The new James Bond studio heads have attempted to calm fans about who will play the British spy in the new film.

Speaking at trade show CinemaCon in the US on Wednesday, executives from Amazon MGM studios – which bought the series rights as part of an $8.45bn (£6.9bn) deal in 2022 – indicated that an abundance of caution on their part meant the role was not yet cast.

“I know you’re all wondering when we’re going to announce who’s playing James Bond,” said Courtenay Valenti, Amazon MGM’s head of film. “Don’t get too excited. Please know that we’re taking the time to do this with care and deep respect. It is the dream of a lifetime for all of us to bring audiences this next chapter, and it’s a responsibility we don’t take lightly.”

She added: “What I can tell you is this: when you pair one of the most beloved franchises in history with a world-class film-making team, including the brilliant director Denis Villeneuve, extraordinary producers Amy Pascal and David Heyman, executive producer Tanya Lapointe and screenwriter Steven Knight, you’re setting the stage for something that’s truly worthy of the Bond legacy.”

Valenti concluded: “That film is coming, and when the time is right, we’ll have much more to share.”

Speculation over the casting has been fuelled by the amount of time since the studio’s announcements of Villeneuve as director (in June 2025) and Knight as screenwriter (in August 2025). The film is positioned to be released in 2028, which indicates a shoot start of late 2026.

Key actors speculated to be in the running include Callum Turner, Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Jacob Elordi. If chosen, Elordi would be the youngest and tallest Bond ever, as well as the second Australian to play him.

Despite his recent Oscar-nominated role in Frankenstein, as well as his high-profile performance in Wuthering Heights, Elordi’s forthcoming schedule appears surprisingly clear.