Age of The Nerd
In early October, the latest James Bond film ‘No Time To Die’ was delayed for a second time. It is now not expected to be released until the spring of 2021, though there’s a possibility it could be delayed a third time.
This will mean that Daniel Craig will extend his run as the longest-serving 007 in history, though he won’t have starred in the most films. That title belongs to Roger Moore and Sean Connery, both starring in 7 films, though Connery’s 7th was a remake of a previous film.
While Daniel Craig’s final outing as Britain’s most famous secret agent hasn’t yet aired, the talk of who will replace him is getting louder and louder. Though nothing has been confirmed, there are some strong rumors.
Daniel Craig as James Bond
Daniel Craig was an unconventional pick to play James Bond. He’s blond, whereas all previous actors have been dark. While this upset and confused some Bond fans, he bears a closer resemblance to how Bond was described by Ian Fleming in his novels.
Craig’s first appearance was in the 2006 film, ‘Casino Royale’. This marked a reboot of the franchise, returning to the first book in the series. It had a slower pace than some of the Pierce Brosnan films but remained entertaining and exciting.
‘Casino Royale’ sees Bond first get his 00 status. After his initial assignment, Bond is given the task of capturing an international terrorist financier. As part of this, he finds himself in a high stakes game of Texas Hold’em with the criminal.
Texas Hold’em is a popular version of poker, where the player must make their hand from a combination of their own and a set of community cards. While playing, Bond notices a tell that lets him know when his target is bluffing, helping him take a lead in the game. It quickly goes south though, and Bond is poisoned and almost dies.
It’s an iconic scene and sums up everything synonymous with Bond.
New Bond
As good as Craig has been playing Bond, nearly 15 years on, he’s ready to hand over his license to kill. This means that someone newer and younger will need to step up and take his place.
The rumors of who that could be have been circling for some time, with some suggesting the new Bond could even be played by a female actor, like in the remake of ‘Ghostbusters’ or ‘Ocean’s 8’. One rumor of this kind suggested that Lashana Lynch could be playing 007.
That doesn’t appear to be the case, but she may appear in the next film in a different role.
Michael Fassbender has been linked to the role; GQ recently reported that several large bets were made on him being cast as the new Bond, leading to bookmakers slashing his odds. However, Fassbender himself has said he thinks he’s too old.
Other names that have been suggested include Sam Heughan, Michael B Jordan, Richard Madden, and James Norton.
Tom Hardy to be the Next Bond?
In mid-September, the Evening Standard reported that Tom Hardy will be stepping into Craig’s shoes for the next Bond film.
The star of ‘Venom’ reportedly auditioned for the role back in June 2020 and was selected very quickly afterward. However, no official announcement has been made.
According to The Vulcan Reporter, an official announcement that Hardy had been cast was due to be made after ‘No Time To Die’ hit cinemas. However, with the film now delayed until 2021, it’s unclear whether this will be kept under wraps until after the premiere next spring.
Hardy has strong backing. In a 2018 interview with the Daily Mail, Pierce Brosnan said that he thought that Tom Hardy would play the role of 007 well. He added that he’d be happy to see him play Bond because he would be able to “put a bit of wiggle into it”.
While Hardy is a great candidate for the role, there’s no knowing for sure until the official announcement is made. So Bond fans will have to remain affixed to the edge of their seats for a little while longer.
