Fiennes Reveals Past Talks About Playing Bond
Ralph Fiennes says he once discussed the role of James Bond years before joining the franchise as M, as the next Bond enters final screen tests.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Film — General
Ralph Fiennes, 63, has revealed he held discussions about becoming James Bond years before he joined the franchise as M, first appearing as Gareth Mallory in Skyfall in 2012. Callum Turner, Josh O'Connor, Jack Lowden and a fourth unnamed actor have reached the final round of screen tests for the role.
Why it matters
Fiennes' remarks offer a rare look at how close he came to the Bond role and at his preference for the darker tone of Ian Fleming's original stories. The disclosure comes as the producers move toward choosing the actor to succeed Daniel Craig.
Daniel Craig's final appearance as Bond was in No Time to Die, and four actors are now in the final round of screen tests to succeed him. The fourth finalist has not been publicly named.
The players
Ralph Fiennes
Ralph Fiennes is a British actor known for roles in films such as Schindler's List and The Grand Budapest Hotel, and he has played M in the Bond films since Skyfall.
Callum Turner
Callum Turner is a British actor who has reached the final round of screen tests to play the next James Bond.
Josh O'Connor
Josh O'Connor is a British actor known for his work in The Crown and Challengers, and he is among the finalists for the next James Bond.
Jack Lowden
Jack Lowden is a Scottish actor known for Dunkirk and Slow Horses, and he is among the finalists for the next James Bond.
The details
Fiennes spoke about his love of Ian Fleming's original Bond books while recording an upcoming episode of BBC Radio 3's The Essay, where he revealed his earlier brush with the role. He said he preferred the darker tone of the early stories and suggested the films could have been made in the mid-1950s in black and white in a film noir style.
Timeline
2012: Fiennes first appears as Gareth Mallory in Skyfall.
Previous years: Fiennes holds discussions about becoming Bond before joining the franchise.
No Time to Die: Daniel Craig makes his final appearance as Bond.
Industry Dynamics
The search for a new Bond follows Daniel Craig's exit after No Time to Die, a transition that has drawn attention to how the franchise chooses its lead in the streaming era. Fiennes' remarks add a view from inside the franchise about the tone the series might return to.
Viewers will not see the next Bond until a casting decision is made and a production schedule is announced. Gary Oldman has said the announcement will come pretty soon, but no date has been set.
The takeaway
Casting decisions for major franchises often take years, and Fiennes' earlier near-miss shows how long these choices can take to settle. Readers following the franchise should watch for the official announcement rather than unconfirmed reports.
Further reading
For more on the film industry's major releases and casting news, explore our Film — General coverage.
