Prime Video’s New 6-Part James Bond-esque Series Debuts To Perfect Rotten Tomatoes Score

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James Bond going full meta may just be the perfect shake-up for Prime Video’s new era.

With the hunt for the next James Bond still ongoing, Prime Video is offering a new series to tide fans over since Daniel Craig’s final film, No Time to Die, in 2021. The show, Bait, centers on Riz Ahmed’s character, who is grappling with a personal crisis after being publicly named as a potential 007.

Early reviews are out, and the new Prime Video series, Bait, is getting a lot of buzz as a potential successor to James Bond. Currently, it has a perfect 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, though that score could change as more reviews come in – right now, it’s based on only six reviews.

Despite some initial skepticism, critics generally agree that the new Prime Video series, which playfully reimagines the James Bond formula, is a surprising and gripping thriller. It delves into the psychological struggles of an actor dealing with fame. Many reviewers also highlighted and praised the show’s exploration of identity, the challenges faced by those living away from their homeland, and the process of adapting to a new culture, particularly given its predominantly South Asian cast.

Courtesy of Amazon MGM Studios.

Although the show deals with serious themes, it’s also balanced with humor, making it a more enjoyable watch. The lead actor, Ahmed, was praised for portraying a realistic character despite difficult personal issues, and the supporting cast, particularly Guz Khan with his great comedic delivery, really brought warmth to the series.

The latest film is now more popular than all 27 James Bond movies that came before it. The most successful Bond film so far is Sean Connery’s Goldfinger from 1964, which critics loved, giving it a 99% rating. From Russia With Love is close behind with a 97% rating.

It’s been five years since the last James Bond film, and the search for a new 007 is just beginning. While no actor has been chosen yet, producers are looking for a British actor, ideally between the ages of 28 and 35, who is willing to commit to playing Bond in several movies.

Ever since 2021, people have been eagerly discussing who should be the next James Bond. Actors like Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Callum Turner are often mentioned, but there’s also been a lot of support for non-white actors such as Idris Elba, Regé-Jean Page, and Henry Golding to take on the role.

Starting in early 2025, Amazon gained complete creative control of the franchise when they paid the Broccoli Estate $20 million for those rights. The Broccoli Estate still retains some ownership of the underlying ideas and concepts.

Director Denis Villeneuve and writer Steven Knight signed on last year to create the next James Bond film, but fans are still waiting. Both are currently busy with other projects – Villeneuve is working on Dune: Part Three, and Knight is focused on The Immortal Man.

Prime Video has a new series that’s well worth the wait, and it cleverly taps into the current public fascination with who will be the next James Bond. This trend of basing new projects on existing popular ideas isn’t unique, as the recent Anaconda movie also followed this approach, with a group of friends attempting to recreate the beloved film from the 1990s.

The show also stars Sheeba Chaddha, Aasiya Shah, Sajid Hasan, Ritu Arya, Weruche Opia, Rafe Spall, and Nabhaan Rizwan. Riz Ahmed not only stars but also wrote and executive produced the series. Tony Hernandez, Brooke Posch, and Molly Seymour served as producers, and the writing team included Dipika Guha, Prashanth Venkataramanujam, Karen Joseph Adcock, Azam Mahmood, and Ahmed’s wife, Fatima Farheen Mirza.

All six episodes of Bait will be released on Prime Video on March 25, 2026.

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2026-03-20 16:38