Two stars will reportedly play James Bond in the next 007 instalment.
A pair of A-listers are said to be in the frame to play younger and older versions of the spy in the upcoming Bond flick – with insiders adding Paul Mescal is top of the list for producers to play the more youthful Bond.
The Sun reported the film “will star two 007s – one younger and one older”, and added: “Bosses have begun lining up actors to play both roles and among their top targets is Oscar-nominated Paul Mescal.”
Mescal, 27, is understood to be in talks to play the younger MI6 spy in the next flick, which will be the 26th in the franchise.
The star shot to fame in 2020 in BBC Three’s sex drama ‘Normal People’, and he’s playing Lucius Verus in Ridley Scott’s Gladiator sequel due out in 2024.
Mescal told Digital Spy in 2020: “Would I play Bond? Yeah? I don’t know. If it ever came my way, we’d discuss it.”
‘No Time To Die’ Bond girl Ana de Armas, 35, has said Mescal should replace Daniel Craig, 55, who played 007 from 2006 to 2021 – but 007 producer Barbara Broccoli, 63, has said her team have not “even begun” the process of deciding how to update the Bond franchise.
A spokesperson for the producer said about the rumours Mescal will play a younger 007: “We do not comment on speculation.”
Meanwhile, Christopher Nolan has said he thinks it would be an “amazing privilege” to direct a James Bond film – but only if he could choose the next 007 star.
The ‘Oppenheimer’ director, 53, whose blockbusters include ‘The Dark Knight Trilogy’ as well as ‘Interstellar’ and ‘Dunkirk’ has previously been in talks with Bond producers, and has now said he would be willing to make one of the spy movies if it felt like the “right moment” creatively.
He told the ‘Happy Sad Confused’ podcast with Josh Horowitz: “It would be an amazing privilege to do one. It has to be the right moment in your creative life where you can express what you want to express.
“I love those movies. The influence of those movies on my filmography is embarrassingly apparent.”
Host Horowitz, 47, asked Nolan: “I would imagine you’d want to be involved in casting your Bond?” – with the filmmaker replying: “You wouldn’t want to take on a film not fully committed to what you could bring to the table creatively.
“So as a writer, casting director, everything – it’s the full package.”