Theo James has the crisp British accent, the tailored suits and the leading-man swagger, so it’s no surprise that fans keep putting his name in the conversation about the next James Bond! The race to succeed Daniel Craig is heating up, and The Gentlemen star’s name has popped up once again. Now the actor is weighing in on the role himself, and he even has a pick of his own.
Here’s everything to know.
Who Is Theo James?
Theo is an English actor who broke out as Tobias “Four” Eaton in the Divergent film series before playing Cameron Sullivan in season 2 of HBO’s The White Lotus. These days he leads Guy Ritchie’s Netflix series The Gentlemen as Eddie Horniman, and he recently returned from the Morocco set of season 3.
“Season 3 is expanding into the Middle East. We’re taking the story in a wider direction, and my character is going to go down a deeper and darker descent into hell, in many ways,” Theo told Extra on November 9, 2026.
Off camera, he has been married to actress Ruth Kearney since 2018.
Is Theo James the Next James Bond?
He isn’t, at least not officially. No actor has been announced as the new 007, and Amazon declined to comment on the casting rumors. Robert Pattinson and Nicholas Hoult recently screen-tested for director Denis Villeneuve, while Callum Turner, Josh O’Connor and Jack Lowden have also been linked to the part, Variety reported. Even so, Theo’s name hasn’t disappeared from the list.
“Variety has learned that Harry Styles has had discussions about the part, and Theo James, 41, also hasn’t been ruled out,” the outlet reported.
A final decision is expected before the end of the year, according to CNN.
What Did Theo James Say About Playing James Bond?
The actor has been surprisingly candid about the role, and he doesn’t sound eager to grab the tuxedo. In an August 2026 interview with British GQ, he ruled himself out for two reasons.
“I’m definitely too old now, for one. But, yeah, that would be an example of a place you could never come back from,” he said.
He has long preferred smaller projects that let him keep some privacy, and he told the magazine that the kind of fame that comes with Bond wouldn’t ultimately be worth it.
Who Does Theo James Want to Be the Next James Bond?
Theo has a very different idea for the franchise. When Extra asked who should get the role, he named a star nobody expected.
“Anya Taylor-Joy,” he said, adding, “I actually remember watching [The Queen’s Gambit] and thinking she would be a great Bond, Jane Bond.”
His pitch for Anya Taylor-Joy gave fans one more name to dream about while they wait for the big announcement.
