Ray Winstone has thrown his hat into the ring to play James Bond following Amazon’s takeover of the 007 franchise.
The 68-year-old actor made his surprise bid for the iconic role whilst expressing concerns about the future of the British spy under American ownership.
“I’d like to play Bond. Get him down to earth, get him gritty,” Winstone told talkSPORT.
The veteran actor also slammed rumours that the character could be Americanised, stating: “The world’s gone crazy.”
His comments come after long-time Bond producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G Wilson revealed last week they were ceding creative control to streaming giant Amazon, founded by tech billionaire Jeff Bezos.
The deal marks a significant shift for the Bond franchise, which has been under the Broccoli family’s control since 1962.
Ray Winstone has named himself as an unlikely candidate to play Bond next
PA
Barbara Broccoli, 64, and Michael G Wilson, 83, will remain co-owners but Amazon MGM Studios “will gain creative control” of the iconic British spy series.
Wilson cited his age as a factor in the decision, saying: “With my 007 career spanning nearly 60 incredible years, I am stepping back from producing the James Bond films to focus on art and charitable projects.”
Broccoli added: “With the conclusion of No Time to Die and Michael retiring from the films, I feel it is time to focus on my other projects.”
The announcement comes four years after Daniel Craig’s final appearance as Bond in No Time to Die.
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Daniel Craig left the role of James Bond behind in 2019 following No Time to Die METRO-GOLDWYN-MAYER STUDIOS, COLUMBIA PICTURES, DANJAQ, LLCWinstone is not the only British actor voicing concerns about the franchise’s future under Amazon.
Former James Bond Timothy Dalton, who starred in The Living Daylights and Licence To Kill, has described the sale as “sad”.
“I have no idea what Amazon would do with it,” Dalton told the Telegraph. “But it is a damn fine series of movies. It’s been part of our lives, so anything that threatens it is kind of sad.”
The 78-year-old actor was adamant that the next Bond must be British.
“It is one of the few wonderful stories we’ve got in film that is British. The leading character is British. We can call it our own,” Dalton insisted.
Winstone brings considerable acting pedigree to his Bond ambitions, with a career spanning five decades.
Known for his “hard man” roles delivered in his distinctive London accent, Winstone first gained recognition in 1979’s That Summer! which earned him a Bafta nomination for Best Newcomer.
His breakthrough came with the controversial film Scum and he later received another Bafta nomination for Nil by Mouth in 1997.
Winstone has worked with acclaimed directors including Martin Scorsese in The Departed and Steven Spielberg in Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.
He currently stars in Netflix’s The Gentlemen series and recently appeared in Marvel’s Black Widow.
The future of the Bond franchise remains uncertain, with no announcement yet on who will succeed Daniel Craig in the lead role.
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos has already begun canvassing fans’ opinions on social media, asking: “Who’d you pick as the next Bond?”
Bookmakers’ favourites include James Norton, Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Theo James.
The gap between No Time To Die and the next film could break the six-year record for the longest period between Bond releases.
Amazon’s takeover raises the possibility of expanding the franchise beyond films, potentially including streaming spin-offs similar to Disney’s approach with Star Wars.
The company’s first attempt at a Bond-related project, the reality competition 007: Road to a Million, received mixed reviews from critics and fans.