MOVIE NEWS – As speculation over the next James Bond intensifies, actors continue to angle for the role in public. Riz Ahmed has framed his new series, Bait, as his personal shot at replacing Daniel Craig, and playfully staged a brief exit from an interview when the conversation shifted toward Jacob Elordi being a stronger contender.

The moment was never driven by real irritation, as Ahmed was clearly leaning into the joke before returning to resume his Variety interview alongside Bait co-star Guz Khan. Prior to the mock “walkout,” Ahmed explained that his latest project, which follows a struggling actor whose James Bond audition unexpectedly explodes online, grew out of the idea that life itself often feels like a nonstop audition, prompting him to describe the show as his own informal Bond test.

“Everyone ends up having a Bond audition. Daniel Craig had ‘Layer Cake’… This is mine. I challenge anyone to watch this series and still think we shouldn’t be Bond.”

When the interviewer noted that Jacob Elordi’s name has recently climbed to the top of the rumored shortlist, Ahmed shot back with a grin, “I’m fine with whoever plays James Bond, as long as it’s me.” Khan immediately escalated the banter, saying, “The more interviews we do, the more convinced I am that it’s absolutely not going to be you. (Off camera) You said Jacob Elordi? I don’t even know who that is, but chances are he’ll be James Bond instead of Riz Ahmed.”

That exchange marked the point where Ahmed stood up and briefly left the room, only to return moments later and continue the conversation.

James Bond still

The Ever-Changing Bond Shortlist

Over the past few months, the question of who will become the next James Bond has generated an endless cycle of names appearing and disappearing. Still, a small group of actors keeps resurfacing as likely candidates, with Elordi now reportedly counted among the frontrunners.

Alongside the Oscar-nominated actor known for Frankenstein and Wuthering Heights, other performers said to be hovering around the role include former Fantastic Beasts star Callum Turner, whose odds have allegedly improved in recent weeks. He joins familiar but increasingly unlikely picks such as Tom Holland, Henry Cavill, and Aaron Taylor-Johnson, as well as quieter contenders like Slow Horses actor Jack Lowden, Happy Valley’s James Norton, Babygirl standout Harris Dickinson, and The White Lotus actor Theo James. Together, they reflect the prevailing belief that the next Bond may not be a fully formed Hollywood megastar, but someone who can grow into the role over time.

What remains clear is that no final decision will be made until the screenplay is finished and director Denis Villeneuve has a precise sense of what he needs from the actor who could portray 007 for the next decade. Until then, the industry can expect months more of rumors, shifting odds, and speculative headlines before the next James Bond is officially revealed.

Source: MovieWeb