Who will be the next James Bond? Speculation mounts after Amazon buys 007

"Who'd you pick as the next Bond?"

That was the question posed by Amazon boss Jeff Bezos this week to his 6.8 million followers on X.

It is Bezos who will now have the final say on the next 007. He asked for suggestions alongside a screenshot of the BBC News story about his company gaining creative control of the famous spy film franchise.

The choice of Daniel Craig's replacement will now be Amazon MGM Studios' biggest decision.

So let's take a look at what direction the company could take, and who is in the frame.

If the replies to Bezos's call out are anything to go by, Henry Cavill is the (online) people's choice.

The former Super Man actor, who has said he "would love to play Bond", was widely regarded to have been the runner-up years ago when Craig landed the part for the first of his five 007 films, 2006's Casino Royale.

The movie's director Martin Campbell told the Express last year that Cavill's audition was "tremendous" and that "if Daniel didn't exist, Henry would have made an excellent Bond".

There was just one problem. "He just looked a little young at that time back then," added Campbell.

Longstanding Bond producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G Wilson, who announced on Thursday they were stepping down, have previously shot down the idea of a younger Bond.

"Remember, Bond's already a veteran," Wilson said in 2022. "He's had some experience. He's a person who has been through the wars, so to speak. He's probably been in the SAS or something."

Amazon may have different ideas - but at 41, Cavill could ironically now be considered too old, especially if he stays for a string of subsequent movies.

The next most common suggestions in the replies to Bezos were Tom Hardy, Aaron Taylor-Johson and Idris Elba.

Taylor-Johnson, 34, known for roles in Kick-Ass and Kraven the Hunter, was at one stage rumoured to have been offered the job, but no announcement ever materialised.

Kraven bombed at the box office last year, though, which could count against him.

The bookmakers had Happy Valley actor James Norton listed as their favourite on Friday.

Speaking on the red carpet at last weekend's Bafta Awards, Norton, 39, described the speculation around him becoming Bond as "so weird and bemusing" yet "fun".

'Bring it younger'

Mark O'Connell, author of Catching Bullets: Memoirs of a Bond Fan, told the BBC he thinks Amazon - and whoever they choose as the next director - will go for a younger actor than in previous times, and he hopes they buy British again.

"Tom Hardy would be great, [but] I think he's, dare I say, too old," he said of the 47-year-old Mad Max actor.

"There's a lot of guys that keep getting quoted [and] I'm like, they're too old.

"I think Amazon's going to bring it younger. I think we're looking at early 30s. Paul Mescal is a good name. Kingsley Ben-Adir, who's one of the Kens in the Barbie movie, I'd keep an eye on him - he's got a sort of [Sean] Connery swagger about him.