The speculation surrounding the future of the James Bond franchise continues to swirl after Amazon's acquisition of full creative control over the iconic spy series. The big question on everyone's mind remains: who will step into the shoes of the legendary 007? Recent reports have shed light on Amazon's plans for the character, confirming that James Bond will stay a man and retain his British or Commonwealth nationality, dashing hopes for actors like Ryan Gosling. This directive was outlined in an internal memo from Amazon, as reported by The Mail on Sunday, ensuring that the essence of Bond remains unchanged under their stewardship.

This decision is likely to be welcomed by former Bond actor Pierce Brosnan, who portrayed the suave spy from 1995 to 2002 in films like GoldenEye, Tomorrow Never Dies, The World Is Not Enough, and Die Another Day. Brosnan, speaking to The Telegraph, emphasized that Bond's British identity is non-negotiable, stating, "it's a given."

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The possibility of an actor from the Commonwealth taking on the role opens up new avenues, with Australian actor Chris Hemsworth emerging as a potential candidate. Hemsworth, known for his roles in Thor and Extraction, expressed his interest in playing Bond back in 2019 to Balance magazine. He reminisced about his role as British Formula One driver James Hunt in Rush, saying, "When we were shooting Rush someone had said that and I thought, 'Cool, if this is my audition tape, then great.' I don’t think you’ll ever meet anyone who doesn’t want to have a crack at James Bond. I’d love to do it." However, he acknowledged that the decision is out of his hands and depends on the Bond community, producer Barbara Broccoli, and the entire crew. Hemsworth's comments resurfaced after The Mail on Sunday's report, with The Today Show Australia confidently stating, "It's a surety. He is in."

The future of James Bond remains a topic of concern, especially with the involvement of Amazon and the stepping back of long-time producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G Wilson. Amid rumors of a potential Bond TV series, Variety reported that a new Bond film remains the "top priority." Amazon is reportedly on the hunt for a new producer, with David Heyman, known for his work on the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts franchises, being the type of visionary they seek.

Director Christopher Nolan had shown interest in helming a Bond film after Tenet, but Broccoli reportedly rejected his offer, insisting on retaining final cut privileges. Nolan then went on to direct Oppenheimer, which was a massive success, grossing nearly $1 billion worldwide and winning multiple Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Director.

Amazon's control over the Bond franchise has not been universally welcomed. During a recent Reddit AMA, the director of Longlegs and The Monkey firmly stated his disinterest in directing a Bond film under Amazon, bluntly saying, "No, because f**k Jeff Bezos."

As for who will be the next James Bond, fans are abuzz with speculation. While names like Tom Hardy, Idris Elba, James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, and Aaron Taylor-Johnson (who was once rumored to be a top contender) are floated around, the fan-favorite appears to be Henry Cavill, known for his roles as Superman and in The Witcher.

Variety has reported that Amazon cannot proceed with any new hires for the Bond franchise until the finalization of their deal with Broccoli and Wilson, expected sometime this year. This follows a contentious report from the Wall Street Journal, describing the future of the James Bond franchise as "on pause" due to an "ugly" stalemate between the Broccoli family and Amazon. The battle for creative control, stemming from Amazon's acquisition of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer for $8.45 billion in 2021, has left Bond's future "trapped." As of now, neither Amazon nor Eon has issued a statement on the matter.