Cara Delevingne Throws Her Hat Into the James Bond Ring, Even If It Means Playing the Villain
The search for the next 007 has become one of the longest-running guessing games in Hollywood, with fresh names and fresh rumors surfacing almost every week. Into that noise steps Cara Delevingne, who has been tied to the franchise for more than a decade and has never been shy about her interest. Her latest remark is a reminder of how long the idea has followed her around.
The first wave of chatter dates back to 2013, when reports said the then 21-year-old model hoped to land a Bond girl role opposite Daniel Craig. By 2017, tabloid reports claimed producers had her on their radar for the next film. She answered by telling The Sun at the European premiere of ‘Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets’ that she would rather play Bond herself, arguing that women can do the job just as well.
Now she has circled back to the gag while promoting ‘Club Kid’. Delevingne joked that she could be the franchise’s next Jane Bond, or failing that, at least a villain in the series. It was a throwaway line, but it landed at a moment when every Bond comment gets treated like a casting clue.
Cara Delevingne jokes about being the next “Jane” Bond or “at least a villain” in the franchise. https://t.co/j1PWZ2ZHqq
— Variety (@Variety) November 7, 2026
The villain half of the joke is more than a quip, because Delevingne has been here before. She played the magical villain Enchantress in ‘Suicide Squad’, a role announced alongside Margot Robbie, Will Smith and Jared Leto. Few actors can say they have already stepped into a comic-book rogues’ gallery.
There is also a bigger conversation behind it. Game Rant has argued that the series has not delivered a major female villain since Rosa Klebb in ‘From Russia with Love’, and that a modern take could help the next chapter stand out. Whether or not you agree, the idea of a scene-stealing female antagonist has plenty of fans.
The Jane Bond pun is not new either. Gillian Anderson used the same wordplay in a 2016 tweet, and fans have been floating a female 007 ever since.
The timing of the joke is hard to miss. Denis Villeneuve is directing the next film for Amazon MGM Studios, with Amy Pascal and David Heyman producing and Steven Knight reportedly writing. Production is expected to begin in 2027, and the movie is reportedly slated for 2028, though no official date has been announced.
On the casting front, no official announcement has been made, but the rumor mill is running hot. Variety reports that Robert Pattinson and Nicholas Hoult were among the stars who screen-tested for the role. Callum Turner, Josh O’Connor and Jack Lowden are the rumored front-runners, and Variety has also learned that Harry Styles has had discussions about the part.
The industry’s elder statesmen have been weighing in too. Pierce Brosnan told Vanity Fair that he is eagerly waiting like everyone else, and he gave Turner his stamp of approval. Gary Oldman has claimed the choice has already been made and has backed his ‘Slow Horses’ co-star Lowden. A producer has indicated the reveal should come before the end of the year.
Delevingne has plenty to keep her busy while the Bond circus plays out. ‘Club Kid’ is the feature directorial debut of Jordan Firstman, who also stars as a hard-partying New York club promoter whose life is upended when he learns he has a 10-year-old son. She plays Sophie, Peter’s professional partner and friend, in a cast that also includes Diego Calva and Kirby Howell-Baptiste.
The film premiered in the Un Certain Regard section at Cannes, where it set off a bidding war that A24 reportedly won with a $17 million deal. It reached US theaters on November 6, and GCN framed it as an acting comeback for Delevingne. She also turned heads on the Los Angeles red carpet in a Jean Paul Gaultier blazer worn as a dress.
For now, the Bond comment is best read as a good-natured wink from someone who has been tied to 007 for years. Nobody should expect an official audition any time soon, but the joke keeps her name in the conversation while the real casting news is still pending.
What role would you most like to see Cara Delevingne play in the James Bond franchise?
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