Too many constraints, too much pressure, too much fatigue: Daniel Craig decided to leave the role of James Bond behind after the last opus No Time To Die released in 2021. At 56 years old today, the actor saw fit to pass the torch to another actor. And since the world of cinema learned the news, rumors have been rife. Who has a chance? With what advantages? Can a French actor like Omar Sy hope to win this holy grail? Purepeople makes the rounds of potential spies.
Aaron Taylor Johnson, the favorite
He would have signed, but nothing is official. The English daily The Sun understands that the British actor Aaron Taylor-Johnson, revealed by the film Kick Ass would be favored by the producers, to the point that the match would already be played. It is true that the handsome 33-year-old has some serious assets. Starting with his physique.
With his Greek nose with a straight profile, his long, slightly curly brown hair and his three-day beard, his face has everything to please. As for his body, the diligent practice of dance, gym and diving has sculpted an athletic silhouettealso shaped by stunt practice which would be very useful to him in the role of 007.
If we add to these qualities his ability to play superheroes as well as dramatic characters, his worldwide notoriety thanks to his participation in films like Tenetby Nolan or Bullet Trainalongside Brad Pitt, there’s no doubt that it ticks almost all the boxes. One more ? He is English, like Ian Flemming’s hero…
Henry Cavill, Cillian Murphy, Richard Madden, Regé-Jean Page, still in the race.
With his journey as Superman, his roles in super productions, and his presence on the film Very Special Agents, Henry Cavill has experience on his side. It is no coincidence that he was auditioned in 2000 to play the role of Bond before Daniel Craig took it on. The actor, aged 40 and whose heart beats for the beautiful Natalie, is obviously a handsome guy in the prime of life who would give the character charm and elegance. The failure of his last film Argylecould however compromise its chances
It will have been enough for his playing partner in Citadel, Stanley Tucci publishes a photo of them sipping a Martini, James Bond’s favorite drink so that the web goes crazy. What if it was Richard Madden? The unforgettable Robb Stark has his angelic face and the worldwide fame that his character gave him in Game Of Thrones. But can this be enough?
The blue eyes of Cillian Murphy are as piercing as the blades he wields in the series Peaky Blinders. A significant asset for bringing down the James Bond girls and intimidating the bad guys. Pierce Brosnan, who played the role from 1995 to 2002, believes that “Cillian would be great as James Bond on Her Majesty’s Secret Service“. A knighthood for the star ofOppenheimer ? Not sure, because he, at 47, considers himself “a little too old for that…“
Since his appearance as Simon Basset in The Bridgerton Chronicleson Netflix, Regé-Jean Page arouses excitement. Is it to prepare to put on the James Bond outfit that he did not sign for the second season? Many bookmakers think so. At 35, the actor born to an English father and a Zimbabwean mother managed to join the circle of favorite candidates. He prefers not to get too carried away. Last year, he told Variety : “It’s very flattering that people talk about me but I prefer to be interested in my work than in that of others.“An elegant way to decline?
Tom Hardy and Lucien Laviscount, the outsiders
Fans of the series Emily in Paris know his beautiful face (but also his body…) well, whose features he lends to the character Alfie, the heroine’s English boyfriend. But it could well be that the notoriety of Lucien Laviscount, 31, would explode if he were chosen to play the famous spy. “Lucien ticks all the boxes, a source told the Daily Mail last year. He’s a super talented actor, extremely attractive and over the last 18 months, he’s gained many fans by joining Emily in Paris.“In addition, it would have caught the eye of Barbara Broccoli, the producer of the franchise which would be”very attached to him“. The only downside was his participation, in 2011, in the reality TV show Celebrity Big Brother which could lessen his chances…
At 46 years old, Tom Hardy is a well-known figure in the 7th art. Mad Max: Fury Road, Dunkirk, Inception, The Dark Knight Rises, the films in which he appeared were box office hits. He often plays bad guys, as he was able to do, moreover, with certain filming partners like Charlize Theron. No surprise from this bad boy with the face of an angel who in his younger years was addicted to alcohol and crack. Now sober and calmer, he certainly has the shoulders, literally and figuratively, to step into the shoes of Bond…
Idris Elba said no
The name of Idris Elba, the star of Lutherhas been circulating for many years, notably because he was once the sexiest man in the world… But he will not be part of the adventure as he explained in June 2023 in the podcast Smartless. “The truth is, I’ve been hyped for reprising this role for a long time. I thought it was crazy! Exciting. It’s James Bond… It’s like a kind of consecration. It was a huge compliment that most people around the world – or most people – were really happy that I could be considered for the character. But those who weren’t happy made it all disgusting and repugnant, because it was about race, my skin color and nothing else. It became nonsense and I paid the price.“
Omar Sy, Jean Dujardin, Vincent Cassel: a chance for a Frenchman?
Jean Dujardin, known worldwide for his role in The Artist, the film which won him the Oscar for best actor, proved his talent both in comedy and in more dramatic roles. At 51 years old, in the prime of life, he who has already played secret agents by playing the famous OSS 117 would make a fine James Bond by bringing his very second-degree touch to the role. But it seems that his international prestige has faded today… and that his love for Nathalie Péchalat is enough for his happiness.
His character in Untouchables made his face famous but it is with Lupinebroadcast on Netflix that Omar Sy, 46, has truly conquered the world. In the United States, the series was a hit, driven by the popularity of the actor and that of a character, Arsène Lupin, archetype of the somewhat sulphurous French lover that Americans have known since the 1930s. Professionally, as well as physically , Hélène’s husband undoubtedly has the build of a James Bond.
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His presence in the casting of international films such as Black Swan Or Ocean’s Twelve, have given Vincent Cassel a global stature. Still, the years go by and Monica Belluci’s ex will be 58 years old in November. If he has kept, in particular thanks to his loves, the soul and body of a young man, not sure that the producers, who want their next Bond to commit for a decade, will choose the hero of the Hate.