Zack Snyder Hints at Possibility of a James Bond Prequel Starring a ‘20-Year-Old’ 007

Rebel Moon filmmaker Zack Snyder has expressed interest in making a prequel to the James Bond films focusing on a 20-something 007. The director made the connection while talking with The Atlantic to promote his latest movie, Rebel Moon. The Netflix original hopes to launch a Star Wars-style universe.

Though Snyder is best known for his remakes or reinterpretations of existing material, like Dawn of the Dead (2004) and Man of Steel (2012), he’s recently segued into crafting his own original stories. Rebel Moon was preceded by his zombie-heist flick Army of the Dead (2021), also for Netflix.

When asked if there were any more existing properties he’d like to put his spin on, Snyder rather enthusiastically spun a bare-bones pitch for a 007 prequel. “It’d be cool to see, like, 20-year-old James Bond,” the filmmaker mused. “The humble roots that he comes from. Whatever trauma of youth that makes you be able to be James Bond. There has to be something there.”

There’s been a lot of debate surrounding Bond since Daniel Craig ended his celebrated tenure as the character in 2021’s No Time to Die. While rumors have swirled regarding replacements, Bond producers have yet to announce the next actor to take on the role, and have signaled that they’ve not even begun the audition process.

Unfortunately for Snyder, it’s unlikely that a 20-something actor would nab the role, anyway. Producer Michael G. Wilson dismissed the idea of a younger Bond when rumors swirled of Tom Holland taking over the role. He confirmed (via Radio Times) that whoever is cast will be a “30-something” actor.

In a separate interview with Radio Times in 2022, longtime Bond casting director Debbie McWilliams said that young actors aren’t being considered at this point in the franchise’s evolution.

"When we started, it was a slightly different feel,” McWilliams said of casting Casino Royale (2006). “We did look at a lot of younger actors, and I just don't think they had the gravitas. They didn't have the experience, they didn't have the mental capacity to take it on, because it's not just the part they're taking on, it's a massive responsibility,” she explained. "So we kind of scrubbed that idea and went back to the drawing board and started again."

Snyder’s Rebel Moon is currently available to stream on Netflix. The director recently expressed a desire to cast LeBron James in the sequel, which is set to debut in April 2024. If all goes well, we may have a 007 movie starring LeBron.