The James Bond franchise is set to continue, but 2021 saw Daniel Craig’s last outing as the famous intelligence officer. Now, who will take up the role of the MI6 agent known by his code number 007?
According to series’ producer Barbara Broccoli, the 26th official Bond film will not be ready before 2025. She revealed to Deadline in 2022, “Nobody’s in the running. There isn’t a script. We’re reinventing who he is and that takes time. I’d say that filming is at least two years away.”
No actor has been chosen for the prestigious role yet, and public speculation is as high as ever. As 2023 marks the 70th anniversary of James Bond, an announcement of the next actor to portray the character is expected soon.
Besides a secret screen test by Kick-Ass star Aaron Taylor-Johnson last year, not much is known about the developments regarding the casting. However, lately, new rumors have surfaced about the actors contending for the much-desired role.
According to betting giant William Hill, Emmy nominee and Black Mirror star Paapa Essiedu has emerged as one of the top contenders for the James Bond role. Recently, Richard Madden, in an Instagram video saying ‘Delicious’ to a martini, has fans convinced he is the next Bond.
1. Will Paapa Essiedu be the next James Bond?
Paapa Essiedu recently joined the names of the candidates vying to be the eighth James Bond. According to William Hill, he is the number three contender, along with James Norton, after Aaron Tyler-Johnson and Henry Cavill.
Paapa Essiedu is an English actor known for his exceptional role in I May Destroy You miniseries. The audience awaits his next outing in the much-awaited Black Mirror series.
With a rising fandom, Essiedu made an unexpected appearance in the third spot of contenders aiming to bag the 007 title with 3-1 odds. Though Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Henry Cavill are still favored more than him, the bookies have taken a liking to this new actor playing the iconic character.
Broccoli and her team could also choose this ethnic-minority celebrity to keep up the franchise with modern times.
2. Will Richard Madden be the next James Bond?
In a video promoting the actor’s latest series, Citadel, Richard Madden and his co-star are seen conspiratorially having a martini, James Bond’s signature drink. When asked about his drink, Madden replies, “Delicious,” leading fans to believe that he is hinting at his casting as the super spy.
The video posted by Stanley Tucci and Richard Madden seems to be more than just a promotion for their expensive spy series, Citadel. The pair seem to be giggling in conspiracy as they enjoy Bond’s drink of choice.
Tucci asks Madden, “How’s yours?” The reply is, “Delicious.” Fans have announced this is an ‘in’ on the much-awaited casting with an influx of comments like “To the gods of 007 this is a no brainer” and “There you go, the new James Bond.”
Fans seem excited about this casting choice, and we can only wait for official confirmation before we celebrate.
3. Will Henry Cavill be the next James Bond?
Superman star Henry Cavill is in the race to become the next James Bond. Cavill had competed with Craig for the role in 2006 and had lost it to the latter as he was relatively new to the audience. According to William Hill, he is second in contention with odds of 5-2.
The 40-year-old actor, who has exited Superman, has expressed his interest in playing Bond in an interview with Men’s Health, where he said, “There are no conversations just yet, but we’ll see what happens. It would be a great, fun role to play.”
The famous actor was 23 years old when he initially auditioned for the role in Casino Royale and lost it to the already renowned Daniel Craig. He said at the Happy, Sad, Confused Podcast, “They told me I was close. They told me 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.”
Cavill has now received another chance at playing the coveted role, something many only dream of. With his current popularity and age, he could win it.
4. Will Aaron Taylor-Johnson be the next James Bond?
According to William Hill, Aaron Taylor-Johnson dominates the contention for the role of James Bond with odds of 11-8. He is reportedly the most-voted star and has even completed a secret audition for the role.
The English actor who portrayed the title character in Kick-Ass and its 2013 sequel, and also Pietro Maximoff in Avenger: Age of Ultron, has reportedly even shot scenes as the famed character. He is said to have filmed the memorable ‘gun barrel teaser footage’ we have seen in the Bond films over the years.
However, nothing has been announced officially yet, and we’ll have to wait and see who will take up the James Bond role on-screen with their unique sense of style and action.
Stay tuned to Cine Dope for the latest updates on the James Bond franchise!
5. About James Bond Franchise
James Bond films are the longest continually running film series of all time and have grossed over US$7.04 billion in total, making it the sixth-highest-grossing film series to date, which started in 1962 with Dr. No, starring Sean Connery as Bond. As of 2021, there have been twenty-five films in the Eon Productions series. The most recent Bond film, No Time to Die (2021), stars Daniel Craig in his fifth portrayal of Bond; he is the sixth actor to play Bond in the Eon series.
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