The hunt for the next James Bond is on, but maybe not for much longer! With actors like Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Anthony Boyle, Callum Turner, Leo Suter, Harris Dickinson, Regé-Jean Page, and Idris Elba being named in the running, Jacob Elordi has now seemingly had advanced talks with the creators for the role of 007. As per a ShowBiz report on January 23, the star met up with Denis Villeneuve, and this could more or less mean that a role may be confirmed.

The James Bond franchise seems to be eyeing a new lead, Jacob Elordi

Jacob Elordi earned his first-ever Oscar nomination for his portrayal of The Creature in Netflix’s Frankenstein. He is up for the Best Supporting Actor win at the Academy Awards alongside Sean Penn and Benicio Del Toro in One Battle After Another, Delroy Lindo in Sinners, and Stellan Skarsgard in Sentimental Value. Not only is it his debut nod, but it is also an acknowledgement of his refreshing career. And the actor seems more than ready to take on another iconic role in the form of James Bond, previously essayed by Daniel Craig.

As per recent reports, the 28-year-old has had extensive meetings with director Denis Villeneuve and the film’s producers. As such, it appears that they may have reached a conclusion on the casting in the role of the famed spy in Amazon’s upcoming reboot. If this comes true, on the heels of his Oscars nom, Jacob Elordi may get ready for another celebration soon.

Earlier reports have pitted Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Callum Turner as two other strong contenders for the character, so take all information with a grain of salt. Apart from the director, Peaky Blinders fame writer Steven Knight has been handed over the script authority. Other details remain under wraps as of now. 

Meanwhile, Jacob Elordi is known for his work in The Kissing Booth and Euphoria, alongside his other projects, including Saltburn and Priscilla. He will next be seen in the erotic romance drama, Wuthering Heights, with Margot Robbie. 

Luv Ranjan is a popular Indian filmmaker who is best known for quirky rom-coms, however he has balanced his filmography very well by trying different subjects and floating from one genre to the other through his production ventures. In an exclusive interview with Pinkvilla, Luv Ranjan not only talked about the difference between his directorial picks versus production projects, but also shared insights on his upcoming slate of releases. 

Excerpts from the interview: 

Every filmmaker craves a signature style, and you clearly have one. Whenever we think of a quirky, modern rom-com, your name immediately comes to mind. Does it come naturally to you?

I am genuinely telling you, I have no idea. When I started in this industry, it was not like I decided that I was going to be a filmmaker who would have a signature with quirky rom-coms. Sometimes, what happens is that you can’t determine your journey. You set out to do something, and your journey takes form. My second film, Akash Vani, if it had done well at the box office, maybe I would have ventured more towards dramas. So, now no one can tell when that journey will turn and in which direction. It just so happened that you know, I ended up doing rom coms and comedies and quirky comedies, and they resonated with the audiences. 

Today, we are talking about me having a signature in terms of rom-coms and comedies. But if you ask me, was it intentional? It wasn’t intentional. It wasn’t something that I decided beforehand, that this is the path I’m going to take and this is the journey I’m going to take. 

Out of all your directorial films, I feel Akash Vaani is the most underrated and isn’t talked about much. Do you think if the film were released today, it would be better accepted by audiences? Haven’t you thought of re-releasing it? 

I would like to believe that. Yeah, maine kabhi socha nahi uss direction mein. But now that you are saying that maybe I will give it a thought that we should think of re-releasing it, probably.

There’s a clear difference between the kind of films you direct and the ones you produce. How do you pick and choose to be involved as a producer or director?

See, because before being a producer and a director, I’m an audience. I love films. And I love all kinds of films. Right, it’s not like I only like comedies as an audience. I grew up on different kinds of cinema. I’m a fan of different kinds of cinema and different genres. Now, the whole idea of being a producer is also about the fact that as a producer, you can venture into different territories. Why should we limit ourselves to making films that I can make? 

So, the fun is to be able to produce films and be a part of films that may not be entirely my cup of tea, as a creator. But as long as they are my cup of tea as an audience, as long as it’s a film that I would like to watch, it’s a film that I would like to make in whatever capacity that I can.

Have you decided your next directorial film? 

I’m writing my next. Hopefully, I will tell you soon.

What more we can expect from your production space after Vadh 2? 

We have just finished an action film with Ajay Devgn sir, which is going to release later this year. We have already announced it. We are very soon starting Sourav Ganguly’s biopic in March. So that is something on the slate that we are working on. 

Stay tuned to Pinkvilla for more updates.