Forget ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ — Patrick Stewart’s About To Star in One of the Most “Unexpected” TV Roles of 2026

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Published Jan 23, 2026, 7:30 PM EST

Amanda M. Castro is a Network TV writer at Collider and a New York–based journalist whose work has appeared in Newsweek, where she contributes as a Live Blog Editor, and The U.S. Sun, where she previously served as a Senior Consumer Reporter.

She specializes in network television coverage, delivering sharp, thoughtful analysis of long-running procedural hits and ambitious new dramas across broadcast TV. At Collider, Amanda explores character arcs, storytelling trends, and the cultural impact of network series that keep audiences tuning in week after week.

Born and raised in Puerto Rico, Amanda is bilingual and holds a degree in Communication, Film, and Media Studies from the University of New Haven.

The mere mention of Patrick Stewart popping up in another series is something that warrants attention; Patrick Stewart popping up in a Riz Ahmed-created comedy on Amazon that centers on James Bond rumors, identity politics, and life unraveling in real-time? Now, that's some left-field casting right there.

That series, which promises to be a comedic ride, is titled Bait. It will consist of six episodes, dropping on Amazon Prime Video on March 25, 2026, after a premiere at the Sundance Film Festival. Bait feels like one of those projects that is both intensely personal and represents a very public discussion around topics such as fame, acceptance, and the way success should ostensibly manifest itself in society at large.

'Bait' Turns the James Bond Dream Into a Pressure Cooker

A screen displaying Riz Ahmed's character in an article in Bait

At its core, Bait follows Shah Latif (Ahmed), a struggling London-based actor who believes he’s running out of time. His career hasn’t stalled completely, but it hasn’t taken off either — and when he lands what might be the audition of a lifetime, everything changes. That audition just happens to be for James Bond.

The series unfolds over four increasingly chaotic days after rumors begin circulating that Shah could be the next 007. A single paparazzo moment sends speculation spiraling, and suddenly Shah is no longer just an actor trying to catch a break — he’s a lightning rod for public opinion. Fans and detractors alike, relatives and strangers alike, offer their two cents about whether or not he’s ‘right’ for the part.

From an emerging trend, it quickly becomes a psychological stress test. The more attention it draws to Shah, the more his reputation grows, but the more it brings to the surface every insecurity the guy has tried to keep buried. His confidence sinks more rapidly than it rises.

Riz Ahmed Uses Comedy to Dig Into Identity and Belonging

While Bait is undeniably funny, it’s not interested in easy laughs. Ahmed uses the Bond framework to examine larger questions — particularly around identity, masculinity, and belonging. Shah’s obsession with the role isn’t really about spy gadgets or tuxedos; it’s about what Bond represents. To him, Bond is success, control, confidence, and acceptance rolled into one cultural symbol.

That symbolism carries extra weight given Shah’s background as a British-Pakistani Muslim actor navigating an industry — and a society — that still struggles with who gets to embody certain icons. As public excitement grows around the possibility of a non-white Bond, so does the backlash. The series doesn’t shy away from that uglier side of fame, showing how quickly celebration can turn into hostility.

Ahmed's writing roots everything in specificity. Shah's family life feels lived-in and messy in all the best ways, with conversations jumping between English and Urdu, and relatives doling out equal parts concern, pride, and brutal honesty. It gives the show emotional texture, which prevents it from floating off into abstraction.

Ahmed is surrounded by a strong supporting cast that helps anchor Shah’s unraveling. Guz Khan plays his cousin Zulfi, an endlessly entrepreneurial presence who sees opportunity in every crisis. Sheeba Chaddha and Sajid Hasan portray Shah’s parents, whose love for their son is clear even when they struggle to understand his career. Ritu Arya appears as Yasmin, Shah’s ex, whose patience has limits — especially as his life spins further out of control.

Patrick Stewart’s Role Is Being Kept Under Wraps — for a Reason

One of Bait’s biggest conversation starters is Stewart’s involvement. His role is being deliberately kept vague, described only as “unexpected” and “prominent,” which is exactly the kind of tease that invites speculation. Stewart isn’t stunt casting here; the role was reportedly written with him in mind, and Ahmed has suggested that Stewart responded to the material immediately.

Given the show’s themes, Stewart’s presence adds another layer — especially considering his own history with iconic roles and cultural legacy. Whatever he’s doing in Bait, it’s clear the series is using his image thoughtfully rather than leaning on nostalgia.

What makes Bait stand out isn’t just its premise, but its confidence. This is Ahmed’s first time serving as a showrunner, yet the series reportedly moves with urgency and control, blending comedy, anxiety, and social commentary without flattening any of them. It’s a show about chasing validation — from casting directors, from family, from the internet — and what happens when that chase becomes all-consuming.

While an industry chock-full of safe IP and lucrative revivals seems tame in its familiarity, Bait represents a daring proposition in the best sense of the word: it’s both personal filmmaking that’s not actually self-indulgent, both funny and uncomfortable in a direct way, and both relevant to the times in a meaningful sense that does not succumb to the lure of the zeitgeist. And if nothing else, it might just make you rethink what a “Bond audition” really looks like.