A ‘Spider-Man’ producer is now ‘getting started’ on the new ‘James Bond’ — but one lingering question remains

Amy Pascal, a veteran Hollywood producer whose credits include all three of Tom Holland’s Spider-Man films, is said to be “getting started” with work on the new James Bond film. 

News of the beloved spy film’s development was revealed at the CinemaCon convention in Las Vegas on Wednesday. The reveal came courtesy of Amazon MGM, who made headlines in February when they gained full creative ownership of the James Bond franchise over longtime former owners, Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson. Speaking at the event, Amazon MGM executives Courtenay Valenti and Sue Kroll said Pascal and the team are “committed to honoring the legacy of this iconic character while bringing a fresh, exotic new chapter to audiences around the world.”

Amy Pascal and David Heyman are now starting work on the next James Bond movie.

Pascal produced the ‘Spider-Man’ films & Heyman produced the ‘Harry Potter’ films. pic.twitter.com/lI6ktGEBVs

— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) April 3, 2025

Pascal, however, couldn’t attend the James Bond CinemaCon event, because she was “getting started” on producing the movie in London. Pascal joining the project, and news that the ball is rolling on production, means we’re bound to hear updates about the long-awaited James Bond, which had long been stalling some four years after the most recent installment, No Time To Die, arrived back in 2021. Pascal joined as a producer alongside Britain’s own David Heyman, whose credits are equally starry and include Padding and Harry Potter. 

Bond about to get that blockbuster treatment again

— Capitán (@SirTopiano) April 3, 2025

Since it’s been so long between James Bond outings, and given the fears that the franchise was doomed entirely, fans reacted excitedly to news of two veteran producers kicking the next film into high gear. “Expect web-slinging martinis and wand duels,” one X user wrote in reference to Pascal and Heyman’s credits. Others said “Bond [is] about to get that blockbuster treatment again,” or predicted that the producing pair are “gonna create some magic with the new Bond movie.” 

expect web-slinging martinis and wand duels 🍸

— nox (@noxlonga) April 3, 2025

Even with this new development, however, one lingering question remains perpetually on the minds of fans — who is going to play James Bond? That question has plagued the franchise ever since Daniel Craig departed from the role in 2021, but Pascal’s producer hat grants the movie a wealth of leading men to choose from. In February, Amazon owner Jeff Bezos posed that very same question to his followers on X, with the resounding answer being Tom Hardy. 

Elsewhere, fans have long campaigned for Idris Elba to become the famous martini-drinking spy. Fellow fan-casts have named the likes of Henry Cavill, Challengers star Josh O’Connor, and Aaron Taylor-Johnson, the latter of whom responded to speculation by saying he “love[s] slipping on a tuxedo.” Just as loud as the chatter around James Bond’s identity is the debate about whether the role should be gender-flipped. Just last week, actress Helen Mirren dismissed the idea of a female James Bond not because it would ruin the movie, but because she “never liked the way women were [portrayed] in James Bond.” 

Wherever they land (my pick is Taylor-Johnson, but I’m biased for heartthrobs), we can at least rest assured that the upcoming James Bond is out of in-development hell and moving full steam ahead. With all this chat of leading men, I’m feeling a little shaken (not stirred).