The always-reliable Roger Friedman, a journalist with decades of work to back him up, has paralleled what I heard and reported many months ago: Jacob Elordi is being heavily sought out to play James Bond.
This morning, Elordi, 28, received his first Oscar nod for “Frankenstein.” It’s been a wild last few years for the Australian-born actor, who broke out with HBO’s “Euphoria” and has since taken off, working on films by Sofia Coppola, Emerald Fennell, Paul Schrader, Guillermo del Toro, and Ridley Scott.
Friedman’s story, which has now been picked up by Drudge, reports that Elordi has had meetings with Bond producers, Amazon/MGM and director Denis Villeneuve. If he gets the job, he’d be the youngest 007 ever, which does align with previous reports that Amazon was looking for a young Bond to reboot the franchise.
Back in October, I had a well-placed source telling me that Amazon/MGM was quietly pushing for Elordi to be the next Bond, though no formal offer has been sent out, and that Elordi was likely to have a screen test in 2026 — the usual tuxedo fitting and action scene.
Villeneuve is expected to have a say in the matter, and so far there’s been no indication of pushback on his part in terms of Elordi’s casting. In fact, if we take today’s reporting, it seems as though Elordi privately met with the filmmaker. A final decision is supposed to be made on the next 007 actor in mid-2026.
Elordi might be a perfect fit for 007, a character that requires the looks but also a certain detached coldness, which Elordi has. He’d make a compelling Bond because he combines striking looks with an imposing frame and a natural air of detachment that aligns with Ian Fleming’s colder, more ruthless 007. His performances have shown he can balance charm with menace — exactly the duality required of James Bond.
A key factor in this reboot is screenwriter Steven Knight, who is penning Bond 26 for Amazon MGM. With credits including “Peaky Blinders” and “Eastern Promises,” Knight has a history of gritty, violent storytelling. One insider notes that the new Bond needs to look like “he could kill you with his bare hands in a trice” — a clear nod to Ian Fleming’s more brutal conception of the character. Standing at 6’5”, Elordi certainly fits the physical criteria.
Knight is said to be drawing heavily from Fleming’s earliest novels, which could signal an “origin” Bond — revisiting his Royal Navy background, his recruitment into MI6, and his eventual attainment of “00” status. The story could even be set in the ’50s or ’60s.
According to Deadline’s Justin Kroll, we’re looking at a potential shoot for Bond 26 in late 2026 or early 2027, so expect casting to happen very soon on this one.
I’m not sure how this is going to turn out, but Michael Mann “secretly recut” his ‘Miami Vice’ movie, which has now led to the 4k restoration, a “Director’s Fina Cut,” to world premiere on October 3.