There's been no fresh interview with him where he laid out his yearning for Bond, no role announced that's basically a Bond audition by stealth. (Do track down Live Wire if you can. Thanks for subscribing! "Its an evolution," Broccoli said. Perhaps better known to you as The White Lotus' finance bro Cameron Sullivan, the 38-year-old beefcake has shot to the top of some fans' lists for Craig's successor. They left the project in August of the same year over creative differences reportedly over Boyles insistence that they kill off Bond, which we know now to be a heap of nonsense. But at 45, he doesnt seem to fit the profile Michael G Wilson has set out of a thirtysomething actor. saucepot Aidan Turner would be the second Irishman to play 007 if he landed the gig. He's veeeeery young. Remember, Bonds already a veteran. "But I think the roles fantastic and Id love to throw my oversized hat into the ring again if they are! Tom Hardy, John Boyega, Sam Heughan and more are all in the running for the keys to the DB5. When the idea of being Bond was put to him by the Hollywood Reporter he dodged it admirably: "What are the odds on that? That never came to pass, theoretically leaving the Londoner in the shake-up to play 007. Boyle insisted that he wanted to do something a little different with the franchise, which he planned to set in modern-day Russia with flashbacks to Bonds past, but that the producers werent willing to give him the freedom he needed. Good age, good-looking, and he'd be the first vegan Bond. January 4, 2023 1:30PM EST. Theres precedent for an Irish Bond in Pierce Brosnan, and of the mooted Irishmen who've been and gone in the running Cillian Murphy and Michael Fassbender being the others Turners the one with the best shot. The next James Bond announcement unveiling Daniel Craig's replacement as 007 is just weeks away, according to insider sources. The Londoners recent conscious uncoupling from Superman and the DC universe and to lesser extent, his departure from Netflixs smash hit series The Witcher suddenly leaves space on his schedule for the kind of heavy-lifting (and publicity duties) demanded by playing Ian Flemings legendary spy. So could it be time for another tall man from Down Under to endure a barrage of red-top headlines mashing Bond iconography with laboured puns about kangaroos, shrimps and barbies? They have three children. If it proves successful, then sequels could end up taking over his schedule to the same extent that Bond would. James Bond producer, Michael G. Wilson, has revealed the next actor to take on the 007 mantle will be in their 30s. Ah, but, wait a minute she's not the next James Bond. At the time, everybodys mind turned to one thing: Bond. 6. Just right now, we're going to err on the side of thinking he's right to invoke the bookies and will probably float back down the pecking order when the next Brit hunk gets his day of headlines as the odds change again. Hes probably been in the SAS or something.". No Time To Die has been released . I dont know do I look like I could play James Bond? he said, showing off his black Prada suit. Gerard James Butler was born in Paisley, Scotland, to Margaret and Edward Butler, a bookmaker. Then there are the ones whove clearly not thought about it that much, but yeah, why the hell not? Eventually, when we have to think about it, well find the right person.". He's pushing 43, so probably a non-starter on age grounds anyway, and he's a little light on heavyweight character pieces in fact, if we're being brutally honest, he's a bit light on good films in general over the last six or seven years. Some of you have already made the 'Tom Hopper? In fact, as Barbara Broccoli has made very clear, James Bond will never be a woman. While Bond 26 has many challenges ahead of it, the next James Bond movie's biggest problem has nothing to do with who plays 007 in the franchise outing. The boy is 25 years old, and he really looks it too. Hmm? It was a shame really.. Idris Elba has been in contention for the Bond role for well over 10 years now. But, there is still the pesky question of nationality. But trying to visualise it doesnt work. London The next James Bond film will have a title that nods to the series' past: Spectre. He knows his way around a suit too. Despite being American, and not British, as is traditionally required for the role, Tellers name has recently been thrown into the hat. There isnt a script and we cant come up with one until we decide how were going