The last Bond film, Spectre, was released all of two years ago and Daniel Craig is still pretty ambivalent about his return as James Bond (He once said that he would rather “shoot himself in the foot” than do another Bond movie, yet retracted this statement months later).
Yet talk about who might replace Craig has been resurrected, in part after it was announced that Ryan Gosling was now in the running to play the dashing British spy.
Yet a bookie’s prediction and a producer’s call are two different things altogether. Ryan, while undoubtedly charming and talented, would be going against the grain of a long-standing tradition of Bond predecessors. Bond actors have always been of British descent; Ryan is Canadian. There is a whole list of talented actors who fit the bill as the next 007.
Below are just some of the actors in the running to play James Bond:
Tom Hiddleston
Loki’s name has been in the hat in recent years, and it’s not hard to see why — the Cambridge-educated actor has a sophisticated demeanor that is fitting of 007, is strikingly handsome, and has already played a Bond-esque character in the Golden Globe-winning The Night Manager. However, rumors have it that his short-lived romance with Taylor Swift may have hurt his chances of being the next Bond, as the actor’s air of mystery has dissipated. We can only wait and see.
Idris Elba
There has been a strong clamor from fans for Idris to don the Bond suit, especially after a Sony Pictures hack in 2014 revealed that executives were considering the Luther actor for the role. Idris then thanked fans, tweeting “Glad you think I’ve got a shot!”
Yet as with Hiddleston, Idris implied in recent years that it was the overwhelming support for him to play Bond that may have dimmed his chances of actually bagging the role, adding that his casting would have spoiled any form of surprise.
Luke Evans
The multi-talented actor proves that he’s got the chops to take on the role of the debonair spy: previous stints on Clash of the Titans, The Three Musketeers, and Fast and Furious 6 show that he can take on action scenes with ease. He’s also played a dashing playboy as Gaston in the live-action remake of Beauty and the Beast. He’s strikingly handsome and stylish, and was voted by GQ readers as their number one choice to play Bond. Now, if only execs could catch up.
Henry Cavill
Henry’s classically handsome features would make the casting of Bond a visual win. It’s no secret that he looks good in a suit, as well.
At 32, Henry is at about the right age to play 007, especially if he’ll be doing movies for another decade, but his existing franchise with Superman could cause some logistical troubles.
Tom Hardy
There’s another Tom H in the running to be the next James Bond: Tom Hardy. t’s been proven that Tom Hardy can carry a film: just take a look at Mad Max: Fury Road if you’re not convinced that Tom Hardy could bring a deadly edge to the iconic spy character. Of course, there’s his killer looks that render him suited to the character.
Michael Fassbender
The A-lister has clearly got what it takes to be 007 — he’s suave, classy, and a little bit rogue, and at 39, seems to be at the perfect age to peak as Bond. But casting Bond is tricky: the actor has to be mysterious but not too obscure, and established but not too famous. One caveat about casting Michael is that he might be too famous to slip into the persona of 007.
Are you a fan of James Bond? Who do you want to be the next 007?
