in a film that practically fizzes with brio, even at points when its circuitous plot comes perilously close to unravelling. If, as many suspect, it will be the last Bond for both of them, they can at least depart confident they have left it all on the field and are leaving the series stronger than how they found it.

Mendes sets his stall out early on with a stunning Touch Of Evil-style tracking shot that begins high above the heads of a gargantuan Mexico City Day of the Dead parade before zeroing in on a skull-masked 007. Weaving in and out of the legions of ghoulishly made-up revellers, incoming DoP Hoyte Van Hoytema follows Craig up stairs, down hallways and out on a ledge in a sequence so fluid you can barely spot the joins.

Then the fun really starts: a deluge of falling masonry sends Bond and his quarry back onto the streets and into the air in a loop-the-looping chopper. As pre-titles sequences go, it’s the equal of any that has gone before it – and that includes the ski-jump gotcha from The Spy Who Loved Me.

Back in London, Bond’s rogue mission has set the cat among the pigeons. M’s MI6 is at risk of being subsumed by an umbrella outfit run by the oily C (Andrew Scott) and can ill afford to let its chief assassin go AWOL. Bond, however, has other ideas, not to mention a Tolkien-esque ring whose octopus engraving points to some seriously sinister shenanigans. So off to Rome he pops, there to seduce a widow (Monica Bellucci, age-appropriate yet criminally underused) with information to impart on a certain acronymic syndicate…

Mendes’ film is at its most atmospheric here. A clandestine gathering of Spectre bigwigs in a gothic Roman palazzo exuding all the brooding menace of an Eyes Wide Shut sex orgy. Oddly, though, the nocturnal car chase that follows fails to stir the blood, hampered as it is by an incongruously jaunty tone and the sneaking suspicion that, even with man-mountain Dave Bautista at the wheel of the Jaguar chasing Craig’s Aston Martin along Rome’s cobbled thoroughfares, there isn’t much at stake.

Things quickly improve when the action moves to Austria, where Bond has a chilly encounter with old adversary Mr White (Jesper Christensen, finally making good on the promise of his all too fleeting cameos in Casino Royale and Quantum Of Solace). From this point on there’s nary a let-up. A dust-up on the slopes involving one wingless plane and three 4x4s leads seamlessly to train-based fisticuffs straight out of From Russia With Love, an explosive desert confrontation, and a denouement involving a familiar place in unfamiliar shape.

Ok, so sparks don’t exactly fly between Craig and eventual leading lady Lea Seydoux – or, for that matter, between Craig and Christoph Waltz, dismayingly bland as an overly genteel adversary whose primary beef, once revealed, verges on the petulant. (It does lead to a doozy of a torture scene, though.) Dovetailing Spectre’s plot with those of Craig’s previous Bonds is a dubious move, while the edifice that houses Scott’s Centre of National Security resembles nothing so much as Stark Tower.

The influence of Marvel is felt elsewhere too: a plan to combine the world’s intelligence capabilities into one all-seeing, all-knowing supersnoop bears striking similarities to Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Only Bautista makes the crossover unscathed, this Guardian Of The Galaxy projecting the kind of brutish physical threat that – like the Rolls Royce Phantom that pops up in one scene – brings back happy memories of Goldfinger’s Oddjob.

Craig, for his part, tempers his customary steely determination with a welcome lightness of touch (a scene in which he interrogates a mouse – the idea, one suspects, of co-writer Jez Butterworth – would have been unimaginable back in the doleful days of Quantum), while Ralph Fiennes’ M has some ace bants with Scott over their respective code names. The real delight, though, is Ben Whishaw, whose donnish Q is given much more to do this time around and inflects his scenes with a deliciously offbeat energy.

“The name’s Bond. James Bond.” In the official pantheon of 007 movies this iconic line has been spoken by no less than six performers – with, arguably, none more legendary than Sean Connery. When he chose to explore new acting avenues after 1967’s You Only Live Twice, Eon Productions – home of Bond’s cinematic exploits – went into a tailspin. While the unknown Australian model George Lazenby would eventually win the much-coveted part in 1969’s On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, he too would flee the franchise. But you should never say never...

