fans may well have been seeing double O-7 on Thursday evening as two of the hottest contenders for the still vacant role attended a red carpet premiere in London.
Leading men and were in attendance as new movie Fuze launched at Odeon West End ahead of it official UK release on April 3.
The British actors lead a growing list of eligible stars in the running to play the seventh incarnation of smooth-talking secret agent Bond, five years after quit the coveted role.
Rubbing smartly-clad shoulders outside the central London venue, the two stars struck debonair poses for the cameras - and Amazon boss , the man responsible for driving the Bond franchise forward.
After Amazon acquired MGM in 2022, they obtained full creative control of the 007 franchise with a deal they struck with Barbara and Michael Broccolli, the children of original James Bond producer, Albert R. Broccoli.
Barbara and Michael had been overseeing the franchise since 1995, when their father ceded control of his Eon Productions company to them.
Theo James and Aaron Taylor-Johnson were in attendance as new movie Fuze launched at Odeon West End in London on Thursday ahead of it official UK release on April 3
Amazon reached an agreement with Barbara and Michael in March 2025, and while financial terms were not disclosed, it was rumored to be upwards of $1 billion.
Speculation has continued to grow over who will be the next big-screen Bond, with Taylor-Johnson and James previously touted as favourites among industry figures.
The acquisition of the Bond franchise by Amazon earlier this year has also prompted a flurry of guesses as to where they might take the franchise next.
Bond has been spoiled with video game adaptations since the 1980s, with early adaptations taking the form of shooting games or text adventures in which players typed in what they wanted the super-spy to do.
Amazon bosses are currently said to be considering locations in which to set the much-anticipated new film, which experts predicted is likely to be released at the end of next year or in 2027.
Due to a filming ban being imposed in central London, new locations are reportedly being considered - with Liverpool a frontrunner, according to The Sun.
An insider told the publication: 'This will no doubt irk Bond purists who already fear Amazon taking over the 007 franchise may lead to them making big changes.
'But Liverpool is a well-known alternative to London for film-makers.
'It has appeared in everything from The Batman to Captain America and Harry Potter movies, doubling up as international cities.'
The source added that it doesn't necessarily mean the story will be set in Liverpool - though eagle-eyed Merseysiders will no doubt spot their city centre in the background.
The British actors lead a growing list of eligible stars in the running to play the seventh incarnation of smooth-talking secret agent Bond, five years after Daniel Craig quit the role
James Bond fans may well have been seeing double O-7 on Thursday evening as two of the hottest contenders for the still vacant role attended the red carpet premiere in London
Amazon Prime had taken over 'creative control' of the James Bond franchise, leaving fans fearing the beloved films could be ruined by endless spin-offs such as Star Wars.
The deal comes after Amazon bought MGM Studios in 2022 as a part of its media push. The acquisition gave Amazon distribution rights to the 007 franchise but not creative control.
The company is said to be fast-tracking the new movie after spending a reported $1 billion to regain control from the Broccoli family.
There is reportedly set to be no explanation of how the special agent is still alive, no multiverse of Bonds and no attempt to go back to the 1960s for a vintage Bond.
Barbara Broccoli's choice for Bond was thought to be Taylor-Johnson, who was once favourite for the role, but Heyman and Pascal are likely to want to choose their own 007.
