Riz Ahmed plays the perfect James Bond in Prime Video’s new comedy series Bait, which made its world premiere on opening night at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival ahead of its streaming premiere in March. The Oscar nominee will write and star in the film, playing a struggling London actor who goes into an existential spiral when his audition to become the next James Bond becomes a hot topic. Ahmed claimed that the series was more about the audition process in life than Bond himself.
“I was taking note of all the contradictions that make up my life,” Ahmed said in a Sundance interview with co-star Guz Khan on Variety Studio presented by Audible. “The difference between your public self and your private self. The inspiration is that sometimes life can feel like one big audition. We’re all trying to prove ourselves online, chasing strangers’ reviews and seeking approval. I wanted to create a show that explored that.”
But Bond remains a top priority for Ahmed. The 007 series is currently being rebooted with support from Amazon, the same studio behind Bait. The actor quipped, “Everyone auditions for the role of Bond. Daniel Craig’s was ‘Layer Cake’…This is my audition for the role of Bond. I would like to say to anyone who watches this show and thinks they shouldn’t play Bond.”
Amazon’s first James Bond movie will be directed by Denis Villeneuve, director of “Blade Runner 2049” and “Dune.” This will be the first major feature in the 007 series since the end of the Daniel Craig era. A new Bond actor has not yet been announced, but the latest rumors circulating online suggest Euphoria star and Oscar nominee Jacob Elordi is set for the role.
“I don’t care who plays James Bond,” Ahmed said of the 007 casting rumors, playfully leaving the set when his co-star Guz Khan told him, “I think Jacob Elordi will be James Bond, not Riz Ahmed.”
“To be honest, this show isn’t about Bond,” Ahmed added with a more serious note. “James Bond on our show is a symbol of what my character wants to be, which is the ultra-alpha male. He just wants to be someone else, and that’s what so many of us want to be. That’s the part that resonates with me.”
“Bait” will be released on Prime Video on March 25th.
