The Next James Bond "Shouldn't Try To Be Someone Like Daniel Craig," Says Franchise Star

The new James Bond hasn't yet been announced, but former franchise star Ben Whishaw believes the new incarnation should be a big shift away from the Daniel Craig era. Craig retired as 007 with 2021's No Time To Die, and, under Amazon's new franchise control, director Denis Villeneuve will usher the announced Bond 26 to the screen over the next few years.

Speaking with Metro, Whishaw, who played Q across three of Craig's Bond movies, suggests the next 007 should push the franchise into some surprising new territory. What exactly that entails, Whishaw isn't sure, but the actor doesn't think the Craig era needs a do-over. Check out his comment below:

‘For me, it’s always best when they do a really big gear shift from the previous incarnation. I don’t know precisely what that means, but I think something left field, something unexpected. I think it shouldn’t try to be someone like Daniel Craig.’

Beginning his tenure with Casino Royale (2006), Craig's five-film run as 007 was defined by a higher level of grittiness and realism than past incarnations of the character. Though later installments like Spectre (2015) and No Time To Die (2021) did veer closer to the suave, gadget-wielding version of Bond from the '60s, Craig is generally considered to be a more down-to-earth 007.

It's unclear what Villeneuve's vision for Bond 26 is as he's currently hard at work on this year's Dune: Part Three, but no actor has yet been cast in the project. The Internet has been awash with rumors and reports for years about who will take Craig's place, but, officially, the new 007 remains shrouded in mystery.

Actors like Callum Turner, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and Harris Dickinson, among others, have all been said to be top choices for the role at one point or another. One common sentiment is that Bond 26 could feature a slightly younger 007, potentially late 20s or early 30s, but notably both Turner and Taylor-Johnson are now in their mid-30s.

Craig, for context, was 38 when Casino Royale was released, meaning he was probably about the same age as Turner and Taylor-Johnson when he was first cast. When he left the franchise, Craig was about 53, speaking to the multi-film commitment any new Bond actor will have to make to the franchise.

Bond 26 casting will reportedly get underway this year, and the production is supposedly seeking a "fresh face," presumably meaning someone who isn't already very famous. Depending how far the production wants to take this, actors like Turner and Taylor-Johnson could already be too well-known.

Also unknown is when Bond 26 will take place. Some have speculated that the next movie could take the franchise back to its 1960s roots. With Villeneuve now in post-production on his third Dune film, more information regarding James Bond's future should arrive this year.