There has been a lot of speculation over who our next Agent 007 will be, but with rumors running rampant about the role, which name makes the most sense? With Daniel Craig officially having moved on after No Time to Die, many big names have been mentioned as possibilities for the part such as Idris Elba and Henry Cavill, as well as our current rumored new lead scenario, a woman taking on the role for the first time ever. While all three are fantastic choices by the franchise, let’s take a look at the fan favorite and heavily rumored, Tom Hardy.
Embed from Getty Images Embed from Getty ImagesTom Hardy’s finest hours in film can be seen in Locke and Mad Max: Fury Road. However, he has had many other major roles in the past 12 years which have gained him a huge following. Christopher Nolan, a very successful and academy award winning director, has seemingly connected with Hardy in recent years, casting him in multiple big name films such as; Inception, Dark Knight Rises, and Dunkirk. With a resume like that, the rumors do seem plausible.
Embed from Getty Images Embed from Getty ImagesCould Tom Hardy Fit The Role’s Requirements?
While Hardy is quite a few inches shorter than the average Bond actor, so is our most recent Bond, Daniel Craig. Both men stand at just under 5’11” and share similar levels of grit and ruggedness in appearance, another controversial point in the debate. In his 2015 role as the Reggie and Ronnie Kray in the movie Legend, we see him with an iconic clean shaven look, one easily viewed as Bond-esque. So, we all know that Hardy has more than proven himself as looking sharp in a well-styled suit, but is he likely to be the next holder of Bond’s famous Walther PPK?
Embed from Getty Images Embed from Getty ImagesHardy certainly has the fresh face we look for, however, he clocks in at 45 years old, seven years senior of Craig in his debut as Bond in Casino Royale. When it comes to our favorite British special agent, does age truly play a factor in the role? James Bond’s character has routinely been a well seasoned man 32 years and older, however, age doesn’t seem to play as much of a factor than the overall look of the leading man himself.
Embed from Getty Images Embed from Getty ImagesOutside of the franchise’s plans for the role, what do we think of when we think of James Bond? We ask ourselves questions such as; Does he look good in a suit? Is he British? Does he have dark hair and a strong jawline? Can he nail the sly smirk? All of which has been tested and proven to be true by his long list of big hitting roles.
Embed from Getty Images Embed from Getty ImagesAs of right now, we are working solely on conjecture, as the official Bond casting announcement has not been released. With filming of Bond 26 not set to start until early 2024, we may not have an official name for the role be announced until late 2023.