Just recently, it was reported that Bond 26 is currently in limbo, with Denis Villeneuve still busy with Dune 3 and insiders claiming that Amazon doesn’t actually have a clear plan for 007’s future yet. But even though those same rumors suggest that work on the new script has stalled, multiple sources are now saying that Oscar-nominated actor Jacob Elordi is currently the favorite to play James Bond in the next instalment of the franchise.
The search for the next James Bond has turned into one of the internet’s longest-running arguments. It’s become a pattern, actually. Every few months, a new actor is added to the long line-up, upsetting fans online, while others insist that Aaron Taylor-Johnson has already signed the contract.
Elordi isn’t exactly a new name for the role. He’s been mentioned alongside Callum Turner, Henry Cavill, Idris Elba, Cosmo Jarvis, Aaron Pierre, Jack Lowden, Josh O’Connor… the list is really long.
But several insiders now claim 28-year-old Australian actor is the frontrunner for Bond 26. While no official offer had landed on his doorstep yet, the studio is reportedly viewing him as a very serious contender for the role, even preparing to screen test him for the part.
When Elordi’s name entered the James Bond conversation in 2025, it felt a little unexpected. But, as we know, the actor has made a name for himself in recent months, thanks to his role as the Creature in Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein.
Entertainment journalist Roger Friedman is reporting that Elordi has already met with producers, Amazon/MGM executives, and even director Denis Villeneuve. Now, journalist Marina Hyde said on The Rest is Entertainment podcast that she’s heard from multiple sources that Elordi is in “pole position” for the role.
Naturally, fans have reacted to the news. And many of them negatively, saying that Elordi doesn’t have the looks or the charisma to pull off the role. But Elordi’s performances in Euphoria, Saltburn, Priscilla, and Frankenstein prove he can balance both charm and the physicality of the role. At 6’5”, he certainly looks like the type of person who could throw a henchman through a wall. Which is exactly the type of actor you need if the reports that screenwriter Steven Knight, the man behind Peaky Blinders and Eastern Promises, is steering Bond back toward Fleming’s colder, rougher version of the spy are true.
“I hope not. I think he’s a good actor, but I also think he’s becoming a bit overexposed recently. And I just don’t see him as Bond,” wrote one user on Reddit. “Not a fan. Theo James would be my pick if they go straight hunk,” wrote another. “Way too mainstream and boyish to play Bond. I prefer Callum Turner,” another expressed. It’s going to be tough to please everyone.
And before you grab your pitchforks and shout, “But he’s Australian,” it’s important for fans to remember George Lazenby was too. Okay, 1969’s On Her Majesty’s Secret Service wasn’t exactly prime Bond, but it has been done before. In fact, Sam Worthington nearly snagged the role in Casino Royale before Craig ultimately played the character.
For Jacob Elordi, the timing to play James Bond might be perfect. And honestly, Amazon would struggle to find a better actor.
