We have all the time in the world: Who should be the next James Bond and how should he play it?

Since the release of No Time to Die in 2021, the Bond brand has been in a lull. However, what has superseded the recent announcements of a new video game and the brand changing hands from Eon to Amazon is the question of who will take on the mantle of 007 and – amongst the Bond fandom – what direction the series needs to go in.

From Connery’s equal measure of charm and ruthlessness, to Moore’s humour and incredible use of his eyebrows, to Dalton’s serious and darker nature, and Craig’s emotional, overarching storyline, differences in how each Bond actor plays the role ensures that the series stays exciting while never losing sight of its core Bondian elements.

Those astute enough will notice the lack of Pierce Brosnan, and this is because he balanced qualities from previous actors, while moving the series towards the emotional storytelling most famous in Craig’s era. Brosnan retained a suave nature, witty quips, flashy cars as well as a penchant for martinis, girls and guns. Yet beneath this there is incredible nuance and reflection. He is a man who must coldly eliminate those who betray him, all while having a mirror held up to his own character by his boss (“I think you’re a sexist, misogynist dinosaur. A relic of the cold war”) and even the villains he faces (“I might as well ask you if all the vodka martinis ever silenced the screams of all the men you’ve killed…”) It reminds us that for all the glamour Bond evokes as a larger-than-life creation, in his world, he is not a hero, both because he chooses not to be and cannot afford to.

Traditionally, Bond actors have been relatively unknown on the big screen and, should this continue, candidates with too much star power like Jonathan Bailey, Regé-Jean Page, and Joseph Quinn are out

Firm guidelines for the next 007 were outlined by Barbara Broccoli last year: candidates should be men in their 30s of any race, yet willing to sign on for a minimum of 10 years. Assuming Amazon continues to follow these suggestions, it immediately eliminates many actors who have been rumoured on sites such as GQ. Eddie Redmayne, Matt Smith, and even Idris Elba are well into their 40s or even 50s and, on the other end, Tom Holland and Finn Bennett are not only in their late 20s but have long-term filming commitments with Spider-Man and Game of Thrones. Additionally, it is still unknown whether getting an A-list actor is a priority for Amazon. Traditionally, Bond actors have been relatively unknown on the big screen, and should this continue, candidates with too much star power – like Jonathan Bailey, Regé-Jean Page, and Joseph Quinn – are out. Lastly, an unfortunate concern that must be addressed for non-white actors is that they will likely have to bear additional backlash from more extreme groups for taking on a historically white role. Especially as these racial issues have made the role seem “off-putting” to Idris Elba, meaning there is potential for other non-white candidates like Daniel Kaluuya, Henry Golding and Dev Patel to feel the same.

Therefore, to me, there are three actors who best embody the parameters set out above:

Aaron Taylor-Johnson

He has experience within action films like Kick-Ass and Bullet Train, with previous Bond actors having similar “auditions” through similar roles, such as Moore in The Saint or Brosnan in Remington Steele. Taylor-Johnson is also 35, meaning he could certainly do at least a decade and perhaps longer as 007 if he desires. Lastly, to many he has already been cast unofficially due to his recent announcement as an ambassador for watchmaker Omega, a supplier for the Bond films since 1995.

James Norton

Admittedly he is a tad older than Taylor-Johnson and is mostly famous for television roles, meaning if Amazon is looking for an A-lister, he may be out. Yet his versatility across Happy Valley, War and Peace, Grantchester and McMafia proves he has the acting chops to be Bond and his lack of stardom could work to his advantage, as Craig, Brosnan and even Sir Sean Connery were largely unknown on the silver screen before becoming Bond.

Henry Cavill

Painfully obvious, I know, as he seems to be the most popular choice if you take Jeff Bezos’ Twitter poll into account. His age may be something the producers are willing to ignore, but could become an issue if the decade rule is enforced, and his previous roles in Superman and The Witcher could overshadow his performance as Bond. Nevertheless, he certainly looks the part, remains popular and has the potential to give a strong performance, especially on the back of previous espionage roles in Mission Impossible and The Man from U.N.C.L.E.

Who knows whether these (or other tabloid predictions) are right. For now, the world waits with bated breath for the “shocking… positively shocking” announcement of the next actor to have a crack at the Walther PPK.