The next James Bond movie just got a disappointing update that indicates its release is far from on the horizon.
007 has been a staple of British culture on the big screen since Sean Connery first played James Bond in 1962's Dr. No. But almost four years after Daniel Craig (the seventh actor to play Bond) exited the role with 2021's No Time to Die, the franchise's future has never been more up in the air.
007's Next Movie Might Still Be 'Years Away'
The James Bond fandom was delivered a shocking revelation in February as longtime franchise producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson stepped back from their spy thriller days and handed creative control to Amazon.
A report from Deadline offered a disappointing update on the next 007 movie release as, almost four years on from No Time to Die, the franchise's next entry still seems to be a while away.
The outlet revealed "no decisions" have been made on who will be the next actor to step into the legendary tuxedo, or who will write and direct the flick. Additionally, Deadline stated the next 007 blockbuster is still "likely years away."
Looking back at 007 franchise history, the previous longest gap between movies was from 1989's License to Kill to 1995's Goldeneye at 2352 days. Following No Time to Die's release in September 2021, the wait for the British spy to be back on screens is creeping up on beating that record.
The full list of the longest waits between James Bond movies can be seen below:
- On Her Majesty's Secret Service - Diamonds Are Forever: 742 days
- Goldeneye - Tomorrow Never Dies: 749 days
- You Only Live Twice - On Her Majesty's Secret Wars: 919 days
- The Man with the Golden Gun - The Spy Who Loved Me: 943 days
- The World Is Not Enough - Die Another Day: 1090 days
- Skyfall - Spectre: 1095 days
- Quantum of Solace - Skyfall: 1456 days
- Die Another Day - Casino Royale: 1457 days
- Spectre - No Time to Die: 2166 days
- License to Kill - Goldeneye: 2352 days
The wait for James Bond's next movie will reach the 2352-day mark in March 2028, at which point it will become the longest gap between 007 outings ever. As Amazon is reportedly still to hire a writer, director, or actor to restart the franchise, the chances of breaking that record are rising every day.
Rumors have been running rampant on who will replace Daniel Craig after his James Bond was killed off in No Time to Die. There were claims Kraven the Hunter star Aaron Taylor-Johnson was in talks for the role, but following the latest updates, it seems those talks either fell apart or never happened to begin with.
When Will the Next James Bond Movie Be Released?
Turning back to Spectre, the franchise's last entry not impacted by the pandemic, production lasted three months from November 2014 to February 2015 and it hit theaters later that year in October. As such, once a new 007 movie gets into production, fans are still looking at another year's wait.
With no actor, director, or writer secured yet and Amazon only just becoming free to figure out its 007 master plan, filming probably won't be happening for well over a year, or possibly even more. As such, fans shouldn't expect to see Bond back in theaters until 2027, but probably even longer than that.
According to an article from The Wall Street Journal, Amazon was looking to expand 007 into a universe with more movies, spin-offs, and TV series. While Barbara Broccoli was once resisting that notion, Amazon's newly-acquired creative control will leave it free to make such projects a reality.
Amazon already utilized the James Bond license on streaming in one major way with the 007: Road to a Million reality series, which has been renewed for Season 2. Hosted by Succession alum Brian Cox, the series saw nine teams of two compete to win £1 million (read more about 007's reality TV affair).
As fans wait for more 007 on the big screen, the creators of Hitman, IO Interactive, are working on a new video game that will star its own James Bond. Updates on the project have been few and far between since it was announced in 2021, and gamers shouldn't hold their breath for an imminent release.
007's whole 25-movie catalog is streaming now on Amazon Prime Video.
