For more than seven decades, has been deemed one of the most iconic characters in film, with his trademark look as recognisable as the martinis he sips.
But since departed the role in 2021, it seems that the franchise's future has become more comical than ever, leaving die-hard fans wondering whether it'll ever manage to get back on track.
Indeed, it seems that at one point or another any major actor has been in the running to play the new spy, with , who has never been linked with the franchise, even tipped to be the next Bond Girl after her Oscar win earlier this month.
This week a new Prime Video series has added fuel to the fire by poking fun at the spy in toe-curling fashion, with playing a rapper-turned-actor whose audition to play Bond goes spectacularly wrong.
The show is the first step in what's set to be a long road of spin-offs and additions to the Bond franchise since Amazon controversially acquired the rights from the Broccoli family in 2025.
The move has led some fans to claim their beloved spy will be 'run into the ground,' and it certainly raises the question of whether Bond is turning into a joke.
With the arrival of a new series poking fun at James Bond, questions have been raised about whether the iconic film franchise has become a joke
With multiple delays and rumours around who will replace Daniel Craig, fans have questioned whether the seven-decade series can get back on track
Bait is an unlikely take on the Bond story, with Riz's character failing his audition to play the spy after forgetting his lines.
But he's quickly thrust into the limelight when he catches the eye of an unknowing pap, and the images turn him into a Bond-elect overnight.
While Riz's character Shah Latif lands a second chance to play the role, things take a turn when he begins to question whether he's selling out with the part.
The Sound Of Metal star was himself one of a laundry list of names that has been tipped to play 007, and as the creator of the show, Riz said he took inspiration from his own links to the role.
He told GQ: 'For Shah, [Bond] is the ultimate symbol of success and acceptance.
'Of cinematic achievement, alpha masculinity. He's everything that he wishes he was, and is not. Decisive, desirable, in control. And so his pursuit of Bond is actually about wishing he was someone else.'
'I love this idea that this guy is auditioning to be the next James Bond, but when word gets out that he might be the next James Bond, very quickly his life starts to mimic the role he is auditioning for.'
'In many ways, this thing that he wants to be, he already is, just by living in this body in this time. He's already in the chase sequence, man. He's just chasing validation, and being chased by his inner critic.'
Bait certainly satirises the pedestal that can come from playing 007, with stars past cemented in Hollywood folklore after starring as the part themselves.
Currently there is no prospect of a release date for any future Bond films, and despite the long list of rumoured stars, with many actors including Taron Egerton awkwardly forced to deny the rumours.
Bookies' predictions on who will play Bond are changing by the day, with Jacob Elordi the most recent favourite, simply due to his smouldering role in the romance Wuthering Heights.
Other names have included Callum Turner, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and Theo James, Jonathan Bailey, James Norton, Jack Lowden and Henry Cavill.
But it seems that simply starring in another role has led some names to suddenly be the new favourite for a Bond role, even if they haven't even mentioned the franchise publicly.
On that note, Margot Robbie was tipped to play a Bond Girl with 6/1 odds last month after her role in Wuthering Heights, while Sydney Sweeney has also been touted by Amazon boss Jeff Bezos.
Jessie also found herself in the Bond Girl odds after she won a Leading Actress Oscar, and the actress was quick to offer a witty response to such claims ahead of the ceremony last month.
Speaking on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, she said: 'Yes please. As long as I can be the Bond girl and we can set it in Ireland.'
There has been concern for Bond's future since Amazon purchased the rights to the franchise, leading some to fear they could 'run it into the ground' (Sean Connery pictured in 1964)
Indeed, it seems that at one point or another any major actor has been in the running to play the new spy, with Jacob Elordi the most recent favourite after his role in Wuthering Heights
Jessie also found herself in the Bond Girl odds after she won a Leading Actress Oscar, and the actress was quick to offer a witty response to such claims
As of now, only a director has been linked to the upcoming Bond project, with Dune's Denis Villeneuve signed on for the movie.
The French-Canadian filmmaker will also serve as executive producer of the project alongside Tanya Lapointe.
