Aaron Taylor-Johnson likely to be the new James Bond after Daniel Craig's exit from the iconic franchise: Report

Daniel Craig's announcement to exit the spy franchise after his film No Time to Die, released in 2021, fuelled speculations surrounding his replacement to play James Bond. Now, reports have emerged suggesting that the British actor Aaron Taylor-Johnson, renowned for his roles in Kick-Ass, TENET, Nocturnal Animals, and Bullet Train, has been formally offered the job as the new James Bond. However, no official announcement about his casting has been made yet.

Speculations are rife that Aaron Taylor-Johnson will be accepting the role of 007, taking over from Daniel Craig, who has been playing the most popular spy for more than 15 years. The Sun quoted a source as saying, “Bond is Aaron’s job, should he wish to accept it. The formal offer is on the table and they are waiting to hear back."

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In its report, The Sun also noted that Eon Productions is likely to start filming the 26th Bond movie later this year for which the Tenet actor is the top choice. The source further informed the portal, "As far as Eon is concerned, Aaron is going to sign his contract in the coming days and they can start preparing for the big announcement.”

Amid speculation about who would come on board to don the iconic 007 tuxedo, names like Tom Hardy, Regé-Jean Page, and Idris Elba came to the fore. However, the role has reportedly been bagged by Taylor-Johnson. Aaron was first reported to be a part of the spy film in 2022 when he secretly screen-tested for Bond movie supremo Barbara Broccoli at Pinewood Studios.

While the details about Bond 26 have been kept under wraps, it is confirmed that the film is in the works. Reports have also surfaced informing that a script was currently being worked on and the production is scheduled to take place at Pinewood Studios in Buckinghamshire.

It needs to be noted that Taylor-Johnson has previously been honoured with a Golden Globe award for his performance in the critically acclaimed “Nocturnal Animals”. He also portrayed Quicksilver in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.