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Daniel Craig's tenure as James Bond is finally set to end with the release of No Time to Die next month, but who will replace him? There is a lot of speculation about who studio execs will select to play the next Bond with names being thrown around like Tom Hardy, Henry Cavill, Idris Elba, and Regé-Jean Page, with whoever they choose will earning a fortune.
Daniel Craig Says Goodbye To The Franchise
After many pandemic-related delays, it appears the newest James Bond flick, No Time to Die, is finally keeping its October release date. The Film will mark the fifth and final time the character has been portrayed by Daniel Craig, who starred in series of successful movies that have revitalized the nearly 60-year-old franchise for a modern audience. The actor first appeared in the role of James Bond in 2006's Casino Royale and has been the longest-serving Bond in terms of timespan (but not when it comes to the number of films.)
When asked why the actor would leave the role, for which he receives a hefty paycheck, he explained that he saw other things as more important - "I don't know what it is, maybe having another kid, maybe just being older. But all of these things, I was just like, you know, f**k it. There are other things that are more important." Furthermore, he said he believes "someone else needs to have a go" in the role, so who will it be?
PopCulture.com went on to ask if Casino Royale Director Martin Campbell if he had any ideas on who might take over for Craig, and he admitted he hasn't "got a clue." He added, "There's people that have been in successful TV shows and this, that, and the next thing ... unless you've got your ear to the ground on that stuff." Although the studio execs are remaining tight-lipped until No Time to Die is released, several names are being floated as potential replacements.
Rumors About Craig's Successor Are Rampant
Page Six reported back in August that Regé-Jean Page was still 'very much the frontrunner.' Page is reportedly being actively talked about amongst Bond producers and, if selected, would be the first person of color cast in the role. Page starred in season one of the Netflix period drama Bridgerton as Simon Basset, for which he won the Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series NAACP Image Award and was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series.
Henry Cavill's name has also been bouncing around the role of Bond for more than a decade: he was Campbell's pick to succeed Pierce Brosnan, but he lost out to Craig as he was considered too young at 23. Cavill seemed thrilled about the prospect of portraying Bond when asked, "I would love the opportunity and if they were to ask, I would say yes." The Superman actor may be old enough now, but in 2018 Cavill had to apologize for claiming that the #MeToo movement has left him scared to date women for fear of being "called a rapist," which might hinder his chances.
In early 2020 rumors of Tom Hardy filling the role appeared on Twitter, and he has Brosnan's backing – the former Bond said he fancied Hardy to 'put a bit of wiggle into' Bond last year, which could improve his chances. But Hardy is already an A-list celebrity and doesn't need the role to elevate him any further, so he seems like an odd fit for the role and might be hesitant to throw himself into another big franchise role so soon after Venom.
According to the Page 6 source, one other name is 1917 actor George MacKay. "One of the producers of 1917 has come over to Bond and is suggesting George. There is some talk about rebooting the Bond franchise after Daniel Craig with someone younger, and he could fit the bill." It also helps that MacKay has worked with Skyfall director Sam Mendes in the past.
It Is A Lucrative Role
Whoever lands the role is guaranteed to make a fortune, with Craig only returning because of the ridiculous amount of money the studio offered. Craig reportedly earned $25 million for his final installment, well above what other A-list stars command. His successful portrayal of Bond landed him a role in the 2019 mystery Knives Out. Netflix is set to pay him $100 million to star in two sequels, according to variety, making Craig the highest-paid actor in the world.
When Craig appeared on The Tonight Show and asked to give his successor advice on the role, he responded, "Don't f*ck it up, it's a beautiful, amazing thing. Leave it better than when you found it."
Sources: MovieWeb, Esquire, PageSix, CheatSheet