Who will next be handed the keys to the Aston Martin?
The bookies are all in a tizzy today, with Aidan Turner’s withdrawal after the renewal of Poldark. Betting has been suspending while the dust settles.
According to director Sam Mendes, the last word on who plays Bond belongs to producer Barbara Broccoli, who has a penchant for outsiders. Craig was her choice, surprising many.
Filming starts spring 2017, so they had better get a wiggle on.
Current front and front-ish runners: Idris Elba, James Norton, Tom Hiddleston, Damien Lewis, Tom Hardy. Favourite write-in: Gillian Anderson.
Who else? Mention them in the comments, and/or arrange the candidates in your order of preference.
Elba: would be wonderful in the part, but he’s said to be put off by the “omg a black James Bond!!” thing. Is he getting (don’t scream) just a hair long in the tooth for Bond? He’s 43 now, would be 45 by the time the first movie came out. Does this matter? 40-somethings have a harder time maintaining the now-necessary muscled Bond body. Flat stomachs are murder to keep up. Down. Prepare to eyeroll: some have wondered if he’s too ‘street’.
Hiddleston: is he not ‘street’ enough? Very strong contender for months now. Although there are reports that his negotiations have ended and he’s out. Very strong in the rankings after the audition-piece that is The (very good) Night Manager. But TH has returned to the tireless self-promotion he seemed to have dropped last year. Has the business/love affair with Taylor Swift back-fired for him, career-promotion-wise? I wonder if a lot of people think of her as still being like 18 years old and are squicked out. TH is 35. Or are they just fed up with his aw-shucks routine and can see the huge ambition behind it? From the Evening Standard: “Bond needs an air of mystery – his public romance with Taylor has made him totally uncastable.” Exactly.
Norton: possibly the new front-runner. Did you see Happy Valley? Both series? If not, why not? Creepy McCreeperson (very street). And then Rev Chambers in Grantchester (very not-street). Dude’s got range. Also War and Peace, very strong showing. Looks good in a uniform, and it would be nice to see Bond in his Navy commander’s outfit again.
Hardy: it’s good to see Bond rough now and then, in a non-tuxedo scene. Hardy would do this wonderfully. He’s said to be interested in the job, and could bring a little humour after the dour Craig.
Lewis: ok, sure, why not? He’d also make an excellent villain, the terrifying way he can squinch up that little mouth of his.
Mison: who? Can’t imagine why Tom Mison isn’t on any lists. He’s Icabod Crane on the rickety Sleepy Hollow, but you have to see Salmon Fishing in the Yemen. Beardless Mison is a whole ‘nother kettle of fish.
Long-shots: Robbie Williams, Hugh Grant, Jason Statham, David Oyelowo, Richard Madden, Harry Lloyd, Emily Blunt
Future possibles: John Boyega, only 24, so not this round, but maybe next time. Nicholas Hoult, 27.
Marianne Jean-Baptiste and Alfred Molina, ok, not as Bond, but give them something, I love them. M would be an obvious choice. Or someone down in the your-cellphone-is-a-grenade labs.
The Ladbrokes link below is worth looking at just to see who all is on it. Boris, Trump and Corbyn, all at 1,000-1 against.
Apparently Henry Cavill and Orlando Bloom are on some lists. Lol.