Consequently, with a multi-million dollar salary, a share in the box office and the promise of starring in any two non-Bond films of his own choosing, Connery would be convinced to make a one-time only comeback with 1971’s Diamonds Are Forever. The result was a box office blockbuster (in comparison to the commercial apathy that greeted On Her Majesty’s Secret Service) and that, it would seem, was that. Roger Moore and his perpetually-raised right eyebrow made his debut with Live And Let Die in 1973 and Bond continued to enthral subsequent generations...

Yet, there was just one problem: when Ian Fleming released his novel of Thunderball in 1961 it was adapted from a story for a potential Bond movie which had been co-written by independent producer Kevin McClory and his screenwriter friend Jack Whittingham. Having found themselves uncredited in the final book, McClory took Fleming to court, resulting in a settlement. McClory would produce the film adaptation of Thunderball (released in 1965) and, for ten years, agree not to bring the story to the big screen again. To his credit, McClory played ball – but when Eon saw an advertisement in Variety, on 12 May 1976, proclaiming that a remake of Thunderball called James Bond Of The Secret Service was now in pre-production, all hell broke loose.

Inevitably, lengthy legal proceedings followed amid rumours that none other than Connery, who had bemoaned his treatment by Eon, was slated to appear. “Before I put my nose into anything, I want to know it is legally bona fide,” teased the superstar Scotsman in a 1978 interview. McClory claimed that he owned the rights to the franchise’s perennially villainous organisation SPECTRE, having invented them for Thunderball. The immediate effect was a drastic rewrite of Moore’s next outing The Spy Who Loved Me, which was scheduled to highlight the ultimate battle between Bond and Blofeld.

As press interest in the legal battle between Eon and McClory went into overdrive, eagle-eyed reporters managed to spot Connery scouting for locations in New York. Fresh rumours arose that the Tartan-treasure was going to be directing instead of starring, although the ex-007 was remaining tight-lipped. Alas, as the court battles dragged on, come 1980 even Connery had admitted defeat, proclaiming that any sort of return to his career-defining mythology was “clearly not on the cards”.

You can imagine the surprise when McClory – with distribution backing from Warner Bros – finally got the legal greenlight to do a new version of Thunderball, now dubbed Never Say Never Again. The film got its title from Sean Connery’s wife Micheline. When her husband told her Diamonds Are Forever would mark his retirement from all things Bond she replied, “Never say never…” Connery clearly remembered those words when it came to his comeback.

Directed by Irvin Kershner, then fresh from the success of The Empire Strikes Back, and starring Connery himself, this was, surely, going to be the big screen event of 1983. Well, that was the plan... “I felt that I was in a vice a lot of the time, put it that way,” stated Kershner when SFX caught up with him shortly before his death in November 2010. “While I was working on the script, and then when we began shooting, we had to be really careful about the legal consequences of using the Bond name. Someone would say, ‘No, you cannot do that.’ My producer was always in court and he would come back to me and say, ‘Now this needs to be changed, we cannot get away with it.’ There were many things I wanted to do on that film which got thrown out. We originally filmed a prologue and even that was cut. The film got simpler as a result, which is a bit of a shame because I wanted a couple of scenes in there that would be very shocking to Bond fans. It was a very difficult film.”

Indeed, originally Never Say Never Again was a different beast altogether. Initially titled Warhead, the film began life as an outlandish fantasy epic, with SPECTRE obtaining a horde of nuclear weapons and holing them up in a lavish sea-base situated underneath the Statue of Liberty. The fiendish group planned to unleash a robotic hammerhead shark, armed with a bomb, in order to start World War Three (yes, really). Unfortunately, the unintentional similarities to The Spy Who Loved Me meant that any stories of aquatic anarchy were soon shelved.

