Dame Judi Dench weighs in with surprising opinion on who should play the next James Bond

See more of our coverage in your search results. Dame Judi Dench has an idea for who should be the next James Bond, but it’s no one famous. “A young actor we’ve not yet heard of,” the actress, 91, told British Vogue in a recent interview, when asked for her pick. There’s already plenty of competition: Several hot young actors have auditioned for the iconic role. Dame Judi Dench has an idea for who should play the next James Bond. Oliver Dixon/Shutterstock “A young actor we’ve not yet heard of,” she said in a recent interview. Dave Benett/Getty Images for The National Theatre Robert Pattinson and Nicholas Hoult have reportedly screen-tested for the part of the suave British spy, who imbibes martinis shaken, not stirred. Other names mentioned include Josh O’Connor, Callum Turner, Jack Lowden, Harry Styles and Theo James. The new movie, developed by Amazon MGM Studios, is slated for release in 2028. Denis Villeneuve is set to direct the upcoming film. The last James Bond was Daniel Craig. ©Columbia Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection Robert Pattinson is rumored to have auditioned for the role. Getty Images for Universal Pictures Want more celebrity and pop culture news? Start your day with Page Six Daily. Thanks for signing up! The previous James Bond, played by Daniel Craig, 58, retired from the role after starring in “No Time to Die” in 2021. He starred in five of the James Bond movies, including the 2012 hit, “Skyfall.” Previous Bonds include Sean Connery, Roger Moore and Pierce Brosnan. Dench played M in eight Bond movies over 20 years. “I loved playing M because it was great to be able to tell all those men where to get off; put them in their place,” she revealed in a Times interview. “You’re a sexist, misogynist dinosaur,” she says to Pierce Brosnan at their first meeting. Callum Turner is another name being bandied around as the next Bond. Christopher Peterson / SplashNews.com Dench played “M” in eight Bond movies. ©Sony Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection “I was drunk with power. I also got to wear some very nice suits and pretend I knew what I was talking about and to muck about with gadgets when, in real life, I can’t even work the ironing board.” Dench added that she wasn’t sad to hear she would be replaced in the franchise. “Of course I didn’t cry,” she explained. “Why on earth would I cry after 20 glorious years and eight Bond films? Which, by the way, is one more than Roger Moore, the longest-running 007 to date.” Community Guidelines Welcome to the Page Six Community! Our community is about connecting people through open and thoughtful conversations. We want our readers to share their views and exchange ideas in a safe space. In order to do so, we've created a simple set of rules that will improve your experience. Simply put, keep it civil. Your post will/might be rejected if it contains: Spam Insults, profanity, incoherent, obscene or inflammatory language and threats of any kind Attacks on the identity of other commenters or the article's author User accounts will/might be blocked if we notice: Continuous attempts to re-post comments that have been previously moderated/rejected Racist, sexist, or homophobic comments Attempts or tactics that put the site security at risk So, how can you be a power user? Stay on topic and share your passion. Feel free to elaborate to get your point across. 'Like' or 'Dislike' when you are filled with emotions! Protect your community. Use the report tool to alert us when someone breaks the rules. Thanks for reading our community guidelines. Don't forget, freedom of speech is not the freedom of reach!