AMAZON bosses are poised to cast the youngest ever James Bond — and set their new 007 series in the ’50s and ’60s.
The streaming giants is said to be keen to hire a 20-something actor for prequels set in era of author Ian Flemings’ books.
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The franchise was snapped up by Amazon after 2021’s No Time to Die ended in the death of the superspy, played by Daniel Craig.
A TV insider told The Sun: “As sensational as it was, Daniel’s exit caused a headache because the death is still fresh in the minds of fans.
“They can’t just pretend it didn’t happen. So they’re now looking at his story as younger man in a different era.”
Well-connected Line of Duty star Daniel Mays said on yesterday’s We’re Not Getting Any Younger podcast: “I heard a rumour that they’re going to cast someone very young and go back to the origins.
“They’re going to back to the ’60s and have all the retro cars and that sort of stuff — and start again. I think that would be kind of cool.”
The sixth actor to portray James will always be remembered as one of the greatest thanks to his appearance in five entries, starting with Casino Royale in 2006 through to his departure in 2021’s No Time to Die, which featured his tear-jerking death.
All of Fleming’s Bond novels, written between 1953 and 1966, have already been turned into Bond films, but the new movies could include some of the original books’ more outlandish plotlines.
They include Bond having a son in You Only Live Twice and the Soviets brainwashing him getting into trying to kill his boss, M, in You Only Live Twice.
Among the twentysomethings who could be in the frame are several British actors, including Spider-Man star Tom Holland, 28, Bridget Jones hunk Leo Woodall, 28, and SAS Rogue Heroes leading man Connor Swindells, 28.
Other contenders are the star of new series Young Sherlock made by Guy Ritchie, Hero Fiennes Tiffin, 27, and Kit Connor, 21, star of Netflix’s Heartstopper currently playing Romeo on Broadway.
Star of drama Saltburn, Jacob Elordi, 27, is also a contender and the Australian would be following in the footsteps of fellow Aussie bond, George Lazenby, who starred in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service aged 29 in 1969.
Paul Mescal, 29, is also a likely target for Amazon, and wouldn’t be the first Irishman to take on 007, as Pierce Brosnan starred in four Bond films from 1995 to 2002.
Speculation that Amazon would be likely to go back in time to continue the Bond franchise grew when The Sun exclusively revealed their first TV spin-off was likely to be The Moneypenny Diaries.
The series, based on the adventures of the MI6 secretary/agent in the Fifties and Sixties, would see movie star Florence Pugh in the frame to take the lead role.
I mean Bond is a big deal, right? That going to Amazon.
“I heard a rumour that they’re going to cast someone very young and go back to the origins.
They’re going to back the sixties and have all the retro cars and that sort of stuff – and start again.
“I think that would be kind of cool.”
Five young gun Bond contenders
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