to approach the next film because, really, its a reinvention of Bond. "That's fairly normal and I'm flattered to be in the category of Brits that people have noticed. In the end, it didnt work out. Pam Grier Turned Down Playing 'Octopussy' Bond Girl: She's 'an Afterthought' Daniel Craig Needed to 'Move on' from James Bond After 15 Years: 'I Don't Want to Go Back' There was a golden gun on the table I guess from The Man With The Golden Gun? Lashana Lynch,35, has already made history as the first Black woman to take up the 007 codename. Posted: Sep 27, 2021 7:21 am. That never came to pass, theoretically leaving the Londoner in the shake-up to play 007. If suddenly staring very hard at something out of frame like a spaniel who's just caught scent of some fox poo two fields away is a key performance indicator for a Bond hopeful, then Bodyguard gave Madden ample opportunity to flaunt his suitability and pick up a Golden Globe while he was at it. A measured, non-committal response that will only fuel rumours. An In-Depth Analysis, ESQUIRE, PART OF THE HEARST UK FASHION & BEAUTY NETWORK. Idris Elba. Every corner of the world I go they always go, 'Bond.' He might also be a bit wary of chucking himself into another big franchise so soon after Venom too, and Bond isnt the kind of role you can just wander off from to do other things. While Craig was filming Casino Royale, there were rumblings about him becoming the new 007 . I think if you are British and do anything of note, that other people take notice of, then people will start talking about that. No, Clive Sittindown!" But it's definitely, definitively, not happening. Unlike some actors on this list who eagerly throw their hat into the ring at any opportunity, Reg-Jean Page understands that a true 007 candidate cant appear to be too desperate for the role. What kind of car is James . In the absence of another young British man putting on a tuxedo for the first time, the mantle of 'young Bond guy' has passed from Reg-Jean Page to Hazza. "Yeah, Ive heard that and thats thats all Ive heard," he told We Got This Covered while on the promo rounds for the new Resident Evil film. The new 'James Bond' has been announced. Shes got a point. In our recent interview with iconic British director Danny Boyle, we talked about his doomed James Bond project. It's a question that's been on the lips of the film industry's kingmakers since Daniel Craig first discussed hanging up his tuxedo . We're looking for chops here. Barbara Broccoli has been clear that it's a role open only to Brits, perhaps still scarred by the Lazenby years. "Bond dealing with age is a brilliant idea and I think we should go the whole way until Daniels 85," he told GP in 2021. He is now one of the front-runners.". Its hard to find a character more iconic than James Bond. Idris Elba, 50, has long been a fan-favorite to take up the 007 codename, and the star clearly enjoyed stoking the flames. So, here we are at last. Bridgerton was his first major TV role, and he hasnt fronted a big budget film yet (although he was in Mortal Engines, and will lead in the 2023 Dungeons & Dragons reboot (?!!)) Hes an actor, my dear. she told a fan on Twitter. Unfortunately, time is rather against the 44-year-old, and with his toes still very much in the MCU and a potentially bigger role to come once Phase Four properly kicks off he might decide he could do without carrying a gigantic franchise on his back. He's done that often enough, but none of his actioners have really clicked like his more thinky, quiet films have. Just ask Donald Trump. He has, obviously, become a lot more than that. By Jack King. It's not real. Daniel Craig stepped down from the role after 2021s No Time To Die.. We are not going to listen. No Time to Die explained: All your James Bond plot questions answered. We like a bit of Will Poulter over here, and the 29-year-old is exactly the kind of left-field choice it's fun to slap on the table when the conversation comes up. Then again, hes a bit light on film experience and might have been right to dismiss Bond rumours a couple of years ago as "very humbling speculation". If youve got Pierce Brosnans backing the former Bond said he fancied Hardy to "put a bit of wiggle into" Bond in 2018 youre halfway there, and Hardy has the brooding look, the magnetism and the maverick streak in spades. According to new reports, we have finally found a James Bond worthy enough to succeed the wonderful Daniel Craig, and it's a woman! I'd be like a really short James Bond." Do you know what I mean?" These are the frontrunners. 