Instead, having to stick closely to the promise of a straightforward Thunderball adaptation, fans expecting an all-out Bond adventure – with gregarious gadgets, garish credits, grand theme ballads and gurning villains – were in for a sour experience. Never Say Never Again was based upon Bond’s search for some rogue nuclear missiles, thought to have been nabbed by SPECTRE. We'll see how new Bond handles the updated Spectre organisation this October. While some of the old Bond sexiness was provided by Playboy cover girl Barbara Carrera and future A-lister Kim Basinger, Never Say Never Again was a 007 epic that was distinctly light on the thrills and spills...

“Although Sean was easy to work with, and still brilliant as Bond, I had to shoot the film in six countries and keep everything straight and legally in line,” maintained Kershner. “Cubby Broccoli and Eon tried to stop the production of Never Say Never Again every single day. Not a morning went by but we were not in the courts in London. They kept saying, ‘You cannot make this because we have a huge stake in this character’ but the Thunderball book was owned by two people so they couldn’t actually stop us as long as we stuck to the source. So they kept very close tabs on us. They knew the script and they did not want anything that resembled their version of Thunderball – even though it was the same book we were adapting! So I had to do some fancy footwork, which was very difficult. Broccoli even said, ‘You cannot shoot any parts of the book that we have already shot.’ Well that meant we would not be able to do the underwater sequences – and that was part of our film. So we had to settle that too. It just went on and on.”

In its overwhelming favour Never Say Never Again at least has Connery back on form, highlighting an ageing and insecure secret agent.“I had worked with Sean Connery years before on a film called A Fine Madness,” continued Kershner. “I remember when Sean first called me about the project. He said, ‘How would you like to do my last 007 movie?’ My first reaction was, ‘Wow, you are an old man now, Sean. Can you actually do this again?’ He laughed and said, ‘Yeah but that is the thing – it will have to be a different kind of film, much more psychology and less action.’ So I didn’t want to have Bond hanging from a helicopter with one arm and shooting people with the other [laughs]. We had to make sure that the script indicated that Bond had come back from the sidelines to do this one special mission.”

Another plus for Never Say Never Again came in the form of some grounded villains. Austrian born Klaus Maria Brandauer is especially memorable as arch-misogynist Maximilian Largo – a sea-faring billionaire who masquerades as a charity philanthropist but is in fact SPECTRE’s number one honcho in underground arms deals. Blofeld, previously played by the likes of Telly Savalas and Donald Pleasence, is here given the subdued, and even gentlemanly, presence of Max von Sydow. Meanwhile, Barbara Carrera’s sadomasochistic sex-fiend Fatima Blush paves the way for such future 007 femme fatales as May Day in A View To A Kill and Xenia Onatopp in GoldenEye.

“I loved the cast that we had,” added Kershner. “Max von Sydow and Barbara Carrera were wonderful and Klaus Maria Brandauer is an amazing actor with limitless depth. Unfortunately, he was very difficult to work with – although I think it was worth it. He played his role as normal as possible – with a little humour but a visible deadly streak. We had our differences but I like what he did and I respected his efforts enormously. I wanted his character to be very contemporary so I chose a greedy businessman as our villain. Of course, I didn’t realise how much of a forecast for the future this was [laughs].”

Released only four months after summer-smash Octopussy had done blockbuster business, Never Say Never Again would open to a Bond-breaking weekend gross. Even so, it was all downhill from there. Mixed critical reception, and the grudging acknowledgement that this was not a typical outing for everyone’s favourite undercover agent, resulted in Never Say Never Again failing to match the money of its Moore counterpart. Although by no means a flop (its theatrical take would remain unmatched by the three Bond outings which followed) this attempt to one-up Eon lacked the sheer spectacle of the official 007 epics.

“I did not want to refuse Sean when he asked me to make it but I was never actually a big fan of James Bond,” confided Kershner. “I saw some of them with my kids but this was not the sort of thing I ever wanted to make. And there were so many problems with Never Say Never Again. For a start, Thunderball is not a very good book so we had to move away from that in as much, legally, as we could.

“Consequently it was difficult to get a good script. But once we began shooting it was not challenging for Sean to resume his Bond persona. He was right there, he always knew the lines and he did what had to be done.”

