Austin Butler Bows Out of James Bond Speculation: ‘It’d Be Kind of Sacrilegious’

The Oscar-nominated actor rules himself out of playing 007, citing his American roots—while leaving the door open to a villainous turn in the franchise.

Amid swirling rumors across the Atlantic, Austin Butler has officially removed himself from the conversation around becoming the next James Bond.

Speaking on the Hits Radio Breakfast Show with Sam Thompson, the Dune: Part Two star expressed both admiration and reservation—acknowledging his respect for the role but insisting it should remain with a British actor. “I love that man, but no calls as far as James Bond go,” Butler said, referring to his Dune director Denis Villeneuve. “Would I play James Bond? I don’t think that would be a good idea. Because I’m an American. I can do an accent, but that would be kind of sacrilegious.”

However, Butler didn’t entirely close the door: “Villain? That would be alright! I’d do that,” he added, signaling interest in a different kind of role within the franchise.

His stance echoes sentiments recently voiced by Glen Powell, who humorously declared in an interview, “I’m Texan. A Texan should not play James Bond … I can play Jimmy Bond, but I should not be playing James Bond.”

Meanwhile, the next James Bond film is already taking shape: Amazon MGM has officially enlisted Denis Villeneuve to direct and Steven Knight to write, in collaboration with returning producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson, with Tanya Lapointe set as executive producer. Amy Pascal and David Heyman, hailed as “filmmaking legends,” are currently working on the project from London, according to Amazon MGM executives who revealed the update at CinemaCon in April.

As the franchise evolves under its new stewardship, the identity of Daniel Craig’s successor—following the iconic legacy of Sean Connery, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan, and others—continues to excite and mystify fans. But for now, Austin Butler has made one thing clear: he’s stepping off the 007 runway… unless it’s as the one Bond should be chasing.