Hot off of the release of the first film in his new Rebel Moon universe, director Zack Snyder is already looking towards the future – and in his wildest dreams, those apparently include the chance to make a new James Bond film centered around a younger incarnation of the titular British intelligence agent.
The former visionary behind DC’s plans for a shared cinematic universe shared his dream for a potential 007 adventure while speaking about his post-Rebel Moon: Part 1 – Child of Fire plans with The Atlantic‘s David Itzkoff.
Following a discussion regarding the filmmaker’s personal exhaustion with Hollywood’s continued milking of already-established entertainment properties – “I mean, like, how much IP is there?” he questioned – Itzkoff pressed his guest as to whether or not he would ever lend his creative direction to another popular franchise.
In turn, Snyder excitedly declared, “It’d be cool to see, like, 20-year-old James Bond.”
“The humble roots that he comes from,” explained the Batman v Superman of what his theoretical Bond adventure would explore. “Whatever trauma of youth that makes you be able to be James Bond. There has to be something there.”
And while his current chances of being allowed the chance to helm Bond are admittedly exceptionally low – least of all because his explosive, set-piece heavy, dark style of filmmaking would be a total mismatch the elegant, luxury entertainment property – anything could happen between now and the super-spy’s next and apparently far, far off reinvention.
Speaking to British-based news outlet The Guardian in October, franchise producer Barbara Broccoli asserted, “I think these movies reflect the time they are in, and there’s a big, big road ahead reinventing it for the next chapter and we haven’t even begun with that.”
Unsurprisingly, given the far-off timeline for Bond’s return, concrete details regarding his next sortie are non-existent.
However, a prominent Hollywood rumor suggests that a front runner in the race to portray Ian Fleming’s iconic hero has already emerged in the form of Avengers: Age of Ultron and Kraven the Hunter star Aaron-Taylor Johnson.
Writing for The Puck, veteran entertainment reporter and former editor of The Hollywood Reporter Matthew Belloni detailed in January 2023, “The Aaron Taylor-Johnson rumours are true — he sat with producer Barbara Broccoli, and the meeting went well, per sources. But while Taylor-Johnson fits the bill — great actor, British, fits the younger direction the Broccolis want to go, accomplished but not particularly famous — he’s about to be a much bigger star.”
Further, pressed by Esquire‘s Alex Pappademas that following august for confirmation on whether or not he had been in discussion to take the role, rather than outright deny such meetings had ever occurred, the Godzilla (2014) star asserted, “It’s not really for me to say anything.”
“I’ve spent two years making Kraven,” said Taylor-Johnson. “So all that hard work we put into trying to get that to where it is—that’s where I’m at right now.”
“I just focus on the things I can have in my hands right now,” he added. “What’s in front of me right now.”
Snyder’s latest project, the aforementioned Rebel Moon: Part 1 – Child of Fire, is now streaming on Netflix.