Aaron Taylor-Johnson has added to rapidly intensifying speculation that he is the new James Bond with a curt response to a question about his next role.
The 35-year-old Bullet Train star has been the rumoured frontrunner to replace Daniel Craig as the British spy in the acclaimed movie series, based on the novels by Ian Fleming.
While he has batted off queries with increasing frustration, he appeared to offer his biggest hint yet that the gig was in fact his.
“What are you doing next?” asked a journalist from Deadline at the world premiere of 28 Years Later in London on Wednesday (18 June).
“I can’t talk about it,” replied Taylor-Johnson as he was escorted away by his entourage.
The response was taken as confirmation, by some, that the project would be the blockbuster 007 franchise, which is notorious for its secrecy and discretion around all aspects of its production.
Last month, the actor became one of Omega’s global ambassadors and celebrated the deal at the company’s HQ in Biel, Switzerland, where he enjoyed a tour of their watchmaking facilities and museum.
The brand, which has been on the wrists of 007 actors for 30 years, was first donned by Pierce Brosnan in the 1995 film GoldenEye and most recently worn by Craig in No Time to Die.
Speculation has swirled since Craig – the longest-running actor to ever play the British spy – announced he would be retiring from the franchise.
Since then, a number of actors have been rumoured to replace him in the iconic role, including Bridget Jones star Leo Woodall, Luther actor Idris Elba, Happy Valley’s James Norton, Venom star Tom Hardy, and rumoured favourite, Taylor-Johnson.
Craig had the longest continuous reign as the lead in the movie franchise, first playing the role in 2006’s Casino Royale. The character was adapted for the big screen in 1962, with Sean Connery being the first to star as the protagonist in Dr No.
The Knives Out star was asked, “If you were to pass the James Bond torch, who would you love to see play him?” in an interview with Variety. He responded: “I don’t care.”
The last James Bond film was No Time To Die in 2021, starring Craig. Bond’s future has been hanging in the balance following Amazon’s acquisition of MGM Studios in 2022.
The acquisition initially gave Amazon distribution rights but not creative control. However, it was announced earlier this year that Amazon Prime had spent a reported $1 billion to gain full creative control from producer Barbara Broccoli, leaving fans more shaken than stirred about the future direction of the franchise.
