Actor Theo James has ruled himself out of contention to become the next James Bond, telling British GQ that he considers himself "too old now" for the role. His comments come more than five years after Daniel Craig's final outing in No Time to Die, with the search for a successor dragging on longer than any previous Bond recasting in over two decades, now made all the more notable given how frequently James had been tipped as a frontrunner.

James is 41, which is notably older than Craig was when he debuted as Bond in Casino Royale at 38, though Pierce Brosnan was actually 42 when he took over in GoldenEye. Amazon MGM Studios, which now holds creative control of the franchise, is reportedly seeking someone who could commit to a lengthy run in the role, similar to Craig's 15-year, five-film tenure, meaning a 41-year-old starting out could still be playing Bond into his 50s.