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Shekhar Kapur thinks John Abraham is best suited to play James Bond after Daniel Craig; actor reacts

The next actor who will play the iconic role of James Bond has not been announced yet, but filmmaker Shekhar Kapur has voted for Bollywood star John Abraham.

May 16, 2026, 15:54:41 IST
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The future of James Bond is officially in motion, with Amazon MGM Studios confirming that the search for the next actor to play 007 has begun. The next film is expected to introduce a younger version of 007, and the speculation around the casting has already been doing the rounds for months now. Now, filmmaker Shekhar Kapur has pitched in his vote for the role, adding that Bollywood actor John Abraham is best suited for it.

John Abraham has Shekhar Kapur's vote for taking on the James Bond role after Daniel Craig.
John Abraham has Shekhar Kapur's vote for taking on the James Bond role after Daniel Craig.

What Shekhar wrote

Shekhar took to his X account and wrote, “As the search of the next Bond heats up, my vote for the next James Bond after Daniel Craig would be John Abraham. He has the cool ‘shaken not stirred’ persona and certainly good actor with the ‘Bond Charm’. By the way Daniel Craig was cast as James Bond after the producers saw him in my film Elizabeth.”

John's response

This shoutout did not escape the attention of John, who shared it on his X account and wrote, “Thank you so much Sir @shekharkapur Truly humbled by your words and encouragement. Coming from someone who not only redefined storytelling but also had the instinct to spot Daniel Craig before the world saw Bond in him… this means a lot to me.”

He went on to add, “As for Bond… I’ll happily start practising my martini order immediately. Shaken, not stirred.”

More details

The new Bond film will be directed by Denis Villeneuve, while Steven Knight is attached as screenwriter. The project also has major production backing from Amy Pascal and David Heyman, with Tanya Lapointe serving as executive producer. Even before official casting began, speculation over the next Bond has been intense, with actors such as Jacob Elordi, Callum Turner, and Aaron Taylor-Johnson frequently mentioned as possible contenders, according to Screen Rant.

Despite confirmation that casting has begun, there is still no official release date for the next James Bond film. The studio has indicated that more updates will be shared once the process advances further.

Daniel Craig has starred in 5 James Bond movies. The last one to release was No Time to Die (2021). Actors who have played the role in the past are Sean Connery, David Niven, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton and Pierce Brosnan.

John started out as a model and went on to win the Gladrags Manhunt in 1999. He then made his Bollywood acting debut with the 2003 erotic thriller Jism. He achieved massive mainstream stardom as the antagonist in the 2004 action-thriller Dhoom. Some of his noted films include Madras Cafe, Dostana, Pathaan and Batla House.

  • Santanu Das
    ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    Santanu Das

    Santanu Das is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times with over 5 years of experience, writing on films, pop culture and film festivals. He has a keen interest in writing about South Asian independent films and has covered several film festivals, including Sundance and CPH: Docx. He also brings a sharp perspective to the monthly column called The Fault in Our Stars, where he writes about a recent film/series and what stops the ‘good’ from becoming ‘great’. A gold medalist from Banaras Hindu University, Santanu completed his postgraduate studies in English from Jadavpur University. He is also a Rotten Tomatoes-certified film critic. When not watching films or speaking to celebrities, Santanu can be found reading a book. Some of his favourite films are Aparajito, Ponyo and The Double Life of Veronique. His favourite books include The Corrections, The God of Small Things and A Room of One's Own. Santanu continues to write passionately about films and celebrity culture. He brings a relatable, as well as critically informed, lens to entertainment and culture for a wide audience. Find him on LinkedIn: santanudasfilm Instagram: @santupechaRead More

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