Draft:Bond 26

James Bond 26 is an upcoming spy film and the twenty-sixth instalment in the James Bond film series produced by Eon Productions.

Pre-production
In December 2021, Barbara Broccoli expressed interest in seeing No Time to Die director Cary Joji Fukunaga return to direct another film in the series. By July 2023, Skyfall and Spectre director Sam Mendes revealed that he had declined a 'generous' offer to return to direct the film.

Casting
After Spectre, there was speculation that it would the final James Bond film to star Daniel Craig. In May 2016, it was reported that Craig had received a $100-million offer from Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer to do two more Bond films, but turned it down. In October 2016, Craig denied having made a decision at that time. He further denied that $150 million was offered to him for the next two instalments. In August 2017, Craig said that the next film, later revealed to be No Time to Die, would mark his final appearance as Bond on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.

In September 2021, series producer Barbara Broccoli stated that the search to find the lead actor to play Bond for the twenty-sixth Eon-produced film would begin in 2022. In December 2021, Broccoli stated that the next portrayal of the character would remain as male, though could be of any ethnicity or race.

Following Rebel Wilson's hosting of the 75th British Academy Film Awards in March 2022, she got into contact with Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson and auditioned for a role in the film.

As of 2023, casting for a new actor to portray Bond is underway.

Release
In September 2021, Barbara Broccoli stated that MGM intended to release future Bond films in movie theatres despite the then forthcoming acquisition of MGM by Amazon. In August 2022, it was announced that the film would be distributed by Universal Pictures internationally despite MGM's shift to Warner Bros. Pictures.