James Bond is back, this time on the page. The next James Bond novel has officially been titled ‘King Zero’, with the book set for release on September 24, 2026. The story comes from author Charlie Higson, who previously wrote entries in the Young Bond series and has now written his first full-length James Bond novel.
What ‘King Zero’ is about
The official synopsis teases a tense new mission for the legendary agent. It reads, “Le Chiffre. Dr No. Goldfinger. James Bond has faced them all. But now the world is changing, and even 007 has no idea what’s coming for him. It starts with a murdered agent in the Saudi desert. Only a traitor could have known enough to bring him down. But even James Bond can’t guess at the secret that was worth killing him to keep. As Bond follows the trail across the globe, he doesn’t realise the countdown has already begun. And hiding in the shadows is a man with more power than he could ever have imagined. Prepare for a villain unlike any before. Prepare for King Zero.”
James Bond movie buzz grows with announcement of new novel ‘King Zero’
What Charlie Higson said about writing the novel
Speaking at the book’s launch event, Higson reflected on what the moment meant to him after decades of working within the Bond universe. “It’s very exciting. It is very hard to get people excited about books, so when the publisher goes to this level of effort, it says a lot,” he said. “There I finally am after over 20 years of toiling in the world of writing James Bond. My first big, full-length Bond novel is coming out, and it’s really exciting to be part of the world of James Bond. It’s something special.”
Will there be a new James Bond movie ?
The new book arrives as the film side of the franchise continues to take shape. The next instalment, known for now as Bond 26, is expected to reboot the series following Daniel Craig’s exit after ‘No Time to Die’. Denis Villeneuve has been reported as director, with Steven Knight writing the script, though no actor has yet been officially announced as the next 007.The James Bond film franchise has previously been led by Sean Connery, George Lazenby, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan and Craig in the iconic role. While ‘King Zero’ will arrive on September 24, 2026, Bond 26 does not yet have a confirmed release date.
