Academy Award and Emmy-winner Riz Ahmed, known for his roles in "Sound of Metal," "Star Wars: Rogue One," "The Night Of," and "Nightcrawler," has debuted his new Amazon MGM Studios series, "Bait," at the Sundance Film Festival 2026. The series, which premiered its first three episodes during Sundance's final year in Park City, Utah, sees Ahmed flexing his creative muscles as both its star and creator.

"Bait" follows Shah Latif, a struggling actor portrayed by Ahmed, who finds himself in the final round of auditions to become the next James Bond. As news of his potential casting spreads, he's thrust into an existential crisis and a real-life conspiracy that mirrors the spy thriller he's auditioning for. Ahmed describes Shah's journey as a "long chase sequence," pursued by critics and his own inner doubts, all while seeking validation.

The series features a talented cast including Guz Khan as Zulfi, Ritu Arya as Yasmin, Sheeba Chaddha as Tahira, Sajid Hasan as Parvez, Aasiya Shah as Q, and Weruche Opia as Felicia. During the Sundance Film Festival, Ahmed and co-star Guz Khan sat down with Collider's Steve Weintraub at the Arby's Cinema Center to discuss "Bait" and the challenges of the entertainment industry. They emphasized that despite its showbiz setting, the show's themes of striving for success against external pressures are universally relatable.

Ahmed revealed that "Bait" is deeply personal, stemming from his own experiences as an actor and the universal feeling that "life feels like one big audition." He explained that people constantly feel the need to prove their worth to others, driven by a struggle with self-worth. For Ahmed, James Bond in the series acts as a powerful symbol—an "archetype of success," the "pinnacle of cinematic achievement," and the "ultimate alpha male." This idealized figure stands in stark contrast to Shah, who, like most vulnerable human beings, is messy and lost, constantly chasing this symbol of greatness to become something other than himself.

Gaining the approval of longtime James Bond producer Barbara Broccoli was a crucial step. Ahmed recounted approaching her, explaining, "Look, I know you never, ever let anyone do anything like this with Bond, but here's why you should." Broccoli ultimately understood that "Bait" isn't truly about Bond, but rather uses him as a backdrop to explore profound themes of self-love, self-worth, ambition, family, and the inherent messiness of life. Bond is merely "this thing on the horizon that he's always chasing."

The interview also touched upon various other subjects, including the future of the James Bond franchise, real-life horror stories from film sets that inspired jokes in the series, the arduous writing process for "Bait," and Ahmed and Khan's upcoming projects. These include Riz Ahmed's role in Alejandro G. Iñárritu's "Digger" with Tom Cruise, and Guz Khan's work on Rebel Wilson's "Girl Group" project.