<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The hunt for the next James Bond is heating up behind the scenes, with former 007 star Daniel Craig reportedly throwing his weight behind a surprising yet compelling contender: Josh O\u2019Connor. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to an exclusive source close to Hollywoodall, Craig has been vocal in supporting O\u2019Connor, believing the 34-year-old actor is the ideal candidate to step into the iconic role.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Craig, who portrayed the suave MI6 agent from 2006 to 2021 across five films, including Casino Royale<\/em> and No Time to Die<\/em>, has been particularly impressed by O\u2019Connor\u2019s breakout performance in Netflix’s The Crown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cDaniel has all but publicly endorsed Josh as the next Bond,\u201d revealed an insider. \u201cHe\u2019s been captivated by Josh\u2019s talent and believes he has the right mix of charisma and depth to carry the franchise forward.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The source emphasized that Craig\u2019s endorsement carries significant weight, given his close relationship with Barbara Broccoli, the longtime producer of the Bond series. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cDaniel\u2019s opinion matters immensely to Barbara, who values his insights, especially when it comes to casting decisions of this magnitude,\u201d the insider added<\/p>\n\n\n\n One of the key factors driving Craig\u2019s support is O\u2019Connor\u2019s distinct energy, which contrasts sharply with Craig\u2019s own portrayal of Bond. \u201cJosh brings a completely different vibe to the table,\u201d the insider explained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cDaniel has been advising the producers on the future of the franchise, and they\u2019ve all agreed that the next Bond should be as different from Daniel as Daniel was from Pierce Brosnan.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Brosnan, who played Bond from 1995 to 2002 in films like Golden eye and Die Another Day, set a high bar for the role, which Craig later redefined with a grittier, more introspective take. <\/p>\n\n\n\n O\u2019Connor, meanwhile, is seen as a potential return to the classic Bond archetype described in Ian Fleming\u2019s original novels. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cJosh has a throwback quality that aligns with the literary Bond,\u201d the source noted. \u201cWith the right physical transformation, he could easily embody the character\u2019s iconic charm and grit.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n At 34, O\u2019Connor is also considered the perfect age to embark on a long-term commitment to the role. \u201cHe could easily give the franchise a solid 15 years, just as Daniel did,\u201d the insider pointed out. \u201cCreatively, they\u2019re on the same page, and Josh has the talent and dedication to make it work.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n The search for the next Bond has been a topic of intense speculation in recent months, with fans and industry insiders alike eagerly awaiting news about who will take on the mantle in the 26th installment of the franchise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n While O\u2019Connor has emerged as a frontrunner, the decision is far from finalized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson, the longtime stewards of the Bond series, have emphasized the importance of finding the right actor to lead the franchise into its next chapter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cEvery time we cast a new Bond, the films evolve,\u201d Wilson, 83, remarked at last year\u2019s Governors Awards. \u201cIt\u2019s about embracing a new direction and the excitement that comes with it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, the process has been complicated by the involvement of Amazon MGM Studios, which now holds creative control over the franchise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe Bond producers and Amazon need to align creatively before moving forward,\u201d the source explained. \u201cOnce that\u2019s resolved, they\u2019ll make an official announcement. A Thanksgiving 2026 release isn\u2019t out of the question if the impasse is resolved soon.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Beyond his acting chops, O\u2019Connor\u2019s English heritage is seen as a crucial factor in his favor. \u201cBoth Daniel and Josh are true-blue Englishmen, which is essential for the character and for fans worldwide,\u201d the insider noted. \u201cJosh is perfectly positioned to take on this role and make it his own.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n As the Bond franchise continues to evolve, one thing is clear: the next 007 will need to embody a unique blend of charm, intensity, and timeless appeal. With Daniel Craig\u2019s endorsement and a growing wave of support, Josh O\u2019Connor may just be the actor to usher in a thrilling new era for James Bond.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For now, fans will have to wait patiently as the producers navigate the creative and logistical challenges ahead. But if all goes according to plan, the world could soon be introduced to a Bond unlike any we\u2019ve seen before.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The hunt for the next James Bond is heating up behind the scenes, with former 007 star Daniel Craig reportedly throwing his weight behind a surprising yet compelling contender: Josh O\u2019Connor. According to an exclusive source close to Hollywoodall, Craig has been vocal in supporting O\u2019Connor, believing the 34-year-old actor is the ideal candidate to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":3556,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[239],"tags":[339,2395,2394,271,582,2393,2392,393,192],"class_list":["post-3554","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-hollywoodall","tag-actor","tag-danielcraig","tag-hollywood","tag-hollywoodall-com","tag-jamesbond","tag-joshoconnor","tag-latest","tag-movie"],"aioseo_notices":[],"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/hollywoodall.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/H-ALL-3-2.jpg",1200,675,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/hollywoodall.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/H-ALL-3-2-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/hollywoodall.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/H-ALL-3-2-300x169.jpg",300,169,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/hollywoodall.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/H-ALL-3-2-768x432.jpg",768,432,true],"large":["https:\/\/hollywoodall.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/H-ALL-3-2-1024x576.jpg",880,495,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/hollywoodall.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/H-ALL-3-2.jpg",1200,675,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/hollywoodall.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/H-ALL-3-2.jpg",1200,675,false],"post-thumbnail":["https:\/\/hollywoodall.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/H-ALL-3-2-1024x576.jpg",1024,576,true],"zox-large-thumb":["https:\/\/hollywoodall.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/H-ALL-3-2-1024x576.jpg",1024,576,true],"zox-mid-thumb":["https:\/\/hollywoodall.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/H-ALL-3-2-600x337.jpg",600,337,true],"zox-square-thumb":["https:\/\/hollywoodall.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/H-ALL-3-2-600x600.jpg",600,600,true],"zox-small-thumb":["https:\/\/hollywoodall.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/H-ALL-3-2-100x100.jpg",100,100,true],"in-article-post-thumb":["https:\/\/hollywoodall.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/H-ALL-3-2.jpg",150,84,false]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"Hollywood-All Staff","author_link":"https:\/\/hollywoodall.com\/?author=7"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"The hunt for the next James Bond is heating up behind the scenes, with former 007 star Daniel Craig reportedly throwing his weight behind a surprising yet compelling contender: Josh O\u2019Connor. According to an exclusive source close to Hollywoodall, Craig has been vocal in supporting O\u2019Connor, believing the 34-year-old actor is the ideal candidate to…","amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/hollywoodall.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3554","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/hollywoodall.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/hollywoodall.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hollywoodall.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hollywoodall.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=3554"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/hollywoodall.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3554\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3557,"href":"https:\/\/hollywoodall.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3554\/revisions\/3557"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hollywoodall.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/3556"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/hollywoodall.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=3554"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hollywoodall.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=3554"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hollywoodall.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=3554"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}