Following the surprising news that Amazon has assumed full creative control over the James Bond franchise, with long-time producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson stepping back, fans are buzzing with anticipation about who will be the next 007. Amazon's CEO, Jeff Bezos, took to X (formerly Twitter) to pose this very question to his followers, and the response was overwhelmingly clear.
While names like Tom Hardy, Idris Elba, James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, and Aaron Taylor-Johnson have been floated as potential candidates, the fan favorite emerged as Henry Cavill. The enthusiasm for Cavill was evident as he quickly began trending online, fueled by a strong desire among James Bond enthusiasts to see the Superman and Witcher actor step into the iconic role previously held by Daniel Craig.
AnswerSee ResultsThe possibility of Cavill playing Bond has gained new traction with Amazon's involvement, especially since Cavill has signed on to star in and produce the eagerly awaited Warhammer 40,000 project for the company. This has led to speculation about whether he could also take on the role of 007.
Cavill's connection to James Bond is not new; he famously auditioned for the role during the casting of "Casino Royale" in 2006. Director Martin Campbell described Cavill's audition as "tremendous," but at 23 years old, Cavill was considered too young, and the role went to Daniel Craig. Reflecting on this in a 2023 interview with The Express, Campbell praised Cavill's performance, noting, "He looked great in the audition. His acting was tremendous. And look, if Daniel didn’t exist Henry would have made an excellent Bond. He looked terrific, he was in great physical shape… very handsome, very chiseled. He just looked a little young at that time back then."
Cavill himself has spoken about the audition in an interview with Josh Horowitz, acknowledging, "It was ultimately down to, and this is what I’ve been told, it was just down to me and Daniel, and I was the younger option. They obviously went with Daniel and I think it was an amazing choice to go with Daniel. I probably wasn’t ready at the time and I think Daniel did an incredible job over the past movies, so I’m happy they made that choice."
As the search for the next James Bond continued after Daniel Craig's departure following "No Time to Die," Campbell remarked on the age considerations for the role, stating, "By the time Daniel got to [No Time To Die] really he was at an age where one more would have been too old for him." He also mentioned the typical contract for Bond actors, suggesting, "I think they sign on for three Bonds, I’m not absolutely 100% certain of that. I know with Pierce [Brosnan] he had to sign on to three when we did him. So, that’s going to take, what, six years of your life maybe? I suspect Daniel [had] the same deal. And the next guy’s going to have to do that."
Considering Cavill's current age of 40, Campbell noted, "Henry’s 40, so by the time he’s done the third one he’s going to be 50. Anything beyond that’s two, three years per Bond. He’s in good shape Henry, he’s a good guy. He did very well in the audition, but ironically, he was too young."
With Amazon now at the helm of the James Bond franchise, the prospect of Henry Cavill as the next 007 seems more tantalizing than ever, sparking excitement and debate among fans worldwide.
