Is Aaron Taylor-Johnson the new James Bond?

The name’s Taylor-Johnson, Aaron Taylor-Johnson. Here are the latest updates on if he’s the new James Bond.

Daniel Craig’s franchise-defining run as 007 ended with 2021’s No Time To Die. It was a finale the likes of which the series had never seen, unequivocally closing the curtain on the actor’s tenure.

As one tux is hung up, another is lifted off the rack. No film is ever the end for James Bond, and the conversation quickly pivoted to speculation over who could take over the mantle in new movies.

The usual suspects’ names were thrown around, like Tom Hardy, Idris Elba, and Henry Cavill. Then, one name emerged as a frontrunner: Aaron Taylor-Johnson. So, is it a done deal?

Will Aaron Taylor-Johnson be the next James Bond?

There’s no official confirmation yet, but all signs point to Aaron Taylor-Johnson being the next James Bond.

Aaron Taylor-Johnson picked up more steam than other James Bond candidates.

Taylor Johnson reportedly has reached contract negotiations. He rose to fame for early roles in Kick-Ass, Nowhere Boy, and Angus, Thongs, and Perfect Snogging. He also starred in Savages, Godzilla, and Avengers: Age of Ultron as the MCU’s shortlived Quicksilver.

Most recently, he appeared alongside Brad Pitt and Brian Tyree Henry in 2022’s Bullet Train. His smarmy charm and action chops positioned him as a possible contender for Bond. Fan casts are one thing, but rumors suggested he’d met with Broccoli and Wilson.

An earlier Puck report from Matthew Belloni discussed, “the granddaddy of casting coups: James Bond. The Aaron Taylor-Johnson rumors are true – he sat with producer Barbara Broccoli, and the meeting went well, per sources.”

In a recent interview with Vanity Fair, Taylor-Johnson addressed the rumors with a no-denial, cryptic answer, “It’s flattering. You can have something really positive [written about you], but you can also have something really negative that can circulate,” he said.

“You just want to stay in your lane, stay grounded, stay around the people that you love and love you back, and stay in that world. Because the moment you start believing the sh*t people say about you, you’ve lost your f**king mind. You’ve lost it.”

There will likely be confirmation soon. In the meantime, you can find out more about Bond 26. We’ve also got a list of the best fight scenes in movies and TV, or the best Amazon Prime movies now that the service is Bond’s streaming home.