6 min read. The case against? Aaron went for a screen test to be the next Bond in September and producers and Barbara loved him, they said. The Venom and Peaky Blinders star has been linked with the role since long before it was actually available. There have also been reports about actors like, Aaron Taylor-Johnson being favored for the role. Will that represent James Bond and James Kirk sharing a screen? "I would love the opportunity and if they were to ask, I would say yes," he said breathlessly in 2018, sounding more like a slightly anxious Duke of Edinburgh candidate who really needs this Oxfam stock assistant gig than a devil-may-care superspy. He's solid and he can sell a quip with the best of them, but there are a few roadblocks in the way. He has been married to Amelia Warner since April 27, 2013. He is an actor, known for The Fall (2013), A Private War (2018) and Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar (2021). Reg-Jean Page in 2022. For all that the last few years have seen Ejiofor going bigger and smashier in his choices (The Old Guard, The Old Guard 2, Infinite, Doctor Strange) he's retained more than enough of an intellectual vibe to push Bond in a different direction. 8 Feb 2023. "It was such a strange experience, but I enjoyed it," he said. Bookies have him at 11/2 for the Bond role. Emerging from nowhere (and Nowhere Boy) to lead the field is Taylor-Johnson, who is said to have had a hugely impressive recent meeting with Barbara Broccoli. Hard to say. Hot on his heels is the ex-Man of Steel, Henry Cavill. Twitter fandoms, often referred to as stans (after the Eminem song), are a truly terrifying modern phenomenon. Another new runner, and another one from Scotland, the Borders-raised Lowden is only 32 and in the prime slot for a grooming into the next 007. Academy Award-winning Austrian actor Christoph Waltz is joining the cast, while Andrew Scott . Odds were cut and the idea quickly gathered momentum, to the point that Page had to comment on the speculation that he's on the shortlist. Boyle had seen him perform in the play A Number at the Old Vic a few days previously, and put him forward as a potential candidate. Stick him in the fridge and come back to him in a decade or so. So who will be the . What's interesting about this second wind is that it doesn't seem to be based on anything in particular. Check out 2014s terrific neon-tinged action-thriller. The 26-year-old actors name hasnt been mentioned in the Bond debate very much, if at all, but we predict that will change very soon. Idris Elba ain't gonna be Bond. Think about it: Hes handsome, hes British, and he has leading man experience. George Lazenby was a car salesman turned chocolate advert mascot who bumped into Broccoli at the barbers. Daniel Craig's final James Bond film, "No Time to Die," is finally due to have its world premiere in the U.K. later this week, but Craig's replacement won't be announced anytime soon . And like Pierce Brosnan, he packs a tonne of charm under a self-contained exterior. It didnt work. Aha! Weve tried looking at younger people in the past, when we had a chat with him a couple of years back, It's crazy. He just never wanted Craig to stop being Bond. 2019 at 11:23am ET. Director Sam Mendes announced the title on Thursday, along with the identity of several new cast members and a new version of Bond's iconic Aston Martin car. Harvey Young's vote for the next James Bond goes to Riz Ahmed of Sound of Metal and Venom. Read more: The secret history of James Bond. Conversely, there are actors (Henry Cavill, Sam Heughan) who make no secret of how much they really, really want the role, and speak about it openly with reverence. I feel capable enough to do it. If playing Elvis in Sofia Coppola's upcoming Priscilla does anything like what playing Elvis in Elvis did for Austin 'The Pelvis and also The Mad Accent' Butler, then he'll be a hotter property than ever soon. Esquire participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites. 12 March 2022 by Max Langridge. Come come Mr Norton, you derive just as much pleasure from killing time with pure speculation as we do. There are no calling cards more gigantic than Bond, and youd think that the wet thud with which Dark Phoenix ended the X-Men saga is just about far enough in the rear view mirror for Hoult to consider saddling up in a massive franchise again too. It's easy to see why the Hardy