James Bond producers explain exactly what they’re looking for in the next 007

Charlie Herbert

A decision isn’t going to be coming for a while though

The James Bond producers have opened up about the kind of 007 they will be looking for in the next film.

Daniel Craig is widely credited for being the most emotionally complex Bond there has been. Whilst maintaining the masculinity of the character, Craig brought a vulnerability to the character, and of course – spoiler alert – died a family man.

The producers of the Bond films have now revealed that they want to carry on this aspect of the character, and that whoever they cast as the next iteration of the iconic spy will need to have these traits.

Speaking to Variety ahead of Bond’s 60th anniversary in October, producer Barbara Broccoli praised Craig for having “cracked Bond open emotionally.”

Broccoli said: “It’s an evolution. Bond is evolving just as men are evolving. I don’t know who’s evolving at a faster pace.”

But it doesn’t sound like we’ll find out who the next actor will be anytime soon, with Broccoli saying they’re still in the “early stages” of finding their next Bond.

And she seemed to dampen rumours linking 50-year-old Idris Elba to the role, suggesting that it may be too much of a commitment for him – because of his age.

“We love Idris. The thing is, [the casting decision] is going to be a couple of years off,” she said.

“And when we cast Bond, it’s a 10-12 year commitment. So he’s probably thinking, ‘do I really want that thing?’ Not everybody wants to do that.

“It’s not just about casting an actor for a film. It’s about a reinvention.”

Fellow producer Michael G Wilson, who has worked with Broccoli on all the Bond films since 1995’s GoldenEye, added: “It was hard enough getting [Daniel Craig to do it], and he was in his early 30s at the time!”

But the role may even be too much of a commitment for younger actors as well, according to Broccoli.

“A lot of people think, ‘Oh yeah, it’d be fun to do one’. Well. That ain’t gonna work,” she said.

And she confirmed they’re looking to shaken (and maybe even stir) the role up before putting together a shortlist of candidates.

“That’s why, when people go, ‘Oh, who are you going to get?’ it’s not just about casting an actor for a film. It’s about a reinvention, and ‘Where are we taking it? What do we want to do with the character?’” she said.

“And then, once we figure that out, who’s the right person for that particular reinvention?”

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