When is the next James Bond film coming out?

21 February 2025, 14:10

Is the next James Bond movie in the works already? Picture: Alamy

By Claire Blackmore

As 007's original producers step back from James Bond HQ, we unpack when the 26th movie could finally hit cinemas.

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A new James Bond film could be on the horizon sooner than fans think after Amazon announced it was changing up the iconic spy series for good.

In February 2025, the brains behind 007, Barbara Broccoli and Michael G Wilson, officially handed over full creative control to Amazon MGM Studios, sparking a huge shake-up behind the scenes.

The shock move came four years after Daniel Craig handed back the keys to his Aston Martin and wrapped up his time as the charming daredevil in the 2021 movie, No Time To Die.

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But despite the final credits teasing that "James Bond will Return," fans have been left wondering when the next film will begin production. Here, we take a look at the Bond 26 intelligence so far.

Daniel Craig played James Bond in five of the iconic films. Picture: Alamy

When is the next James Bond film coming out?

Since No Time to Die blew moviegoers away in 2021, fans have been calling for any details of the 26th Bond film to emerge – without much luck.

Aside from the news that Amazon MGM Studios have taken over from the spy saga's original producers, MI6 enthusiasts only have rumours to cling to.

James Bond's previous production team were sure to leave clues in the last Daniel Craig movie that Bond was definitely coming back.

However Barbara Broccoli, who was the mastermind behind the franchise with her half-brother Michael G. Wilson for 30 years, confessed the process wasn't going to be a fast one.

The American producer dropped hints that Bond 26 would hit cinemas this year, telling Variety in 2022: "The thing is, it’s going to be a couple of years off."

She also revealed to the Guardian in October 2023: "I think these movies reflect the time they are in, and there’s a big, big road ahead reinventing it for the next chapter and we haven’t even begun with that."

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James Bond's creative control was handed to Amazon MGM Studio in 2025. Picture: Alamy

It's not known if these timelines will even play out now that she has stepped back from her 007 duties, plus she previously revealed it was incredibly hard to get an actor to dedicate themselves to the role in the first place.

"When we cast Bond, it’s a 10-, 12-year commitment. So he’s probably thinking, ‘Do I really want that thing? Not everybody wants to do that.

"It was hard enough getting [Daniel Craig to do it]," added Michael G. Wilson. "And he was in his early 30s at the time!"

Speculation has been swirling for months over who might tackle the iconic part when it finally gets cast, with Harris Dickinson, Paul Mescal, Aaron Taylor-Johnson and James Norton in the shaken-not-stirred mix.

But without a new Bond actor, there's no new movie, which is thought to be contributing to the delay.

Read more: Chris Evans reacts to rumours he could be the next James Bond

Ben Whishaw played Q in 2021's No Time to Die. Picture: Alamy

James Bond's most recent Q, Ben Whishaw, admitted in September 2024 that he thinks Bond 26 could feature an entirely new cast altogether, meaning fans could be waiting even longer than expected.

He told the BBC: "I don’t think I’m going to be in the next one.

"I think they’re going to start all over again, and with a new cast, a completely new cast. I think that’s my hunch, but I don’t know. I have no idea."

"I think it might need a new lease of life and a whole new group of people... But if they asked me, I would do it, of course."

In a deep dive piece about James Bond for The Times, journalist Jonathan Dean revealed he believed the long lead-time was partly down to the movie business suffering from a slump.

He wrote: "Adding to the delay is the struggling blockbuster business. Seemingly sure-fire hits such as the Star Wars, Mission: Impossible, and Indiana Jones sequels have all floundered at the box office. The last lost an estimated $143 million."

With six years between both Licence to Kill (1989) and GoldenEye (1995), and Spectre (2015) and No Time to Die (2021), it's not the longest gap to ever exist in the 007 universe – but fans think they've waited long enough.