angle persisted though. Phase three Pattinson would make for a very interesting 007 indeed. . The problem: he's 42 now, so pretty much definitively out of the picture regardless of how fascinating his character studies may be. Collider Check out some of the favored stars here! Tom Hardy is favourite to be cast as the next James Bond. So having auditioned potential new stars in early 2022, surely the perfect time to announce the next Bond is on October 5, Global James Bond, 60 years to the day after Dr No's release. Will his relative lack of big-screen experience rule him out? So, you know, its very nice to be in that conversation, you know, among betting websites.". They may not be particularly interested in Tom this time either, given Michael G Wilson's comments about needing someone who looks like he's seen some shit. Everyone likes Riz. 4) Bond gets his briefing from M and gear from Q and -- this is key - they f--- off for the rest of the movie. "It was the origin story of James Bond. "The thing is, it's going to be a couple of years off. If he gets the role, the magnificently-haired Londoner would represent the most luxuriantly-maned Bond since Brosnan. Remember, Bonds already a veteran. Has anyone checked on him since No Time To Die came out? 4. Hed make his own kind of history if he were to get the gig too Hoult would be the first former child actor to play Bond. A small part in Greta Gerwig's Oscar-bothering Little Women and a much bigger part in the marquee BBC drama The Trial Of Christine Keeler suggest he still had the wind behind him as far as those in 'the biz' are concerned, though that wind may have blown itself out over the last two years. What will reporters blindside Idris with next time he's on a red carpet? From his breakthrough role as a tortured drumming protege in 2013s Whiplash, through to sci-fi action flicks like the Divergent series and Fantastic Four, and most recently, as Rooster in the box-office smash, Top Gun: Maverick, Teller has become known for his captivating screen presence and deep-level character studies for the roles he portrays. Is he a genuine contender? The Danish studio Hollywood Life A brave and risky choice for Bond that could reintroduce the character to a whole new generation. After that I was taken upstairs and I met Barbara Broccoli and Martin Campbell, the director at the time. Sharing a black and white photo of the typewriter, with a piece of paper reading '5th October 2022 . With2021sNo Time To Die, Daniel Craig has officially called it a day playing 007, giving someone else the opportunity to take on the role. And he'd be the first Jewish Bond too. Maybe. If he gets the role, the magnificently-haired Londoner would represent the most luxuriantly-maned Bond since Brosnan. "Thats why it works for a thirty-something. By: Edward Jones. Up to now he's mostly done a mixture of think-y period pieces (Mr Malcolm's List, Mothering Sunday, The Halcyon) and slightly dystopian dramas (Silent Night, Tides) with one of the best British horrors of recent years thrown in too (His House, which he's pictured starring in above). He might insist on wearing a mask, though, Back in 2014, there were strong rumours that, actor Chiwetel Ejiofor would be playing a Bond villain in. Gangs of London's Drs would be one of the more interesting, highbrow picks for Bond. Hull-born Aramayo would be the first Yorkshire Bond, which would push that particular county beyond being simply insufferable and to the point where we should start investigating whether we can saw it off and cast it into the North Sea. He even charmed William & Kate.. Age: 39Odds: 20/1One-time Poldark saucepot Aidan Turner would be the second Irishman to play 007 if he landed the gig. "It's crazy. He's heard about the Bond speculation though. It was strange, as they didnt want to talk about Bond, but they talked about Bond. Sources have claimed that theNocturnal Animalsstar sat down with Bond producerBarbara Broccolifor a meeting which went well, according toPuck News. We do have a proper iron rule here too: nobody over 40 is getting near the role. Which brings us to Tom Holland, a man with one of the largest and most vocal fanbases on social media. Cavills name has been bouncing around Bond for more than a decade: he was Casino Royale director Martin Campbells pick to succeed Pierce Brosnan, but he lost out to Daniel Craig as he was considered too young at 23. One: Bond must be a guy. Craig, who took over as Bond from Pierce Brosnan in 2006, was 