- Published
James Bond is special.
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Bond → publish → ?
Playing him propels an actor into an exceptionally elite group of performers.
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Playing → play → performers
From Sean Connery to Daniel Craig, only six people have ever played him in the official film series.
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people → play → series
In the last decade alone the UK has had more prime ministers, and twice as many people have walked on the moon than have played the British secret agent.
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people → have → agent
So it's inevitable for Bond fans to want to have their questions answered about the future of one of cinema's most sought after roles, in one of cinema's biggest franchises.
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questions → want → franchises
Who will be the next person to play 007?
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Who → play → 007
This is, of course, the big question fans have been talking about for the last six years.
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fans → talk → years
And with an announcement edging closer and closer, the speculation has intensified recently.
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speculation → edge → ?
Many of the same well-known faces have been bandied about for months, if not years.
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Many → know → months
Those names have generally included Henry Cavill, Harris Dickinson, Jacob Elordi, Jack Lowden, James Norton, Jack O'Connell, Callum Turner and Aaron Taylor-Johnson.
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names → include → Cavill
More recently, other names have also been thrown into the mix.
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names → throw → mix
Earlier this year Variety reported that stage actor Tom Francis had auditioned, external for the role.
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Francis → report → role
And in late August Page Six claimed there will be more auditions this month, and that Gladiator 2 star Paul Mescal and Heartstopper and SAS: Rogue Heroes star Jack Barton are also on the audition list, external.
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Mescal → claim → list
The announcement about the next film's producers referred to keeping Bond's spirit alive "as he embarks on his next adventure", seemingly confirming that Bond would remain male.
However, it's never been clear whether the rumoured names have been well-sourced inside information, or merely guesswork and speculation.
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names → refer → adventure
Have the auditions started yet?
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auditions → start → ?
Back in May, Amazon MGM Studios who now control the Bond franchise confirmed the casting process was under way, external.
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process → control → way
But little detail beyond that was given, the statement only saying: "While we don't plan to comment on specific details during the casting process, we're excited to share more news with 007 fans as soon as the time is right."
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time → give → fans
It now seems that the right time is fast approaching.
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time → seem → ?
In an interview with Deadline, external Amy Pascal, one of the next film's producers, was asked whether we might have news on who would be playing Bond by the end of the year.
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who → ask → year
She replied: "I would say the end of the year is a good bet.
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end → reply → year
Last month entertainment writer Daniel Richtman said, external on social media: "I hear they're in the final round of casting for James Bond and might have already found their guy."
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they → say → guy
His post on X was followed up by journalist Jeff Sneider, external who said: "Heard the same rumour.
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who → follow → rumour
Now 'they may have found their guy'.
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they → find → guy
Who knows at this point?
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Who → know → point
But for some reason, I don't think it's any of the so-called frontrunners, including the Aussie…"
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it → think → Aussie
The Aussie is almost certainly a reference to Euphoria and Wuthering Heights star Jacob Elordi, who was brought up in Brisbane and Melbourne before moving to the US to pursue his acting career.
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who → bring → career
How do the auditions work?
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auditions → work → ?
The audition process is likely to have been carried out in a similar way to previous castings.
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process → carry → castings
The scene that many would-be Bonds have traditionally had to peform is taken from From Russia With Love, where 007 comes out of his bathroom to find Tatiana Romanova in his bed.
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007 → have → bed
It's a scene where an actor relies on their physical presence, movement and charisma.
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actor → rely → presence
As GoldenEye and Casino Royale director Martin Campbell explained to entertainment website Gold Derby, external: "The word is effortless.
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word → explain → Derby
You never see Bond fumble, he is very economic, efficient and effortless.
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he → see → ?
That scene covers all the bases, basically."
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scene → cover → bases
And for a series where the stakes are so high, no expense is spared in ensuring that the film team know exactly how each auditionee will come across on screen.
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auditionee → spar → screen
As the 007 team themselves have explained in the past, external: "Bond screen tests are elaborate affairs involving hair and make-up, costumes, sets, and other actors."
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tests → explain → hair
4. How will the new Bond be announced?
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Bond → announce → ?
Generally, the unveiling of a new Bond has taken place at a London press conference in front of the world's media.
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unveiling → take → media
Amazon purchased MGM for $8.5bn in 2021, which included the rights to distribute James Bond.
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which → purchase → Bond
And they're reported to have paid at least $20m more for the rights to creatively control Bond's future.
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they → report → future
Having paid such eye-watering amounts, it seems more than possible that Amazon MGM might well wish to drive fans towards their streaming service, with any reveal of the new Bond being exclusively announced on Prime Video.
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reveal → pay → Video
…and 25 more, not listed.
