The Amateur is a 2025 spy thriller directed by James Hawes, who previously helmed One Life as well as episodes of Slow Horses and Black Mirror. Hawes is a big fan of spy movies. In fact, he recently joined a group of journalists for a tour of the International Spy Museum in Washington, DC.

The museum currently has a special exhibit titled “Bond in Motion.” The section features different cars and various other vehicles from the James Bond franchise. The items range from Sean Connery’s era as 007 all the way through Daniel Craig’s stint as the iconic spy.

While chatting with Hawes at the event, That Hashtag Show asked the director if he was influenced by Bond when making The Amateur.

James Bond actors
Amazon MGM Studios’ James Bond franchise.

“I mean, I grew up loving Bond movies,” Hawes explained. “And we are another version of the Bond genre. You know, you’ve got the action, you’ve got the character. It’s the amateur version of a professional 007.”

Ever since Craig’s final Bond film, No Time To Die, was released in 2021, fans have been eagerly awaiting casting news. Unfortunately, the next Bond film is expected to be a long way off. Amazon secured creative control of the franchise earlier this year. Now, it’s a waiting game to find out who will step into the role.

Where Can You Watch The Amateur?

The Amateur stars Rami Malek as Charles Heller, a CIA cryptographer who goes rogue and seeks revenge on the people who killed his wife (Rachel Brosnahan). The spy thriller is based on the 1981 novel by Robert Littell. The film currently has a 61% critics score and 88% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. That Hashtag Show‘s Hunter Bolding gave it a 79%.

The Amateur is now available on digital platforms, including Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, and Fandango at Home.

Stay tuned for more from our interview with Hawes and our experience visiting the International Spy Museum.

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