007 Producer Says Hunt For Next James Bond Will Begin Next Year

The chase for the next actor to play James Bond will kick off in 2022, according to producer Barbara Broccoli. Broccoli appeared on BBC Radio 4 on Monday (per Deadline) and said she’s not going to begin thinking about a replacement for Daniel Craig until next year.

Craig’s final go as the superspy hits theaters next month, and Broccoli joked that she was “in denial” about Craig leaving the franchise. She noted, “We want Daniel to have his time of celebration. Next year we’ll start thinking about the future.”

Broccoli is the co-head of Eon Productions alongside her half-brother Michael G. Wilson and has been involved in the Bond franchise since 1977’s The Spy Who Loved Me. She has been a producer for all the films starting with Pierce Brosnan’s run as Bond.

Craig’s last hurrah as Bond is No Time to Die, which releases on October 8th in the US.