Barbara Broccoli says next James Bond film at least two years away

James Bond producer Barbara Broccoli has revealed that it will be “at least two years“ before the next 007 movie begins filming and that the task of finding an actor to replace Daniel Craig hasn’t begun “because it’s a reinvention of Bond.”, Deadline reports. 

Broccoli spoke to Deadline at a star-studded private event in central London on June to honor Broccoli and her brother Michael G. Wilson for their BFI Fellowships.

Broccoli wouldn’t say more about which actor would play the next James Bond.

“Nobody’s in the running,” Broccoli disclosed. “We’re working out where to go with him, we’re talking that through. There isn’t a script and we can’t come up with one until we decide how we’re going to approach the next film because, really, it’s a reinvention of Bond. We’re reinventing who he is and that takes time. I’d say that filming is at least two years away.”

Ralph Fiennes, Barbara Broccoli, Michael G. Wilson and Naomie Harris at BFI Chair's Dinner
photo © Bamigboye/Deadline

At the BFI Chair’s Dinner at Claridge’s Hotel in central London Barbara Broccoli, Michael G. Wilson were joined by Bond stars Ralph Fiennes (M) and Naomie Harris (Moneypenny).

Fiennes described Broccoli and Wilson as “exemplars of film producers and filmmakers” and praised their “transcendent tenacity.”

Noting that the two producers “killed Bond” in No Time To Die, Fiennes joked that “Naomie and I are the people to fix it. You find him and we’ll train him.”

Ben Roberts, BFI Chief Executive Officer, hailed Broccoli and Wilson as “two giants of cinema”, not only for keeping the Bond flame alive, but for their production of independent films outside of the franchise, and for their tireless support of organisations such as The London Film Academy, the innovative film school in north London which she and Wilson founded with Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner, Lisa Bryer, and Harry Potter producer David Heyman.

During the evening there were also several video messages, from Bond film cast and crew, including Daniel Craig himself, Dame Judi Dench (M), Rami Malek, Léa Seydoux and director Sam Mendes (SkyFall, SPECTRE, scriptwriter Robert Wade, Debbie McWilliams (casting director), Naomi Donne (hair and make-up designer), Stephanie Wenborn (EON publicity chief), Maryam d’Abo (The Living Daylights), and director Marc Forster (Quantum of Solace).

Composer David Arnold (who scored five James Bond films) played a grand piano, including the theme song from 1967 Bond picture You Only Live Twice.

Last week, on June 24th  2022, Barbara Broccoli and Michael G Wilson received their CBE's from the Duke Of Cambridge, after being included in the 2022 New Years' Honours List.