Actors who played James Bond tend to be cast between the ages of 30 and 46. Sean Connery first played the role in 1962 with the film Dr. No at the age of 31 and performed the role perfectly before taking a well-needed break after the first five films. During his hiatus, actor George Lazenby took over the lead in the movie On Her Majesty's Secret Service at the age of 30. The baton passed down to Roger Moore, age 46, followed by Timothy Dalton, age 40, Pierce Brosnan, age 41, and finally, our dearly beloved Daniel Craig, at 37.

The search is on for a new Bond. While it was initially believed the producers were originally looking for someone younger to relaunch the series, later comments backtracked that statement. It appears they wanted to stick with the franchise tradition of a more seasoned actor in the role. It is worth noting that nothing has been confirmed at the moment. The idea of having a younger Bond relaunch the franchise would open the door for some new stories but also has some major risks with it. Could it be just what the franchise needs to start a new or would it doom the series? Here are some thoughts.

Update November 18, 2023: This article has been updated with more information on whether a younger James Bond would be good for the franchise as well as some recent developments and comments from people associated with the franchise.

Is James Bond's Lifestyle More Befitting Of an Older 007?

For decades, Bond has been a wealthy, sophisticated man who handles the action with elegance and a clean tux that hardly ever gets tarnished. A handsome, smoldering, all-out-action character working as a British Secret Service agent, Bond makes fighting in a suit with a loaded pistol dangerous and provocative. From using his leisure time to occasionally gamble to living well, Bond’s lifestyle is not that of someone who recently finished high school or is still attending college.

Working under the Secret Intelligence Service (SIS), also known as Military Intelligence, Station 6 (MI6), Bond is provided with money, a luxurious lifestyle, and flashy vehicles. With a somewhat unlimited expense account and the occasional masquerading as a millionaire, Bond also takes grand leave days when he is harmed on the job or takes leave to reward himself.

Benefits of a Younger Bond

The obvious benefit of casting a younger Bond is that they can play the role for longer. Roger Moore was looking very out of place within a few films and retired from the part when he realized how much older than he was playing his co-stars. Daniel Crag started out as the "young Bond" but due to delays, by the time he got to his third movie, he was playing "old". Craig's Bond is defined by his character constantly being called too old for this modern world, which is meant to be a metatextual commentary on Bond as a brand but also it feels like his James Bond doesn't just get to have a classic Bond adventure.

A younger actor in the role could age into the part, and likely retire from the role at the same age that an actor like Roger Moore was when he got the part. Hollywood does tend to favor young talent so it would not be surprising to hear the producers want a young star that can carry the franchise for multiple films over a decade.

How Would a Young Bond Look?

Bond's origin story was already told in Casino Royale, so doing a younger Bond than that would mean doing an entirely new origin as audiences likely would not want to sit through a remake of Casino Royale. They could always go with a real young take on the character, with how he starts in the Royal Navy before being recruited as a 00. This further insight into Bond's psyche and upbringing. His emotional disassociation, cold-blooded, isolated nature, and inability to communicate his feelings are the epitome of toxic masculinity, and a young Bond may help to get to the true crux of his character and explore the reasons for his aloof, emotionally vacant tendencies.

Yet an origin story before he is even a double 00 might take away what audiences love as Bond. The idea of an origin story can be hit or miss. The Amazing Spider-Man is a great example of retelling an origin so soon after the previous version, while Solo: A Star Wars Story shows the downside of making a prequel that is designed to just explain elements of a character's lore. Doing a full "how did Bond become Bond" film also runs the risk of repeating a lot of ground covered by the Kingsman franchise.

There is no rule that says younger Bond actor immediately means origin story. Robert Pattinson was considered a younger actor compared to most Batman, but in The Batman his character is an established crime fighter. They could easily just feature a younger actor be James Bond who has been doing his job for a year. Audiences don't need to see his origin story, because until Craig's tenure, fans just accepted a secret agent who was doing his job and nothing more.

The question is if a younger actor could pull off Bond. A James Bond casting director claimed that younger actors lacked the experience and gravitas when it came to taking on a role of such cinematic magnitude, with the sheer scale of both production and expectation requiring a dexterous, absorbing, and seasoned on-screen presence. Would audience by a 28-year-old star as the world's most suave super spy? It depends on the actor but there is a lot going against it.

Would Longtime Fans Embrace Change?

Historically, fans of the 007 franchise have been ardent gatekeepers to what, in their eyes, is a cinematic sacrament. Unbending and uncompromising in nature, their resistance to change has meant that the film's creators have essentially been working with one hand behind their back as they attempt to appease the demands of the devoted fans, all while trying to revamp Bond into this 21st-century man.

Even when Craig was announced as Bond, media outlets and hardcore fans of the franchise slammed the casting choice just because Craig was blonde. While he did win them over, one wonders if in a fan culture that has become increasingly more toxic, that could happen today or if fans who criticized it would stick to their guns rather than admit they were wrong. While casting a younger Bond actor likely would not generate the same vitriol and debate as casting a person of color or a woman in the role of 007, fans would likely hold their nose up at it.

For a matter as divisive as who the next James Bond is going to be, there have unsurprisingly been serious debates around the direction the lauded franchise should now take. With an announcement still yet to be made about Bond's future, one thing that can be said is we will wait and watch with bated breath for the highly anticipated announcement of who is set to play the next Bond.