Reports circulated on Wednesday suggesting Jessie Buckley had been cast as the next 007, a development that would mark a striking shift for the franchise in the wake of Daniel Craig’s departure.
For a brief moment, it appeared that one of cinema’s most enduring casting questions had been settled — and in decidedly unexpected fashion.
The claim quickly gained traction, picked up by outlets including USA Today, and for a brief spell, the idea of Bond entering a more radical, female-led era felt entirely plausible.
In reality, the claim originated as an April Fool’s piece by Euronews, written convincingly enough to pass at a glance.
A slew of names, including Jacob Elordi, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Damson Idris to Callum Turner, have been tipped to replace Craig, who last played the British secret service agent in 2021’s No Time To Die. Although MGM are yet to confirm who.
The next Bond film will be directed by Canadian filmmaker and four-time Academy Award nominee Denis Villeneuve, who is known for Dune, Prisoners, Blade Runner 2049 and Arrival.
It was also recently announced that the script for the next film will be written by Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight.
This comes after a major overhaul of the iconic British spy franchise which saw Barbara Broccoli and Michael G Wilson hand over creative control to Amazon as part of a lucrative deal.
As for Buckley, her career trajectory hardly hinges on franchise casting following her Oscar win in Hamnet opposite Paul Mescal.
But the speed with which the idea of Buckley as 007 took hold, and the enthusiasm it generated - suggests audiences may be more ready for a shake-up than the franchise itself.
Recently, Peaky Blinders star Barry Keoghan said he does not think he “fits the criteria for James Bond”.
In an interview with Radio Times, he said: “(James Bond is) an iconic role and a lot of weight and pressure comes with that.
“It’s nice to see your name go up there, but I don’t think I fit the criteria for James Bond. I’d rather come in and do the villain. The man teasing Bond, that’s more me.”
