Sydney Sweeney, Zendaya… Who will be the next James Bond Girl?

By Violaine Schütz.

Four years after the very successful and dark No Time to Die (2021), directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga, numerous names have been going around regarding Daniel Craig’s successor. While the final decision remains unknown yet, rumours point to Jacob Elordi, Tom Holland, newly Oscar-winning actor Cillian Murphy, Harris Dickinson (Babygirl), and the charismatic Aaron Taylor-Johnson, who for a long time was considered the top choice to don the 007 suit. But now that Amazon has taken over the franchise’s creative direction and Denis Villeneuve has been appointed director, all bets are off… The role could even go to a young, unknown actor.

Who will be the next James Bond Girl?

Meanwhile, betting sites like InstantCasinos and Gambling are having fun letting users wager on who the next James Bond Girl might be. Recently, French actress Léa Seydoux shone brilliantly in that role, then followed by Ana de Armas.

To match the new James Bond, internet users are placing their bets on highly sought-after actresses. including Jenna Ortega, Lily Collins, Millie Bobby Brown, Zoë Kravitz, Anya Taylor-Joy, Lupita Nyong’o, and Florence Pugh, who might appear in a James Bond spin-off centered on Miss Moneypenny. Jodie Comer (Killing Eve) and Emma Watson (Harry Potter) are also among the names being mentioned.

Sydney Sweeney to star in the new James Bond?

Among other names circulating online, especially in media like The National Enquirer, are Ariana Grande, Zoey Deutch (Set It Up), Hailee Steinfeld (Hawkeye), Joey King (The Kissing Booth), Dua Lipa, Marisa Abela (Back to Black), Rachel Zegler, and Phoebe Dynevor. According to the Daily Mail, Zendaya is reportedly competing with Sydney Sweeney for the role of the next Bond Girl.

Several websites, including CinemaBlend, cite Sydney Sweeney as the frontrunner, thanks in part to the box office success of Anyone But You (2024), her emotionally versatile acting range, and her femme fatale looks. Her close friendship with billionaire CEO Jeff Bezos also works in her favour, as Amazon now holds the rights to the upcoming James Bond film. In any case, the Euphoria actress would make a sensational duo with Aaron Taylor-Johnson, if the two were to be cast.

When asked about the role in an interview with Variety, Sydney Sweeney declared: “To be honest, I don’t know all the Bond rumors, but I’ve always been a huge fan of the franchise, and I’m excited and curious to see what they do with it.” Before adding: “Depends on the script. I think I’d have more fun as James Bond.”

Zendaya, Adèle Exarchopoulos… Actresses who would be perfect as James Bond Girls

As far as we’re concerned, we’d also love to see a French actress join the cast of the next James Bond. In the past, Carole Bouquet, Sophie Marceau, Léa Seydoux, and Eva Green have all delivered outstanding performances as Agent 007’s alter ego. A French actress with international appeal and a badass aura, like Adèle Exarchopoulos – currently starring in Lena Dunham’s new series Too Much – would be a perfect fit. She’s clearly comfortable in action roles, as she demonstrated in the Netflix film Voleuses (2023). That project even gave her the chance to handle weapons, as she shared in an interview with Numéro last year.

French actresses Marion Cotillard, Laetitia Casta, Juliette Binoche, Virginie Efira, Mélanie Laurent, and Camille Cottin – all of them have international recognition – would also be great choices to bring a French touch to the new opus. Finally, the enigmatic Swiss actress Souheila Yacoub, outstanding in Dune: Part Two, could stand out as a rebellious spy.

The upcoming James Bond film, directed by Denis Villeneuve, does not have a release date yet.