James Bond Producer Gives Update On Next 007 Search, Shares What Audition Is Like

As the search continues for the next actor to play James Bond, series producer Michael G. Wilson recently shared some details at a London British Film Institute event offering an insight into the 007 selection process. Deadline was the first to report.

“We’ve tried looking at younger people in the past. But trying to visualize it doesn’t work,” Wilson said. “Remember, Bond’s already a veteran. 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. He isn’t some kid out of high school that you can bring in and start off. That’s why it works for a thirty-something.”

This insight may or may not then be grounds to potentially disqualify fan-favorite Idris Elba (The Wire), who is 50 as of this writing. But rather than making any assumptions or drawing conclusions from the team’s comments at the BFI event, Wilson later elaborated to Deadline that casting has not started, “No matter what others tell you.” Previously, Wilson said Elba is “great,” and co-producer Barbara Broccoli said “we love Idris.” But, it’s still unclear if Elba is in consideration–or who else might be.

Wilson also shared that when auditioning new Bonds, they “always use the same scene, and that’s the one in From Russia With Love, where Bond comes back to his room after the assassination, and he starts taking off his shirt, goes into the room to bathe. Then he hears something, takes his gun, goes in and the girl’s in the bed… That was the test we use. Anyone who can bring that scene off is right for Bond. It’s tough to do.”

Last month, former Bond Pierce Brosnan proclaimed that he “doesn’t care” who the next successor to the role will be. In an interview with GQ, Brosnan repeatedly mocked the topic as being not that important in the scheme of things–though also wanted to note that “whoever he be, I wish him well.”

Daniel Craig, the most recent outgoing Bond, commented that a woman should probably not play James Bond next because “there should simply be better parts for women and actors of color.”