Fans are still debating who should inherit the 007 tux, but the next James Bond could bring a fresh kind of charisma to the franchise. From Jonathan Bailey's polished charm to Luke Evans's action credentials, these openly LGBTQ+ actors show how broad the shortlist could be.

Essential Takeaways

  • Jonathan Bailey leads the wish list: His recent dramatic, musical and blockbuster roles make him a compelling all-rounder.
  • Ncuti Gatwa would bring warmth: His energy could make Bond more sociable, playful and emotionally surprising.
  • Andrew Scott has danger to spare: He can turn charm into menace with barely a raised eyebrow.
  • Luke Evans has already been linked with Bond: His action background and screen presence make the idea feel especially plausible.
  • The official search remains separate: Reported finalists include Jack Lowden, Callum Turner and Josh O'Connor, plus an unnamed contender.

The next James Bond needs more than a good tuxedo

The Bond debate has reached that familiar stage where every actor with a British accent and a well-cut suit becomes somebody's definitive answer. Still, this conversation has a sharper edge now, because Amazon MGM's search is reportedly narrowing while fans are asking whether the franchise could finally cast an openly LGBTQ+ actor as 007.

GamesRadar reported that the search had come down to four finalists, although one name remained undisclosed. That leaves plenty of room for wish-list casting, and Jonathan Bailey makes an especially strong case. He has the polish, the impatience and the knack for making a raised eyebrow feel like a complete line of dialogue.

Industry attention has also followed him. The Oxford Chronicle reported that Bailey's odds shortened significantly, moving from 40/1 to 16/1. Odds aren't a casting announcement, of course, but they show how quickly public interest can gather around a name.

Jonathan Bailey has the Bond balance

Bailey's appeal is that he can play sophistication without making it feel stiff. His work in Bridgerton supplied the romantic confidence, while Fellow Travelers showed a more serious and emotionally bruised side. Add in Wicked and Jurassic World Rebirth, and he has the kind of expanding profile a major franchise usually wants.

A Bailey Bond could be impatient, funny and slightly exasperated by the bureaucracy around him. That matters, because the best 007 performances aren't simply about looking elegant while holding a glass. They need someone who can sell exhaustion, danger and a little mischief in the same scene.

The Martini campaign helps with the visual shorthand, too. It may not qualify as field experience, but the drink order would already be sorted.

Ncuti Gatwa and Andrew Scott would change the mood

Ncuti Gatwa would push Bond towards a more openly social presence. His Doctor Who performance proved he can carry a beloved British institution, while Sex Education established his warmth and comic timing. Put those qualities into 007 and the casino scenes might feel less like a routine stop and more like somewhere Bond genuinely enjoys being.

That warmth could make betrayal more painful, which is exactly the sort of tonal shift the series could use. Gatwa's Bond wouldn't have to be cold to be formidable.

Andrew Scott, meanwhile, would bring something more unsettling. He already appeared in Spectre as intelligence chief Max Denbigh, creating an obvious continuity wrinkle, but Bond films have never been shy about reinventing their own rules. GamesRadar's coverage of the wider search underlines how open-ended the franchise's next chapter remains.

Scott can make charm feel faintly dangerous. His work in Ripley demonstrates the menace, while Fleabag shows how quickly he can switch to warmth. Give him a quiet interrogation scene and the room would probably feel smaller within seconds.

Richard Armitage offers a world-weary 007

Richard Armitage would suit a Bond who has stopped pretending the job is glamorous. His work in Spooks already gives him a connection to fictional British intelligence, and he has the grounded physicality needed for a role built around missions, secrets and increasingly uncomfortable consequences.

That version of Bond would look as though he knows precisely what every assignment will cost. It wouldn't make him less capable; it would make every decision feel heavier.

Armitage has previously suggested he might be more suited to playing a Bond villain at this point in his career. That's a fair assessment, but it also makes the idea more appealing. A future villain with Armitage's control and weariness could be just as memorable as the hero.

Could Colman Domingo or Matt Bomer cross the Atlantic?

Colman Domingo and Matt Bomer would both require a bigger break from traditional expectations, since neither is British. But a wish list is allowed to be ambitious, especially when the franchise itself has repeatedly reinvented the character's tone and setting.

Domingo has the authority for an older, more reflective Bond. His Oscar-recognised work in Rustin and Sing Sing points to the dramatic range, while his red-carpet confidence takes care of the dinner-jacket test. He could play 007 as a man who doesn't need to prove he belongs in the room.

Bomer brings a different advantage. White Collar's Neal Caffrey was observant, seductive and expert at lying, which is already a useful foundation for a spy. His performance in Fellow Travelers added sharper emotional shadows beneath the immaculate exterior.

The practical question is whether audiences would accept an American Bond. That might be a stretch, but casting conventions are not laws of physics. If the performance were right, the accent would become the least interesting part of the discussion.

Luke Evans has the action credentials

Luke Evans may be the easiest name to imagine in a conventional Bond adventure. His work in Fast & Furious 6 demonstrates that he can handle action, while his screen presence has the necessary combination of polish and physical confidence.

Evans has also spoken about being considered for Bond over a long period. The Irish Examiner reported his comments after he told The Telegraph that he had been on the list for around a decade, though he now considers himself too old for the part at 47.

That self-assessment may close the door, but it doesn't make the casting idea any less persuasive. Evans looks like he could step into the tuxedo tomorrow, deliver the introduction without fuss and make a dangerous situation seem mildly inconvenient.

Why an openly queer Bond would matter

Ben Whishaw, who played Q, previously said he wanted to see an openly gay actor take on Bond. Gamespot also reported his dissatisfaction with how Q's sexuality was handled in No Time to Die, a reminder that representation can feel frustratingly cautious when it appears only at the edges of a story.

An LGBTQ+ Bond wouldn't need to turn sexuality into the plot. The point would simply be that an openly queer actor gets the same opportunity to play the franchise's central fantasy: the wit, the danger, the romance and the absurdly good tailoring.

For now, the official race remains focused on its reported finalists. But the wider conversation has already expanded, and that's healthy. A new Bond should feel surprising without becoming a gimmick, and any of these actors could bring a distinct flavour to the role.

The right actor won't just fill the tuxedo; they'll make us forget who wore it before.

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