Saoirse Ronan says she remains committed to playing a villain in the next James Bond film, reviving a campaign she has waged publicly for roughly two years as the franchise works through casting decisions under its new studio ownership. The four-time Oscar nominee told Empire magazine she wants a role that pushes against the type of sympathetic characters she has built her career on.
Ronan, who is promoting the black comedy “Bad Apples,” said she envisions a young female antagonist standing at the center of the story rather than in a supporting role. She argued that giving audiences, particularly women and girls, a villain who channels frustration and anger into something dramatic would mark a meaningful departure for the franchise. The idea builds on comments she made in a 2024 interview, when she first said she would welcome the chance to play against Bond rather than fall for him.
The timing carries a personal dimension. Ronan’s husband, Jack Lowden, has been named among the leading contenders to take on the role of 007 itself, alongside actors including Callum Turner, Tom Holland, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Harris Dickinson and Jacob Elordi. Amazon MGM Studios, which took full creative control of the Bond franchise from longtime stewards Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson in early 2025, has not confirmed any casting decisions for either role. Denis Villeneuve is directing the new installment, with Steven Knight writing the screenplay, Amy Pascal producing and Nina Gold overseeing casting.
Pascal has previously said the next Bond film needs to feel distinct from earlier entries in the series, and producers have suggested that whatever direction they choose should feel unexpected. A central female villain would represent uncharted territory for the franchise, which has featured supporting antagonists such as Xenia Onatopp in “GoldenEye” and Elektra King in “The World Is Not Enough” but has never placed a woman in the lead adversarial role. The film is reportedly targeting a 2028 release, with a casting announcement for the title role possible before the end of the year.
