In a surprising turn of events, Amazon has assumed full creative control over the James Bond franchise, marking a significant shift as long-time producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson step back. This development has sparked widespread speculation and excitement about who will step into the iconic role of 007 next.
Amazon's CEO, Jeff Bezos, took to X / Twitter to pose the burning question to fans: who should be the next James Bond? The response was overwhelmingly clear, with a strong consensus emerging around one name: Henry Cavill.
While notable actors like Tom Hardy, Idris Elba, James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, and Aaron Taylor-Johnson have been mentioned as potential candidates, it's Henry Cavill who has captured the hearts of Bond enthusiasts. Cavill, known for his roles as Superman and in "The Witcher," has long been a fan favorite for the role.
AnswerSee ResultsFollowing Bezos' tweet, Henry Cavill quickly became a trending topic online, fueled by the enthusiastic support from the Bond community. With Amazon now at the helm, many are wondering if Cavill's chances of donning the 007 mantle have improved, especially given his recent commitment to star in and produce Amazon's ambitious Warhammer 40,000 project.
Cavill's history with the Bond franchise is well-documented. He famously auditioned for the role in 2006's "Casino Royale," an audition that director Martin Campbell described as "tremendous." Despite his impressive performance, the then-23-year-old Cavill was deemed too young, and the role went to Daniel Craig.
Reflecting on the audition in a 2023 interview with The Express, Campbell praised Cavill's potential, stating, "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 acknowledged the close call in an interview with Josh Horowitz, saying, "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 intensified following Daniel Craig's departure after No Time to Die, the question of Cavill's suitability remains pertinent. Campbell noted, "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. 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 added, "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."