The Bond franchise is no stranger to a lengthy hiatus - there was a six-year gap between 1989’s Licence to Kill, the final Timothy Dalton film, and 1995’s GoldenEye, the first to star Pierce Brosnan.
The decision to land a director before Bond himself is not unusual, as Calvin Dyson, a leading Bond content creator told The Telegraph in 2024.
He said: 'This early part of the process typically has to unfold in a certain order.
'When Casino Royale was in development, Eon chose Martin Campbell to direct before casting Daniel Craig, because Campbell rightly wanted to be a part of that process.'
However, since Amazon announced they'd acquired the rights to 007, its plan to expand the franchise with an array of shows and films has sparked concern.
The iconic British mainstay has previously been limited to its big-budget blockbusters, with producing roles kept within the Broccoli family since the first film in 1962.
But last year the Broccoli family have handed over creative control over to Amazon MGM Studios - which was formed when Amazon bought Bond's parent studio in 2022 - after 30 years.
A source told The Sun that this is a 'bad day for Bond' amid the Broccoli family having reportedly 'cut their losses' as they're unable to 'work amicably' with Amazon.
The insider shared: 'Ultimately, it’s a bad day for Bond. The siblings have always been very protective of Bond’s image and would never have wanted it diluted or exploited like Amazon hopes to do.
'This is absolutely terrible news. I don’t have high hopes. Amazon will want to exploit the name without putting in real quality, and the first thing to emerge will likely be a terrible TV series.'
With reports of tensions among the Broccoli family and Amazon bosses, the publication notes that it remains 'unclear' just how 'heavily their presence will be felt' in future Bond projects.
However, vice president of the Ian Fleming Foundation Matthew Field warned that it would be 'stupid' of Amazon not to turn to them for advice.
He shared: 'No one on the planet understands Bond better than them - they probably know him better than Ian Fleming did. If Amazon puts the wrong people in control it will go badly wrong.'
Matthew suggested that a producer such as Marvel and DC's James Gunn would be needed, who could 'see, live and breathe the character'.
Not all fans were happy with the takeover as many shared fears that Bond will go the way of other iconic franchises that have been bought out by entertainment giants.
In 2012, Disney acquired Star Wars owner LucasFilm for £3.2billion and have since launched a raft of new origin-story movies, series and animated spin-offs.
Some disgruntled Bond fans suggested that the Amazon takeover would lead to a loss in quality control and an endless stream of sequels.
Comments included: 'We used to get a (generally) good James Bond movie, but that's out of the window now. Get ready for Young Q and 00 Origins: Trevelyan and other unwatchable Amazon Prime slop going forward';
'It's kinda sad to see the last family-owned movie franchise handed over to the suits, and I'm sure Amazon MGM is salivating, BUT... DON'T cinematic universe James Bond. It is one of our last, great theatrical events. Don't dilute that with a plethora of streaming spin-offs';
'James Bond the character gets blown into a million pieces to save his child, James Bond the franchise gets blown up into a million pieces to give Amazon content. It's like poetry, they rhyme.'
Some fans highlighted Amazon's takeover of the Lord of the Rings franchise, which has divided fans with many criticising it for not remaining faithful to JRR Tolkien's source material.
Amazon's acquisition follows months of speculation that there were creative tensions at the top of the Bond franchise.
Amazon and the Broccolis were allegedly failing to agree on how to move forward with the movies, four years after Daniel Craig's last outing as Bond in No Time To Die.
It was reported that Barbara, 64, had told friends she did not trust the online giant with the character and had characterised the status of the next Bond instalment in the dire terms: no script, no story and no new Bond.
In December, the Wall Street Journal claimed that Barbara had told friends of Amazon: 'These people are f***ing idiots.'
Since the MGM acquisition for £5billion in 2022, Amazon has held the rights to distribute all of the James Bond films, and MGM's vast catalogue with more than 4,000 films and 17,000 TV shows.
Yet the family and the online giant, founded by Jeff Bezos, could not agree on how best to move the iconic spy story forward.
Never have one family had such control over a movie franchise, and insiders said their 20th-century Hollywood vision on the big screen clashed with the technology giant's vision led by data, algorithm and streaming subscriptions.
