Daniel Craig Throws Support Behind Josh O’Connor as the Next James Bond: He’s Got ‘Charm and Grit’

The name’s Bond, James Bond. The search for a new 007 actor is continuing behind the scenes, and a source exclusively tells In Touch that former lead star Daniel Craig has thrown his vote firmly behind Josh O’Connor as the best suited to follow in his footsteps.

“Daniel has all but publicly announced he thinks Josh O’Connor should be the next 007, and has been thoroughly impressed with Josh since Josh’s star-making run on Netflix’s The Crown,” an insider claims.

The source says the catalyst for his support was seeing the It factor in the star. “The big thing is that Josh has such a different vibe from Daniel and because Daniel continues to advise the 007 producers on how to steer the franchise, they’ve all landed on the idea that the next James Bond has to be as different from Daniel as Daniel was from Pierce Brosnan,” added the tipster.

Daniel, 57, played Bond from from 2006 to 2021, appearing in Casino Royale, Quantum of Solace, Skyfall, Spectre and No Time to Die.

Pierce, his predecessor, portrayed 007 from 1995 to 2002 in four films, including GoldenEye, Tomorrow Never Dies, The World Is Not Enough and Die Another Day.

“Josh definitely brings a different energy to the table, and he’s kind of a throwback to how Bond was described in the original Ian Fleming books way back when,” the insider tells In Touch, noting that with a bulking fitness plan he can easily embody the iconic character.

“This role is really about charm and grit, and Josh has both of those in spades. He’s also the right age, 34, to start this journey and put in a solid decade-and-a-half like Daniel did. And creatively, they’re on the same page,” noted the source.

In recent months, rumors have been swirling about who could secure the role as the famed MI6 agent in the next action-packed flick — the 26th Bond film.

Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson, who long produced the British spy-action franchise before stepping down and giving creative control to Amazon MGM Studios, previously said that finding a new Bond is “a big decision” before the Governors Awards last November.

“Every time we cast a new actor, the films change,” Michael, 83, said. “It’s the excitement of a new Bond, a new direction.”

An insider points out that both Daniel and Josh are “true-blue Englishmen to their core, which is an important thing for the character and for 007 fans around the world.”

“[Daniel’s] vote matters A LOT when it comes to the choice of the next Bond, because franchise producer Barbara Broccoli is by far his closest friend in the movie business and takes everything he says incredibly seriously, especially when it comes to giant casting decisions like this,” said the insider.

“Josh is perfectly positioned to take this baton and run with it, but the Bond producers still have to get on the same page creatively with Amazon/MGM, which is the ongoing obstacle standing in the way of making the next film,” the sources further explained. “When that’s resolved, they’ll finally announce their plans publicly. I don’t see a Thanksgiving 2026 release out of the question just yet, especially if the impasse with Amazon can be solved before this summer.”