Since 2015, when Daniel Craig quipped that he would rather "slash his wrists" than make another Bond film, there have been speculations regarding the avyor who will succeed him as James Bond. Craig was most recently seen in the James Bond film 'No Time To Die.'
In the year 2020, Craig revealed to GQ that 'No Time To Die' would be his final film, putting an end to rumours that he will suit up again in the future. “I’m OK [with quitting Bond for good],” he said. “I don’t think I would have been if I’d done the last film and that had been it. But this, I’m like, ‘Let’s go. Let’s get on with it. I’m fine.’”
From Tom Hardy and Dwayne Johnson to Regé-Jean Page and Cillian Murphy, here's a list of actors who have talked about playing the coveted role.
Regé-Jean Page
For a long time, social media has been buzzing with rumours regarding actor Regé-Jean Page playing the coveted James Bond role. When Jimmy Fallon questioned the 31-year-old 'Bridgerton' star about the Bond rumours, the actor gave a measured response and replied, “I think the internet thinks a lot of things, that's one of the more pleasant ones, so I'm pleased as far as that goes. But there might be an element of cultural translation here. If you're a Brit and you do something of any kind of renown, that people regard well, then people start saying the 'B' word. It's like a merit badge. You get a 'B' word merit badge.”
Dwayne Johnson
Dwayne Johnson, 49, stated in an interview with Esquire that he wanted to succeed Daniel Craig as the famed spy after his grandpa, Peter Maivia, portrayed a villain in the 1967 007 film, You Only Live Twice. "Yes, my grandfather was a Bond villain... with Sean Connery. Very, very cool and I would like to follow in his next footsteps and be the next Bond," Johnson said while appearing in the Esquire video series Explain This. "I don't want to be a villain. You gotta be Bond."
Henry cavil
The 37-year-old star of 'The Witcher' actually already auditioned for James Bond in his 20s – but obviously never got the role. In an interview with GQ, the actor said of the opportunity coming around again: “If Barbara [Bond producer Barbara Broccoli] and Mike [co-producer Michael G Wilson] were interested in that, I would absolutely jump at the opportunity. At this stage, it’s all up in the air. We’ll see what happens. But yes, I would love to play Bond, it would be very, very exciting.”
Jamie Dornan
Actor Jamie Dornan is getting more serious about his chances of becoming the next James Bond. In a recent interview with Esquire, the 'Fifty Shades of Grey' actor, 39, discussed the possibility of taking up the coveted character. The actor said, "It's fun and it's a cool thing to be in the mix for that sort of thing." He added, "I do think it's very transparent in terms of if you look at that list, there's not one person on that list who doesn't have some content at the moment that's doing well."
Jack Lowden
The 30-year-old 'Dunkirk' star has been mentioned as a possible Bond replacement, but he has stated that he would never want Craig to quit the role. “I’m a massive Daniel Craig fan and I don’t think he should ever stop doing it,” Lowden told GP. “Bond dealing with age is a brilliant idea and I think we should go the whole way until Daniel’s 85.”
Tom Hardy
The 43-year-old actor, known for his roles in 'Venom' and 'Inception,' previously talked about Bond rumours with The Daily Beast, saying, “If I mention it, it’s gone. 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. So I can’t possibly comment on that one.”
Richard Madden
The 34-year-old 'Game of Thrones' star previously told GQ: “I’m more than flattered to be mentioned, for people to consider putting me in that role. I’m very flattered and thankful. It’s a really brilliant thing to be in.” According to The Sun, Madden has caught the eye of Bond producer Barbara Broccoli: “It’s seriously looking like he [Madden] is going to get the job. Not only is he on top of Barbara’s list, but she is preparing to offer the role.”
Cillian Murphy
Murphy is a fantastic actor. From 'The Wind That Shakes The Barley' to 'A Quiet Place Part II' to his lead role in the extremely popular 'Peaky Blinders,' Murphy has demonstrated that he is more than capable of playing the renowned role. The actor recently said he is “flattered” by speculation that he could become the next James Bond. The 44-year-old told GQ: “It’s incredibly flattering to be in that conversation. I think it should be a woman [next].”
