Here are the top five contenders to play the next James Bond
With Daniel Craig stepping down as Agent 007 after his final James Bond movie titled ‘Bond 25’ comes out in October 2019, talk of who will fill his shoes have been running rampant. The race has started and every contestant is being judged on three criteria: looks, action experience, and fan base.
The question still stands, who will the next James Bond be? With all this speculation going around, we’ve decided to compile the top five contenders so that you can cheer on your favorite potential Bond.
We have shortlisted five stars who are most likely to replace Daniel Craig. Let's start with Tom Hardy.
Tom Hardy
Looks: Okay! Honestly, it’s Tom Hardy. There’s really not much to complain about. Have you seen him in ‘Warrior’? But that’s not even his A-game. His stint reading bedtime stories to little children on 'CBeebies' really changed the game. Watching him sitting on that couch, all cuddled up with a dog, in that red plaid shirt, there’s no doubt he’s beautiful inside out. Plus, he was once a model and sure knows how to work those angles in a suit, which is an important part of being Bond.
Action experience: It sure seems to be limitless. He has played a martial arts fighter in ‘Warrior’, a muscular villain in ‘The Dark Knight Rises’, a CIA agent in ‘This Means War,’ and the protagonist in the action-packed film ‘Mad Max: Fury Road.’ So, it’s safe to say that action is not foreign territory for the muscular man.
Fan base: Pierce Brosnan, who had held the title of James Bond for four movies, is on team Hardy. He told Daily Maily, “Daniel Craig has been an incredible Bond,” he opined. He's very physical, he looks lethal. You genuinely believe this is someone who could kill a man.” He continued, “I think Tom Hardy could be a good Bond.
I’d be happy to see him do it. You need an actor who can put a bit of wiggle into it — that’s what makes Bond.” Furthermore, Hardy has a pretty huge fan base, since he has starred in big productions such as the ‘Inception’ and ‘The Dark Night Rises.’ With 2.4 million followers on Instagram, he will be backed by quite a few if he is awarded the role of the next James Bond.
James Norton
Looks: Norton is a good-looking chap, there’s no denying that. He kind of looks like a private school boy version of Tom Hardy in some way. Also, from his role in McMafia, we know that he that he can pull off a suit.
Action experience: His performance in Happy Valley as a psychopathic killer revealed his action capacity. Apart from this, he has not been involved in any action-packed movies, but he did learn Russian martial art Systema for his role in McMafia. So, he may have some stunts hidden up his sleeve after all.
Fan base: Actress Diane Keaton is on team Norton, according to what she told Sky News. Referring to Norton, she said: "He's got everything that you need. First of all he's extremely attractive, very smart, he's well educated, and he's a fantastic actor, she said. And he's sexy, right? I'm not wrong, I mean women are gonna love him.” Norton does have a strong female fanbase because of his performance in the hit show ‘Grantchester,’ but he is yet to receive recognition on a global scale.
Idris Elba
Looks: He’s charismatic. He’s tall. He’s handsome. And he’s got that tough look that a man playing James Bond needs. You give him a suit; he’ll pull off a suit. You give cargo shorts; he could pull those off too.
Action experience: He is popularly known for his role as a detective in the TV series ‘Luther’ and as the loyal Heimdall in the ‘Thor’ franchise. You can tell he will have no trouble performing an action sequence since he has been a part of a superhero franchise. Furthermore, from ‘Luther’ you can tell he’s not a man to be messed around with.
Fan base: The popular filmmaker Steven Spielberg is rooting for Elba. He told Express, “I am a huge Bond fan. I would love to see a Bond of color. That would be my first choice. I think Idris would be my first choice of Bond if Daniel decides not to come back.” He also has a huge global fan following who would back him. However, Elba has disqualified himself from the race for he thinks he’s too old for the role.
Aidan Turner
Looks: He’s got the mysterious, brooding look. He even fits the literary description of James Bond really well. He’s got the physique for it. If you disagree, you should definitely go have a look at his infamous shirtless scything scene in his hit series ‘Poldark.’ And if you’ve seen him in BBC’s Agatha Christie mystery ‘And Then There Were None’, you know that this man can pull off a tux like none other.
Action Experience: ‘Poldark’ is an action-packed series filled with adventure, and Turner plays his part extremely well. So, it’s safe to say he’s bustling with ferocity.
Fan base: After his role in ‘Poldark,’ the star has developed a really strong female fan-base. His appearance as a dwarf in ‘The Hobbit’ franchise also put his name out there in terms of fame. However, his screen appearance is limited compared to his fellow contenders. Also, the stage is not foreign territory for him. He’s been a part of incredibly successful productions like 'Romeo and Juliet'.
Tom Hiddleston
Looks: There are very few people who could play a villain like Loki, do justice to his nuances and look like an epitome of class while doing it. Tom Hiddleston is one of them. He’s got that posh look that is mesmerizing in a mysterious way. And his eyes, just look into them and tell me you don’t see magic.
Action experience: He was Loki! He was smashed around by Hulk, so action is not an area of concern for this charmer. He even has some spy experience playing Jonathan Pine in the BBC's ‘The Night Manager.’
Fan base: There probably wasn’t a single person in the audience who wasn't secretly heartbroken when Loki was finally killed in ‘Avengers: Infinity War.’ Hiddleston’s affiliation with the Marvel Cinematic Universe will ensure a strong fan following for the rest of time. The Bond boss Barbara Broccoli is a fan too. An insider told the Mirror, “Barbara initially feared Tom was ‘too posh’ to play 007, but she’s been impressed. She wasn’t familiar with his whole catalogue, but she’s watched hours and hours of footage and her perception has totally changed.”