The dream cast for the next James Bond film

The year ahead should see multiple announcements regarding the next James Bond film – including the actor chosen to play 007.

Therefore we decided to give Amazon a (steel) hand by picking the dream cast for Bond 26. From Bond girl to Bond villain to Bond himself, these are the actors we’d love to see starring in Denis Villeneuve’s new adventure when the superspy finally returns.

We’re working on the assumption that everybody from the Craig era is done – although we’d happily welcome back the MI6 crew of Ralph Fiennes, Naomie Harris and Ben Whishaw. Equally, we picked realistic candidates (so Daniel Day Lewis is out) and no stunt casting (ditto Taylor Swift as Moneypenny).

Remember, this is purely subjective. Spend a few minutes reading it and several hours mentally casting your own Bond film. Hey, it beats work.

James Bond: Josh O’Connor

You want something different from the previous guy. A supremely gifted actor, O’Connor would offer a more cerebral Bond than Daniel Craig. His performance in tennis drama Challengers proves he can bring the physical presence and sexual charisma the role demands. O’Connor also bears a striking resemblance to Hoagy Carmichael, the American composer mentioned by Ian Fleming in two books as the literary Bond’s dead ringer.

The villain: Sir Idris Elba

At 53, the newly knighted Elba is too old for Bond but he would make a perfect villain. Not only does he bring the requisite gravitas but he could easily hold his own in the fight scenes. (Craig’s enemies were mostly wimps.) Rival assassin, rogue billionaire, ringleader of an international crime organisation: whatever the assignment, Elba would ace it. His casting would also create a huge buzz, a meta wink that wouldn’t break the film and, most importantly, secure a truly great actor.

The girl: Jodie Comer

Alleviate concerns about American ownership by making the central triumvirate British. Comer found stardom as mercurial assassin Villanelle in Killing Eve; lead roles in period piece The White Princess, Covid drama Help and one-woman play Prima Facie prove her astonishing versatility. She’d obviously ace an action-orientated role (fellow spy?) but would also be brilliant as a glamorous enigma a la Eva Green in Casino Royale. As with Elba, it’s hard to envisage a character where she doesn’t excel.

The femme fatale: Úrsula Corberó

It’s been a while since Bond encountered a proper femme fatale, a beautiful woman who’s even more unhinged than the villain. (Thunderball’s Fiona Volpe remains the prime example.) Spanish megastar Úrsula Corberó played Eddie Redmayne's wife in The Day of the Jackal but it’s her role in the smash-hit Money Heist that should be her calling card. Let her break bad as a black widow. (There’s an argument to swap her and Comer – whatever, they’d both be brilliant either way.)

The henchman: Ewan Mitchell

From Willem Dafoe to Mads Mikkelsen, some actors just look evil. Mitchell is currently tearing up the small screen as the psychotic Aemond Targaryen in House of the Dragon. Stick him in a designer suit, devise a lethal affectation, and you have a henchman for the ages. Young, suave and deadly: think blonde assassin Necros in The Living Daylights or Benicio Del Toro’s malevolent Dario in Licence to Kill.

M: Sir Mark Rylance

Slam dunk. A legend of stage and screen, Rylance won an Oscar playing a Soviet agent in Bridge of Spies so it’s only right he defects to MI6. His wonderfully subtle performance as Thomas Cromwell offers a possible blueprint as to how he might play the spymaster. Previous incumbent Ralph Fiennes is only a few years older than Craig, while Judi Dench softened across her tenure, so it would be good to reestablish the tension of the Bernard Lee and Sean Connery dynamic. Mutually respectful but no doubt whatsoever who’s the boss.

Q: Toby Jones (or Sarah Lancashire) 

I really like the idea of a female Q, in which case Happy Valley star Sarah Lancashire would be a great choice – formidably intelligent and absolutely not taking any of Bond’s shit. Then I had a vision of Toby Jones scurrying around a lab and my word, he’d be absolutely perfect as the irascible genius, albeit perhaps a little less authoritative than Lancaster. I maybe lean towards Toby but either would be great. Hell, do The World Is Not Enough and cast them both.

Moneypenny: Sophie Cookson

Naomie Harris was the perfect modern Moneypenny, Bond’s equal and perhaps his occasional lover. (The Craig films are pleasingly coy on this.) Likewise, the new incarnation must be her own woman; there can be flirtation but no simpering. Sophie Cookson made a fine secret agent in the Kingsman films; if she’s willing to swap fieldwork for the office, the job should be hers.

Felix Leiter (or his equivalent): Aldis Hodge

I wouldn’t be against letting Felix Leiter die with the sublime Jeffrey Wright and creating another recurring ally (e.g. Joe Don Baker’s Jack Wade of the Pierce Brosnan era). However at some point Bond will need to team up with Uncle Sam. Wright was perfect as a jaded fixer – so let’s return Leiter to his cinematic origins and make him the American Bond. Tall, suave and handsome? Aldis Hodge would smash it.