Speculation is continuing to mount with regards to the most pressing question of modern pop culture: Just who will be the next James Bond? It has been four years since Daniel Craig hung up his Walther PPK and stepped aside from his role as 007.
However, the question of who will succeed him as Ian Fleming’s fictional spy continues to remain a source of mystery and a huge bone of contention, as everyone has their own interpretation of how Bond should look and behave. One thing that is certain is that Bond is entering a new era, as the next 007 will be the first to not be determined by the long-time custodians of the franchise, the Broccoli family.
Back in February, Barbara Broccoli and half brother, Michael G Wilson, handed over creative control to Amazon as part of a lucrative deal that represents the biggest change of direction in the franchise’s history since Sean Connery debuted as the character in 1962. While Bond being relinquished by the family who turned him into one of cinema’s ultimate heroes has been met with understandable scrutiny, the idea of change also represented the possibility of breathing new life into a decades old franchise.
One of the most exciting possibilities that emerged saw James Nelson-Joyce linked with the role. After he proved his leading man credentials as Michael Kavanagh in This City Is Ours, the odds massively shortened that the Walton native could be Daniel Craig’s successor.
He addressed the speculation in interviews, as he told Times Radio: “I’d love to do it. I think anyone being linked to James Bond would jump at the chance. I would never have thought in a million years that I’d be linked with playing James Bond.
“I don’t look like the other lads who are really handsome looking men and from a kind of background, but I would love it. I’m just really honoured that anyone would even think I could do it, because it’s a bit of a pinch yourself thing when I heard about it and you can’t say anymore than that.
“It’s one of the greatest parts ever written. He’s cool, he’s suave and there’s so many different layers that you can play with. And stepping into someone like Daniel Craig’s shoes would be amazing.”
The Liverpudlian may come from a different background than previous Bonds, but this could have breathed new life into the character and it would be fascinating to see his interpretation of the character on the big screen. When Daniel Craig, who hails from Chester, was cast in the role, it was designed as a way to take Bond into the modern era.
2006’s Casino Royale was intended to be a more realistic spy film, closer to the Jason Bourne films, than it was to the far fetched, light-hearted fare that categorised the latter films of Pierce Brosnan’s tenure.
At the time, Craig’s bow in Casino Royale felt like exactly that and it was such a welcome departure from the ridiculous Die Another Day, but, when I revisited the film recently, it felt like it has already dated and didn’t pack half the gritty punch as I remembered. Casting someone like James, who has brought a magnetic intensity and edge to all of his recent roles, would be the perfect way to deliver this in Bond’s next chapter.
A recent advertisement he filmed for Bentley also showed he suits being behind the wheel of a luxury car and could easily step into Bond’s Aston Martin. At 36, the Scouser is also the perfect age to take over the role as this fits into the criteria previously stipulated by the Broccoli family of what makes a perfect Bond.
However, this speculation has sadly lost steam over recent weeks as insiders have told Variety that Amazon are looking to break tradition, in a much less exciting way, by casting an actor in his 20s. While this doesn’t feel very true to the franchise, it also feels like it might lead to an even more sanitised iteration of Bond, with actors such as Tom Holland, Harris Dickinson and Jacob Elordi reportedly on the wishlist to take over as the spy.
While all these are talented actors and would undoubtedly add to the box office appeal of Bond, they are all already attached to big studio films. To paraphrase Alan Partridge, it feels like their casting would be getting Bond wrong, as it doesn’t really seem to represent the exciting or bold change that could benefit the franchise in its new era.
However, the report from the American outlet doesn’t seem to have altered the bookmakers odds, as 28 Years Later star Aaron Taylor Johnson, aged 35, is still the firm favourite to be cast in the role. While the identity of the next Bond remains up in the air, one thing that is cause for optimism is that Denis Villeneuve and Steven Knight have been attached as the respective director and writer of the film. These creative forces are likely to work together to deliver their own vision as they look to shake (or stir) up the franchise as it enters a new chapter.
However, it’s sadly looking increasingly likely that this new direction won’t include the first ever Scouse 007 this time. I guess this will have to wait until Ian Fleming’s famous novels become part of the public domain, as expected, in 2035, when creative control for Bond won’t just be up to one family or one studio.
