Reports emerged on Monday that the 'Bullet Train' star will be the next British actor to play 007.
Aaron Taylor-Johnson is potentially staring down the barrel of becoming the next James Bond.
On Tuesday, reports emerged that the 33-year-old actor has been offered the role of 007 following Daniel Craig's exit as the iconic British Secret Service agent. ET reached out to EON -- the production company behind the franchise -- who did not comment on the reports.
The Sun was the first to share the news about Taylor-Johnson, who has previously starred in Kick-Ass alongside Nicolas Cage and Chloe Grace Moretz and Marvel's Avengers: Age of Ultron. The outlet reports that a new Bond film -- the 26th in the franchise -- is slated to begin production later this year.
"Bond is Aaron’s job, should he wish to accept it. The formal offer is on the table and they are waiting to hear back," a source reportedly told the outlet. "As far as Eon is concerned, Aaron is going to sign his contract in the coming days and they can start preparing for the big announcement."
Craig, 56, played Bond in five films between 2006 and 2021 and told ET back in 2019 that No Time to Die would be his last film with the franchise.
"This is going to be my last Bond I think," he shared with ET. "I think I've done enough, people are going to get sick of the sight of me. Someone else should have a go."
At the time, the Knives Out star weighed in on who he thought should put on the suit and tie next, to which he said it should just be "the right person."
"I think that everybody should be considered," Craig shared.
After No Time to Die premiered during the COVID-19 pandemic, producers Michael Wilson and Barbara Broccoli told ET in 2022 that they were not yet concerned with casting their next leading man as they were focusing their energy on celebrating 60 years of the character.
"Not at the moment," Broccoli said. "Right now, we're celebrating the 60th anniversary, which is a big event for us, and then we'll go into the beginning of next year [2023] we'll start talking about the trajectory of the films and how we're gonna do it and then we'll go around into the casting."
Wilson added that while the part is certainly a coveted one in Hollywood, it's also one that is time-consuming to say the least.
"He has to sign on for four or five films, so it takes a huge commitment. Not all the actors are ready and willing to do it," Wilson said. "Daniel, it took him a long time to figure out that he had come and do it."
Broccoli agreed, even quoting one-time Bond Pierce Brosnan, who stated, "More people have walked on the moon than have played this character."
"When you think about it in those terms," she said, "it’s quite daunting."
Taylor-Johnson is not the first actor (or actress) to have their name thrown into the conversation surrounding the next Bond, however. Since Craig's exit, names like Theo James, Callum Turner, Regé-Jean Page, Lashana Lynch and Henry Golding have all been named as potential replacements for The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo actor.
ET recently spoke with Turner and Lynch at separate events and each gave their responses to the rumors about their potential next role. Lynch, 36, previously played the new 007 in No Time To Die, taking over for Craig in the film.
"I think my mom is putting those rumors around town," Turner, 34, told ET at the premiere of his Apple TV+ show, Masters of the Air. "Barbara Broccoli is an amazing producer, I'd love to work with her in any capacity."
"Do you think people really want that? Do you think people are really ready for that?" Lynch told ET at the Bob Marley: One Love premiere. "I signed up for one movie, literally. I did one, look, I don't know anything about the next one. I've not had a conversation so, yeah, it's in their hands. It's in the franchise's hands."
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