Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli gave ET an update about the search for their next franchise lead.
The search for the next James Bond hasn't begun just yet. ET's Matt Cohen spoke to Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli, the producers of the beloved franchise, at the 2022 Will Rogers Pioneer of the Year Dinner, which was held in their honor and marked 60 years of 007, and they updated fans on their hunt for a new leading man following Daniel Craig's final film.
"Not at the moment," Broccoli told ET when asked if the search was underway. "Right now, we're celebrating the 60th anniversary, which is a big event for us, and then we'll go into the beginning of next year, we’ll start talking about the trajectory of the films and how we're gonna do it and then we'll go around into the casting."
It's not an easy feat to find an actor who's both capable and willing to take on the "life-changing" role, Wilson noted.
"He has to sign on for four or five films, so it takes a huge commitment. Not all the actors are ready and willing to do it," he said. "Daniel, it took him a long time to figure out that he had come and do it."
Broccoli agreed, even quoting one-time Bond Pierce Brosnan, who once stated, "More people have walked on the moon than have played this character."
"When you think about it in those terms," she said, "it’s quite daunting."
While daunting for an actor, Wilson told ET that the stars of the franchise have "been the key" to its success, as "every actor brings a new refreshment to the series."
While fans wait for more information on the next potential Bond, they can get their fill of the series with the new documentary, The Sound of 007, which will debut on Prime Video Oct. 5.
"We wanted to do something to celebrate the 60th, and we thought it would be a good idea to celebrate the music that has been so much a part of the Bond series," Broccoli said. "It really talks about all the composers... and also the various people who have performed songs for the movies over the years... It’s a really fun documentary."
Meanwhile, the pair was thrilled to be honored at the Will Rogers Pioneer of the Year Dinner, which supports the Will Rogers Motion Picture Pioneers Foundation.
"It’s so great because we're raising money for a really great cause, it’s what this is all about," Wilson said. "It’s a fund to help people in the industry, help them mainly in the exhibition side, distribution side. It gives them a helping hand when they need it."
"There was so much hardship during the pandemic and the cinema business was really hardly hit, exhibition in particular," Broccoli added. "These are the people that get the movies out into the cinema and they’re vitally important... We couldn’t feel more proud of being here tonight in support of them."
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