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^{Images © David Steen/Sygma/Corbis, courtesy the kobal collection}

A second video clip has landed on 007.com, offering another glimpse into production on 24th Bond outing, SPECTRE.

This latest snippet follows director Sam Mendes as he works his magic behind the camera. Also included are Daniel Craig as James Bond 007 along with fellow cast members Ralph Fiennes as M, Naomie Harris as Miss Moneypenny, and Ben Whishaw as Q.

Check out the clip in full, below:

"The reasons I’m doing the second Bond movie are the reasons I would do any movie, really, which is all to do with the story,” Mendes says in the above clip. “And in this movie, ‘Spectre,’ what you have is a movie entirely driven by Bond. He is on a mission from the very beginning.”

It’s about whether or not to pursue the life he’s always pursued, whether he matters and is he going to continue or not. And you’re going to have to come to see the movie to find out whether he does.”

The tasty preview indicates we’ll be seeing a more mature Bond in SPECTRE, possessing what Mendes calls “a greater wisdom.” Well, he wouldn’t be 007 without brawn and brains.

Co-starring Christoph Waltz, Lea Seydoux and Monica Bellucci, SPECTRE is set to open worldwide on November 6, 2015.

For more on SPECTRE and other great movie news, subscribe to Total Film.

SPECTRE has given fans an opportunity a chance to see the first footage from the 24th Bond film, with the release of a new on-set video on 007.com.

The new video shows Sam Mendes and crew filming an action sequence in Solden, Austria, with Daniel Craig's Bond getting his action on against a snowy, mountainside backdrop.

"This is going to be one of the major action sequences of the movie," says Associate Producer Gregg Wilson, "a jewel in the crown so to speak. It’s going to be spectacular and Austria seemed to offer everything that we needed to pull it off."

Take a look at the new footage, below...

Production Designer Dennis Gassner also chimes in, saying, "The thing that Sam and I talked about was how we are going to top Skyfall… I think that we are going to continue the history of the Bond films, making things that are exciting for the audience to look at and what could be more exciting than to be on top of the world?"

Directed by Mendes and co-starring Christoph Waltz, Ralph Fiennes and Léa Seydoux, SPECTRE will open in the UK on 23 October 2015, and the US on 6 November 2015.

Sam Mendes has been talking to US chat show host Charlie Rose about what attracted him back to the director's chair for Bond 24 , with the primary motivation seeming to be a sense of unfinished business.

"I started a number of stories that were incomplete," explains Mendes. "I cast a new M, I cast a new Moneypenny, I cast a new Q, I cast a new Tanner. I felt like there was a way to create the second part of a two-part story."

"And then I started to get re-interested again when they agreed to wait a little longer, and not go immediately and not go with two movies but with one, which I felt very strongly about."

Mendes goes on to confirm that while the next film won't pick up the narrative in such a direct way as Quantum Of Solace did when following Casino Royale , it will very much represent a continuation of the themes and feel of Skyfall .

"What we tried to do, and what audiences seemed to embrace in Skyfall was for the first time, characters were allowed to age," says Mendes, "and they were allowed to acknowledge the passing of the years, and could acknowledge the history in a kind of sly, mischievous way."

He then makes reference to the delighted reaction of a test audience to the reveal of the DB5, accompanied by the classic Bond theme, as the final push that made him want to be involved with the process all over again.

If we can look forward to more of the same as what was delivered in Skyfall , we should be in for a treat when Bond 24 opens in the UK on 23 October 2015.

In issue 214 of Total Film magazine , Bond's brand new Miss Moneypenny, Naomie Harris, drops some tantalising hints about the future of 007.

Inside the issue - which is available for just £1.99 on your iPad , Harris reveals that her first Bond film, Skyfall , won't necessarily be her last, adding that Bond 24 could pick up threads left hanging by Skyfall .

“I feel like Skyfall is one part of a continuing story," the 37-year-old Brit says. "It needs completing and it needs the same storyteller."

With Sam Mendes on board to direct Bond 24 , it looks like Harris should get her wish. Meanwhile, she's excited at the prospect of working with Daniel Craig again.

