The hunt for the new James Bond seems to be taking on a slightly more prestigious turn. This is according to the recent reports published on January 22nd, 2026, by Showbiz411 and ComingSoon, suggesting that the Oscar-nominated actor, Jacob Elordi, seems to have entered the fray as one of the possible candidates for the role of the legendary character 007 in the James Bond series. This is due to the fact that the actor seems to have met with the Amazon MGM Studios as well as the renowned film director, Denis Villeneuve.
It is an appropriate time to make a change to Bond, especially since the franchise is currently undergoing its first reboot since Amazon was granted the reins from long-time caretakers Barbara Broccoli and Michael Wilson back in 2025. Broccoli and Wilson own the franchise, but they are certainly not acting as caretakers anymore, especially since Amazon is free to reimagine a screen icon that is nearly sixty years old.
This is particularly the case considering the fact that the day before he received the news of his involvement in the Bond film, he received an Oscar nomination as Best Supporting Actor for his role as the Creature in the film “Frankenstein,” which marked a major shift in his acting career, transforming his public persona from a heartthrob to a dramatic actor.
James Bond’s first full reboot under Amazon’s creative control
Apparently, the director Villeneuve, as well as the screenwriter Knight, has fallen in love with the young actor because of the resemblance to Bond as a young man, far removed from the suave and cool Bond that the public has come to love and adore.
The idea behind the film, if the rumors are to be believed, is a Bond under the age of 30, a Bond that is much closer to the original creation by author Ian Fleming, a deadly, physically intimidating, yet emotionally vulnerable Bond. Elordi stands at 6’5″, making him the tallest Bond in history, yet that is fitting, as the production team behind Amazon Studios wants a Bond that is physically intimidating, a man who can get away with murder without the aid of gadgets or quips. Of course, there is nothing to say that Elordi is the only horse in the running.
Callum Turner is currently a favorite among both bookies and fans to play the leading role, particularly after his recent turn in the HBO series Masters of the Air. He has also been making headlines more recently after he was spotted on holiday at Ian Fleming’s Oracabessa Bay Estate in Jamaica. The estate is connected to the James Bond series.
Villeneuve is yet another director who is not afraid to play it safe. Behind all the scenes, Bond 26 is already breaking new ground and is different from everything else, particularly since Villeneuve just wrapped shooting Dune: Part Three and is already officially set to direct it, while Knight is working tirelessly to reimagine the current Bond lore for a whole new generation of moviegoers.
