James Bond producer says search for next Bond will begin next year

Daniel Craig and Ana de Armas in No Time to Die

(Image credit: Universal Pictures)

No Time to Die producer Barbara Broccoli says the search for a new James Bond will start in 2022.

"Oh God no, I mean we're just – no, we're not thinking about it at all," Broccoli told BBC Radio 4's Today program (H/T Deadline), when asked if a decision had been made about the new Bond. "We want Daniel [Craig] to have his time of celebration. Next year we'll start thinking about the future."

Answering if Craig could have a say in his successor, producer Michael G. Wilson said: "He's been such a great Bond. Those are big shoes to fill. I can't even think who's even possible... [Craig has] changed the series, he's certainly always going to be a big part of the history of Bond."

The upcoming No Time to Die will mark Craig's final outing as 007. Speculation over who might be picking up the license to kill next has been rampant for years, with names like Idris Elba, Tom Hardy, and lately Bridgerton's Regé-Jean Page frequently popping up in the conversation.

"There should simply be better parts for women and actors of color," Craig said recently of whether the next Bond should be a woman. "Why should a woman play James Bond when there should be a part just as good as James Bond, but for a woman?"

Along with Craig, No Time to Die sees the return of Léa Seydoux as Madeleine Swan, Ben Whishaw as Q, Ralph Fiennes as M, Naomie Harris as Eve Moneypenny, Jeffrey Wright as Felix Leiter, and Christoph Waltz as Blofeld. Lashana Lynch joins the franchise as Nomi, while Ana de Armas will appear as Paloma, and Rami Malek portrays the villain Safin.

The long-awaited No Time to Die arrives to UK cinemas this September 30, and debuts in the US on October 8. Until then, check out our guide to all of 2021's major movie release dates.

I'm the Deputy Entertainment Editor here at GamesRadar+, covering all things film and TV for the site's Total Film and SFX sections. I previously worked on the Disney magazines team at Immediate Media, and also wrote on the CBeebies, MEGA!, and Star Wars Galaxy titles after graduating with a BA in English.