Saoirse Ronan Wants to Play a James Bond Villain as Husband Jack Lowden Emerges as 007 Contender

Saoirse Ronan has made her ambitions for the James Bond franchise crystal clear. The four-time Oscar nominee wants to play a villain in the next 007 movie, and she insists she isn’t simply throwing the idea around.

In a recent interview with Empire, Ronan described the kind of antagonist she wants to bring to the screen. She wants to play a complex female villain with her own agenda rather than another traditional femme fatale whose story mainly revolves around romance with Bond.

“I want to go dark,” Ronan said, making it clear that she seriously wants the role.

Instead of falling for Bond, Ronan wants her character to actively hunt him down. She imagines a younger female villain who uses her power, anger and ambition to challenge 007.

Ronan also sees an opportunity to give the franchise a female antagonist with genuine agency. Rather than using the character as a romantic subplot, she wants filmmakers to build a villain with her own motivations and emotional complexity.

“I think it would be really interesting,” she said, highlighting the potential of a woman who fights Bond because of her own goals rather than personal attraction.

Ronan’s comments carry even more weight because her husband, actor Jack Lowden, has emerged as a potential contender for the next James Bond.

Lowden has gained international recognition for playing River Cartwright in the acclaimed spy series Slow Horses. His name has repeatedly surfaced in reports about the search for Daniel Craig’s successor.

Amazon MGM Studios has not confirmed its choice, however. British television presenter Richard Osman previously said he had heard that Lowden ranked highly in the studio’s considerations, although he stressed that the report did not mean the actor had secured the role.

If Lowden eventually takes over as 007, Ronan could theoretically face her husband on screen as Bond’s enemy.

That possibility has already sparked plenty of fan speculation. The married actors could potentially find themselves on opposite sides of the same story, with Lowden playing the world’s most famous spy and Ronan portraying the woman determined to destroy him.

Dune director Denis Villeneuve will direct the next James Bond movie, while Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight will write the screenplay.

Amazon MGM Studios plans to begin production in 2027 and currently targets a 2028 theatrical release.

The studio confirmed in May that it had begun searching for Daniel Craig’s replacement but has kept the identity of the next 007 under wraps.

Several actors have entered the conversation, including Callum Turner, Jacob Elordi, Tom Holland, Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Harris Dickinson. Lowden has continued to attract attention as the casting process moves forward.

For now, Amazon MGM Studios has announced neither the next James Bond nor his primary villain.

However, Ronan’s pitch could give the franchise an intriguing new direction. A formidable female antagonist with her own ambitions could bring a fresh dynamic to the series.

And if Lowden ultimately becomes 007, casting the real-life couple on opposite sides of the Bond conflict could create one of the franchise’s most fascinating casting stories yet.