So, who will be the next James Bond? 10 men and 1 woman are in line after Daniel Craig bowed out in No Time to Die. From Miles Teller to Robert Pattinson to Tom Hardy to Henry Cavill to Lashana Lynch, who will meet the sky-high standards of 007 suavities.
When Daniel Craig was cast to fill James Bond’s stylish shoes in 2005, the criticism came thick and fast. Dubbed “blonde Bond” and “James Bland” by the British tabloids, everything from his teeth to his propensity for heat rash and alleged fear of action scenes came under fire. In short, a then 38-year-old Craig was put under huge pressure to live up to his predecessors, who ranged from Sean Connery to Pierce Brosnan – all of them famous for setting higher standards of 007 suavity than the one who had gone before.
Back then, no one could have foreseen the fact that Craig would go on to be Bond for 15 years and, despite a couple of less well-received instalments, he is widely regarded as one of the best.
But all good things must come to an end, and after a bittersweet finale in 2021’s No Time to Die, Craig, now 54, has finally bid farewell to his role. Unsurprisingly, Craig’s swansong performed well for the franchise, grossing almost US$750 million at the box office despite delays caused by Covid-19.
So, tears aside, who’s next? According to producer Barbara Broccoli, the decision-making process is still in its early stages. Speaking to Deadline at the end of June, she said it would be “at least two years” before filming began because “it’s a reinvention of Bond”, adding that they didn’t even have a script for the next film yet. Back in April on opening night of Broadway’s Macbeth – which she’s involved in with Craig – she had also hinted that the casting process would be a slow one: “It’s a big decision. It’s not just casting a role. It’s about a whole rethink about where we’re going.” evertheless, fans have been quick to speculate about who could be in the running for the famous character. We take a look at the stars believed to be eyeing the role of Mr (or Ms) Bond – and the ones the public most want to see. But will Broccoli and her team listen?
Tom Hardy, 44 The British actor is a popular choice thanks to his effortless charm and unapologetic grit. The RocknRolla legend has become a hot favourite to replace Craig among fans since 2020, though he refuses to address the rumour to avoid jinxing it. “If I mention it, it’s gone,” he is quoted as saying in British media. “You know, there’s a saying amongst us in the fraternity of acting, and in the fellowship of my peer group, that if you talk about it you’re automatically out of the race.” Idris Elba, 49 Elba has been in the running to carry the Bond torch for a long time, with producer Broccoli even admitting to Deadline at one point that the actor was “part of the conversation”. As a joke in 2018, Elba tweeted: “My name’s Elba, Idris Elba”, only adding fuel to the rumours. Some netizens have dismissed the Luther star for being too old, while others are excited at the prospect of the British actor making history as the first black Bond. Only time will tell … Henry Cavill, 39 Having filled Christopher Reeve’s and Dean Cain’s shoes as Superman, Cavill has already proven he isn’t afraid to take the Hollywood franchise baton and run with it. The Justice League actor’s attitude toward taking on Bond appears to be no different. When asked by The Movie Dweeb in 2o21 if he’d be up for playing a part in the Bond franchise, including as a villain, he replied: “If Barbara [Broccoli] and Michael [G. Wilson] are interested in me in any capacity to be a part of their movies, then I will gladly have that discussion.Richard Madden, 36 The Scottish actor has yet to comment on the possibility of playing Bond, but he’s still one of the favourites in the voting pool. From his turns in everything from Game of Thrones to Bodyguard, he’s certainly proven himself as a talented actor, and Sean Connery fans will be happy to see a Caledonian in the role again.
