Villeneuve to seek unknown British Bond in his 20s after Dune Part 3

Denis Villeneuve will begin searching for the next James Bond after he finishes work on Dune Part Three next year, and people close to the project say the producers are looking for a British, male unknown in his late 20s or early 30s to take over the iconic role. The casting is expected to kick off only once Villeneuve wraps on Arrakis, and insiders say the film will be produced under Amazon's MGM banner with producers David Heyman and Amy Pascal attached as the production moves forward.

Those involved in early discussions describe a deliberate shift away from established Hollywood names. The ideal candidate, they said, is a fresh face, not a superstar, who can convey immediate physical menace. "Whoever it is has to look like he could kill you with his bare hands in a trice. From the moment you see him, that has to be readily apparent," a person close to the conversations told reporters. The producers are said to be drawing on creator Ian Fleming's original conception of Bond as a "blunt instrument" and "an extremely dull, uninteresting man to whom things happened," aiming for a lethal, physical presence rather than marquee celebrity.

That brief would rule out many of the most...