Margaret Qualley’s 105-Minute HBO Max Thriller Proves She’s A Perfect Bond Girl

Published Nov 14, 2026, 2:00 PM EST Greg is a Lead TV Writer & Critic at Screen Rant with expertise in new streaming releases. He's published over 3000 articles at SR, including weekly recommendation guides and dozens of reviews on Rotten Tomatoes. He previously worked in Development at ABC Television & Lawrence Bender Productions. Greg majored in Film Production at Chapman University's Dodge College. Greg also has years of broadcast TV production experience at major networks such as NBC, TNT, and ESPN. He currently lives in Greater Boston. Margaret Qualley is the frontrunner to play a key role in the next James Bond film, and her performance in HBO Max's 105-minute thriller is a perfect showcase of her potential. Along with A-list Hollywood stars Sydney Sweeney, Anya Taylor-Joy, Zendaya, and Florence Pugh, Qualley is one of the most likely actors to play the next female lead in Denis Villenueve's upcoming James Bond movie, which also has yet to announce who will play the iconic secret agent immortalized by previous 007 stars Daniel Craig, Sean Connery, and Pierce Brosnan. Qualley's performance in A24's psychological thriller/dark comedy movie How to Make a Killing is one of the best existing examples of why she was born to play a leading part in Bond 26. How to Make a Killing stars Qualley alongside Glenn Powell's protagonist, Becket Redfellow, who was disowned by his wealthy family and aims to earn back his inheritance by any means necessary. Although the film wasn't much of a box office success, drawing $21.6 million globally against a $15 million budget, How to Make a Killing proves why Qualley deserves to be a major player in the new Bond era. Margaret Qualley Plays A Femme Fatale In HBO Max’s How To Make A Killing Qualley, who has become one of the most sought-after actors of her generation following the success of movies such as The Substance, Poor Things, and Once Upon A Time in Hollywood, plays a femme fatale in How to Make a Killing, now streaming on HBO Max. Qualley is cast as Julia Steinway, a seductive and manipulative supporting character who sways Becket throughout the movie to quietly pursue her own self-interested goals. Julia uses her influence over Becket, knowing she is his childhood crush, and lives the privileged lifestyle that Becket has always dreamed of and believes he is entitled to given his family's fortune. Julia becomes a catalyst for Becket as he tries to claim his inheritance, serving as a key motivator for Becket, who desperately tries to impress her. Julia is the definition of beauty meets brawn and is a calculating force who knows just how to make Becket bend to her will. These qualities make Julia dangerous for Becket, as she holds an undeniable influence over his life and decisions throughout How to Make a Killing, not unlike several of the most iconic femme fatale characters in the Bond franchise, including Famke Janssen's Xena Onatopp (GoldenEye) and Luciana Paluzzi's Fiona Volpe (Thunderball). Why How To Make A Killing Makes Qualley A Strong Fit For James Bond Throughout her various on-screen performances, Qualley has demonstrated a wide range of skills and abilities that make her one of the most versatile and appealing choices to be the next official Bond girl. Julia in How to Make a Killing is the best evidence of this, as she is simultaneously glamorous on the surface and threatening within. She is able to have a firm hold over Becket in How to Make a Killing without him becoming fully aware of it, inserting her own ambitions and agenda into his own frame of mind rather insidiously. Qualley's Bond role would allow her to tap into a similar character archetype, appearing as an ally to 007 while also spinning her own secret web. Similar to Becket, Bond's greatest weakness is his vulnerability in romantic situations and his emotional attachment to the women he feels affection for, which is why Julia in How to Make a Killing feels like a hidden audition for Qualley's possible Bond 26 role. Qualley's skill set and innate talents as an actor also open her up to roles beyond the classic femme fatale and could also pave an avenue for her to play an ally to Bond as well, perhaps even a fellow intelligence officer reminiscent of Ana de Armas' Paloma in No Time to Die. Any way Villeneuve and screenwriter Steven Knight could fit Qualley into their new Bond universe would be a fantastic win for the franchise, especially given her standout performance in HBO Max's How to Make a Killing. How to Make a Killing Release Date February 16, 2026 Runtime 105 minutes Cast Margaret Qualley Julia Steinway