38 years old, and went on to appear in four 007 films in total. And the rumour mill has had him firmly in the running since, first introduced the UKs living rooms to him. You can try and tell us that starring as a young version of Liam Neeson in NBC's Taken TV series is a calling card. He seemed excited by the thought. The actor said that its both exciting and something of a rite-of-passage for English actors to be rumored to take on 007, although nothing is set. The most common length of time between the announcement of a new James Bond actor and the release of their first movie is roughly one year. But clearly, many people are able to see past whatever the opposite of nominative determinism is. fans to the charms of the James Bond franchise, it would immediately cast one-time Ton heartthrob Reg-Jean Page. No Time To Die was not only the first official entry in the long-running James Bond franchise to kill off a version of Bond, but the movie was also a sharp, fast-paced, and surprisingly poignant swan song . That Jesus biopic could well end up being the heavyweight role that nudges him closer to the doors of MI6 too Mark Rylance is playing Satan, after all. "Thats what is so exciting and fun about this franchise; the character evolves. "James Bond can be of . Jamie Dornan was born on May 1, 1982 in Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK. I don't want to say yes or no. He vaguely told Entertainment Tonight about hypothetically taking on the role: Yeah. As you'll have seen in No Time to Die, she goads Bond that he probably thought they'd retire his number, as if MI6 is Birmingham City and he's a swole Jude Bellingham. We can all go home. If EON is looking for a beefy badass with soulful vibes and serious acting craft, Hardy could be the guy. He's even been a beefed up bad lad with a heart of gold (Fighting With My Family). James Bond Is Usually Played By Initially Unknown Actors. And like Pierce Brosnan, he packs a tonne of charm under a self-contained exterior. He's just been nominated for his first Oscar at 27 years old for Aftersun, and he's about as yearned-for as any man under 30 on the planet. "I don't think that playing Bond will satisfy some of my personal goals," he said on an ep of HBO's The Shop in September 2022. Daniel Craig confirmed No Time To Die was his last movie. Whoever it is will have to do the same scene for their audition: the one in From Russia With Love where Bond suspects an intruder has come for him in his hotel room, only to find it's Tatiana Romanova trying to put her moves on him. However, he may lose a little cool kudos as the campaign was started by his own grandmother. Were reinventing who he is and that takes time. Actually, that's not quite the truth. They just lost confidence in it, he told us. Published: Friday, 1st October 2021 at 12:10 pm. If the Welshman were to follow fellow countryman Timothy Dalton into the DB5, he'd be in the running for the title of Most Outrageously Tonked Up James Bond Ever. ), Hip Hollywood put it to him that hed make a perfect successor to Daniel Craig. As we found when we had a chat with him a couple of years back, around the time he got nominated for Bafta's Rising Star award, he did used to run around Luton as a kid pretending to be Indiana Jones. "But trying to visualise it doesnt work. When British actor Damson Idris was stopped on the red carpet for the season five premiere of US crime drama Snowfall in February (its good! What's not to like? The Next James Bond Novel Has Been Announced, Along With Its Title And Release Date. He told Vera magazine it was "flattering to be in the conversation". "Would I play Bond? Every profile of Dev Patel has to mention that we all remember him starting out as the lanky, awkward Anwar in Skins, so here that is. I mean, yeah perfect, I think we're actors, you know, so maybe you can mix it up a little bit.. Hes also, in case you hadnt noticed, stupidly handsome. Id love the opportunity to throw my hat in the ring. Then, in November 2022, reports emerged that Nowhere Boy 's Aaron Taylor-Johnson had also become one of the frontrunners, after . Hopper's highest profile role so far is as Luther Hargreeves in Netflix's The Umbrella Academy, though he also popped up in Game of Thrones as Dickon (stop it) Tarly for a few episodes. "I went in with a script and they were like: 'We might get you to read something from this scene' but they dont tell you what its from. Tom Hardy is one of the bookies' favourites to take