"James Bond to Stay Male and British, Brosnan Opposes American 007, Longlegs Director Curses Bezos"

The speculation surrounding the next James Bond continues to swirl following Amazon's acquisition of full creative control over the iconic franchise. Despite the uncertainty, a recent report from The Mail on Sunday sheds light on Amazon's stance, confirming that James Bond will remain a male character and retain his British or Commonwealth nationality. This news effectively rules out potential candidates like Ryan Gosling, much to the relief of former Bond actor Pierce Brosnan, who emphasized to The Telegraph that Bond should be British.

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The possibility of casting an actor from the Commonwealth has reignited interest in Australian star Chris Hemsworth, who has previously expressed his enthusiasm for the role. In a 2019 interview with Balance magazine, Hemsworth reflected on his performance as British Formula One driver James Hunt in Rush, stating, “When we were shooting Rush someone had said that and I thought, ‘Cool, if this is my audition tape, then great.’ I don’t think you’ll ever meet anyone who doesn’t want to have a crack at James Bond. I’d love to do it. But that’s up to so many elements and is way beyond myself; it’s not one you can pitch yourself on to either. It’s something that the community of Bond fans, Barbara Broccoli and the whole crew there agree on, and it has to be a very organic decision from them. There have been a lot of names thrown out there and a lot of brilliant people can tackle that one.” Hemsworth's comments have resurfaced with renewed speculation that he could be the next 007, with The Today Show Australia boldly proclaiming, "It's a surety. He is in."

Concerns about the future of the franchise persist following Amazon's acquisition and the stepping back of long-time Bond producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson. Amidst rumors that Amazon might opt for a Bond TV series, Variety has reported that a new Bond film remains the "top priority." Amazon is reportedly seeking a producer akin to David Heyman, known for his work on the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts series, to bring a cohesive vision to the franchise.

Christopher Nolan's interest in directing a Bond film post-Tenet was rebuffed by Broccoli, who insisted on retaining final cut control. Nolan subsequently directed Oppenheimer, which became a global box office hit and earned him an Oscar for best director.

The acquisition by Amazon has not been universally welcomed. When asked about directing a Bond movie during a Reddit AMA, the director of Longlegs and The Monkey responded emphatically, "No, because f**k Jeff Bezos."

Fans are eager to learn who will step into Bond's shoes next. While names like Tom Hardy, Idris Elba, James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, and Aaron Taylor-Johnson have been floated, the fan-favorite appears to be Henry Cavill, known for his roles in Superman and The Witcher.

Variety has indicated that Amazon cannot proceed with hiring until the Broccoli-Wilson deal is finalized, expected later this year. Reports suggest that the franchise is currently "on pause" due to an ongoing "ugly" stalemate between the Broccoli family and Amazon, according to the Wall Street Journal. This conflict arose after Amazon acquired the rights to release Bond movies following its purchase of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer for $8.45 billion in 2021.

Neither Amazon nor Eon Productions has issued an official statement regarding these developments.