"I really got on with Daniel," she smiles. "It would be strange if someone else took the role. He's a brilliant Bond for our times. And I'm so relieved [ about Mendes returning ]. He chose me and had a vision for my character.

"I'd feel really weird working for someone who hadn't chosen me and didn't have that vision. I just want him to see it through."

Bond 24 o pens in the UK on 23 October 2015.

For more from Naomie Harris, pick up the brand new issue of Total Film , which is out now , and includes an exclusive look at RoboCop , Star Wars: Episode VII , The Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug and many more exciting new movies .

Buy Total Film magazine issue 214

Never miss an issue by subscribing to Total Film magazine now!

Click here for a preview of Total Film magazine issue 214.

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Filming on Bond 24 is still a long way off , but Daniel Craig is already talking about how the film might be different from his previous spy excursions.

In conversation with Vulture , the actor expressed an interest in reclaiming "some of the old irony" of classic Bond for his fourth go around as 007.

“Hopefully we’ll reclaim some of the old irony,” he said, “and make sure it doesn’t become pastiche. I can’t do shtick, I’m not very good at it.

"Unless it kind of suddenly makes sense. Does that make sense? I sometimes wish I hammed it up more, but I just can’t do it very well, so I don’t do it.”

After the success of Skyfall , we imagine Craig's feeling pretty confident about reteaming with director Sam Mendes for another adventure - could that mean he's looking to try new things with the character?

Some of the best stuff in Skyfall was the sly humour that was almost entirely missing from Quantum Of Solace . We'd definitely embrace more of that next time around.

John Logan is currently writing the script for Bond 24 , which will open in the UK on 23 October 2015.

Skyfall director Sam Mendes has confirmed that he will not direct Bond 24 , according to the official James Bond 007 Facebook page .

Since the record-breaking success of James Bond’s 23rd movie outing, speculation has been rife that Mendes would jump back into the director’s chair for the next installment (or Bond 24 , as it’ll be known until it gets an official title).

It seems that Mendes’ theatre commitments are key factors in his decision not to return to the franchise, despite the fact that producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbra Broccoli evidently wanted him to return.

In a statement, Mendes said, “It has been a very difficult decision not to accept Michael and Barbara’s very generous offer to direct the next Bond movie.

“Directing Skyfall was one of the best experiences of my professional life, but I have theatre and other commitments, including productions of Charlie And The Chocolate Factory and King Lear , that need my complete focus over the next year and beyond."

In a joint statement, Wilson and Broccoli added, “We thoroughly enjoyed working with Sam. He directed our most successful Bond movie ever, Skyfall . We would have loved to have made the next film with him but completely respect his decision to focus on other projects and hope to have the opportunity to collaborate with him again.”

In October 2012, Mendes spoke to Total Film of his reticence to direct another Bond film after Skyfall , explaining, “I think there’s a strong possibility that I put everything I ever wanted to put in a Bond movie into this movie.”

After his sterling work on Skyfall (the highest-grossing British film in UK box office history, lest we forget), Sony / MGM have reportedly been desperate to re-sign Sam Mendes to direct the next Bond movie, and finally, it sounds as if they may be getting their wish.

According to The Daily Mail ’s Baz Bamigboye, Mendes is now “75% likely” to return to the director’s chair, having initially been sceptical about his ability to fit it into his busy schedule.

Mendes was also reportedly put off by the suggestion of the next episode being part of a two-film storyline, to be filmed back to back. That would have required around four years of the director’s time, a commitment he was unwilling to make.

However, it seems now that Bond 24 will be a standalone movie, and Mendes is in negotiations to thrash out a deal. What doesn’t seem likely is that Mendes will hit the targeted release date of Autumn 2014.

With various theatre commitments clogging up his schedule, Mendes would only be able to begin work on the film in January of next year, which would make the traditional October arrival a bit of a squeeze.

Still, we’d be more than happy to wait if it meant getting another Bond film of Skyfall ’s calibre. Over to you, Sam…