A few weeks ago, the British "The Sun" reported that action star Aaron Taylor-Johnson (32, "Bullet Train") should be the favorite for the James Bond role. Accordingly, Taylor-Johnson is said to have impressed Bond producer Barbara Broccoli (62) at the audition at Pinewood Studios. Now the British tabloid is reporting that the 32-year-old is said to have been in front of the camera for the legendary "pistol run sequence". In the sequence, which can be seen in almost all "James Bond" films, secret agent Bond shoots towards the viewer, causing blood to run down the screen.

According to The Sun, Taylor-Johnson could be unveiled as the new face of the long-running Bond franchise in March 2023. A source told the publication: "Aaron impressed the bosses so much that he filmed one of the franchise's famous gun barrel sequences, something all Bond actors do." This would bring Taylor-Johnson "one step closer to signing the contract".

Actor Taylor-Johnson is known from films like "Bullet Train", "The King's Man: The Beginning", "Tenet", "Avengers: Age of Ultron" or the "Kick-Ass" series. The unnamed insider also claims to have learned more about his qualifications as a Bond actor. Taylor-Johnson is said to have won over Bond producers "with his unique blend of dramatic intensity and impressive catalog of action films".

In recent months and years, Tom Hardy (45), James Norton (37) and Idris Elba (50) have been named as favorites to succeed Daniel Craig (54). Henry Cavill (39) and Regé Jean-Page (34) are also doing well with British bookmakers. Bond producer Broccoli had previously announced that she wanted to "reinvent" the agent for the next film in the series.