over from Craig. And following the finale of Happy Valley, in which he was the near-Terminator-ish bad lad Tommy Lee Royce, he's reminded everyone of his virtues and is back in the mix again. Then again, a conversation around the new Bond can hardly not involve Hardys name. He helped turbo-charge, , despite having about seven words to say, and his suave spy in. The rumor could be announced in March or April next year. While he's not done a big actioner yet he's built like a brick outhouse and a role in the next Guardians of the Galaxy film should sharpen that up. Suspend the betting right this instant. He might insist on wearing a mask, though. Bookies have him at 11/2 for the Bond role. And chops he may or may not have, but Hemmo's chops have yet to stretched in the way that a neo-Bond needs them to have been. "It will have to be reimagined, in the way each actor has reimagined the role," she said. In fact, these A-list loyalists know that they have the numbers, the time and the dedication to achieve whatever they want. "It's really hard, as whatever I say can become a story," he went on. Knives Out 3: Everything We Know About The Upcoming Film So Far. "It's incredible to have the opportunity . To kill some time before we find out for sure, though, we've got some guesses of differing degrees of wildness. If he gets the role, the magnificently-haired Londoner would represent the most luxuriantly-maned Bond since Brosnan. I think that if you are British and you do anything of note, that other people take notice of, then people will start talking about that, he said in April 2021 to Mirror. The number of times Tom Hardy's been 'announced' as James Bond is getting silly now, but despite him being (along with Idris) the people's choice, we can probably him to bed as a future Bond now we know it'll be a thirty-something actor. Hes a very different physical specimen to Daniel Craig, stringy and slightly elfin rather than butch and chunky, and that could be a bit of a draw to the Bond suits wholl likely be keen to draw a line between the post-Bourne Bond years and whatever the new one turns into. Some (Idris Elba, Tom Hardy et al) have clearly grown weary of it, while others try to maintain a 007-esque aloofness, mindful that Bond must never, under any circumstances, be played by an eager beaver. Hes a person who has been through the wars, so to speak. Pierce Brosnan had a perm. "Anyone who can bring that scene off is right for Bond," said Wilson. We've been banging the drum for Lowden's suits for a while now, actually. s Chris Pine. We tried to find a picture of Standen seated on his own so we could do a "Clive Standen? Keep your eyes peeled for the next James Bond betting odds update, readers! "Connery was the mould and Craig broke it." The three Tres Bond mates . Not that he can't smack bad lads around. Quite what the next incarnation of Bond will embody depends who plays him. Sound as he is, we're leaning towards a no for Evans. Now Peaky Blinders is all over and done with, Cillian Murphy will be free to take on another time-consuming leading man role and ideally one with less demanding grooming demands. Yes, Theo, we do know. He's a brilliant actor, obviously, as you know from Nightcrawler, Four Lions and The Night Of, and on top of that he's very much One Of The Good Guys. Hed never really been thought of as a contender before, which was strange when you think about it, as hes already proven his acting chops as Action Man in Avengers: Age of Ultron, Godzilla and Tenet, while simultaneously showing thespian range in movies like Anna Karenina, A Million Little Pieces, and his breakthrough smash in which he starred as a young John Lennon, Nowhere Boy. ", But what makes a Bond? And, just for the avoidance of doubt, Idris Elba the people's champ has said pretty definitively that it's not in his plans. Over the last decade Bond has reorientated to make itself a quietly progressive force, firstly casting Jeffrey Wright as CIA agent Felix Leiter, and then bringing Naomie Harris' Eve Moneypenny out of her former life spent in M's anteroom watching Bond throw his hat across the room, and sending her into the field. It's probably too early for him to be launching himself into the Bond machine, and to this point he's given every indication that the indie world is where his heart really lies. At 31 he's the same age as Connery was when he was cast, he's dashing enough, and he's got a couple of action films under his belt as well as indie dramas.