Who Should be the Next James Bond?

The Daniel Craig era has come to an end. I remember when it was announced he would be taking on the legendary role of James Bond, many were skeptical. Craig was a blonde, muscular actor with an often flat, deadpan delivery of lines. Prior to Casino Royale, he did not come across as suave or possess the charming smile and sophistication one expected from James Bond.

Yet, Daniel Craig persevered and his influence on the role grew until it was hard to imagine James Bond as anyone other than Daniel Craig. Not all the movies were hits, but they did a tremendous job in No Time to Die, sending Daniel Craig off in style.

If history is any indication, expect the franchise to take a few years off. In that time, they will search for the next actor to take on the role. When it was announced No Time to Die would be Daniel Craig’s last Bond film, speculation began instantly on who would—or should—succeed him. Some see the franchise as needing to take a bigger step into the modern world and begin severing its ties to Ian Fleming’s original Cold War spy novels. After all, the Cold War is over and a lot has changed since the 1950s.

Traditionalists prefer that the character stay true to his roots with the modernization focusing on the plot, setting, special effects, and perhaps development of villains. The Daniel Craig movies largely accomplished this leap into the 21st century, which suggests many would support the gradual evolution of the character. Just a slow, steady pace forward.

For those desiring to transform the character for the 21st century, the most common suggestions is to select a James Bond who is of a different race or gender than the Caucasian British male actors that have played the role throughout the franchise’s history. Others desire even greater diversity, with perhaps a LGBTQ or non-binary Bond.

One thing to consider in all these suggestions is that James Bond is a character created by novelist Ian Fleming. Bond is not a Hollywood creation, nor a comic book character that can be easily altered by screenwriters or producers. It is highly unlikely the owners of the IP would be eager to depart entirely from the source material. Not to mention that the kind of character changes being proposed have occasionally proven disastrous for other franchises.

So, there are certain traits about the character James Bond that are probably immutable. Any changes to them and you may as well just create a new character of your own. Certainly nothing wrong with that. Non-James Bond spy movies can do very well. Atomic Blonde, Mission Impossible, Bridge of Spies, Tinker Tailor, Solider, Spy, The Bourne Identity, Zero Dark Thirty, The Kingsman, and Argo are just a few examples.

Ian Fleming’s character was male, charming, and attractive. He was a man that men wanted to be and women wanted to be with, as the old saying goes. Gender flipping James Bond provides opportunity to create an alternate reality for the character but would require discarding many of the traits that are uniquely James Bond. He is the ideal model of mid-20th century masculinity and coolness. It is hard to imagine the character embodying that ideal as a woman.

Could a gender flip work? Anything is possible but you would run in to the Ship of Theseus problem. The classic ship of antiquity housed in a museum that required rotting planks of wood to be replaced over the many years until none of the original ship remained. The thought experiment asks, is it still the same ship?

If you change out nearly all the pieces of the original James Bond character, is it still James Bond? If not, why bother using the name?

For this post, I will give my list of my top choices to be the next James Bond, whether they continue with the character being male, or decide to gender flip the character. I don’t think it’ll happen but it’s a fun thought experiment. Which actresses would make awesome 007s?

The immutable traits are that a James Bond must possess:

1. must be British actor or actress

2. Must be less than 40 years old (or IOW, needs to be able to convincingly do action movies for at least the next 8-10 years)

3. character is a spy working for MI6

4. must be intelligent, educated, and sophisticated - aristocratic in feel

5. Physically attractive

6. Highly effective with guns, gadgets, and hand-to-hand

With that here are my favorite picks to succeed Daniel Craig as James Bond:

Henry Cavill

Henry Cavill was in the running to succeed Pierce Brosnan as James Bond a long time ago. In the end, producers went with Daniel Craig but Cavill has done well for himself since then. He’s done his own spy movie with The Man from U.N.C.L.E, which did not have much box office success but was a fun movie. He also secured the role of Superman, which is kind of a big deal.

Throw in his work in The Witcher and his possible role in a Highlander reboot and you have an actor who is almost as big as the James Bond character himself. On the pros side, he just looks like a James Bond, has proven he can do actions movies in a big way, and has demonstrated his incredible charm both on and off screen. Seriously, I don’t know him personally but he seems like a great guy. How many Hollywood actors proudly talk about their love of World of Warcraft and PC games?

For cons, Henry Cavil is already a huge action star and may have commitments to other franchises that could interfere with doing Bond films. Daniel Craig did other movies while he was James Bond too but he wasn’t part of any franchise like the DC Universe. Second, Henry Cavill fits the mold perfectly, which means he may not really take the character in any new directions. Also, as much as I really like Cavill, I don’t know if he has the acting range to do the heavy scenes that don’t involve guns or muscles.

Overall, I would enjoy seeing Henry Cavill as 007 but would see it as a safe pick. Maybe a little too safe…

Richard Madden

Most will know Richard Madden as Robb Stark from Game of Thrones and others will see him in the new movie Eternals. He also played smaller roles in 1917 and Rocketman to name a few. He isn’t a superstar like Cavill but most would recognize him and probably have high regard for his talent.

The pros of Madden: he definitely looks the part. He has experience in action movies, although probably hasn’t had many opportunities to prove he can do everything Daniel Craig did in his 5-movie run. Madden has shown he can play the smooth-talking ladies man but also demonstrates some range, with a few more challenging roles in his career. Is he as good as Daniel Craig? Maybe not, but could easily equal Cavill.

On con side, he has the same issue as Cavill. He looks like a James Bond and would fit nicely in the conventional mold of the character. With any character, you could certainly introduce a new trait or personality, such as altering his traditional heterosexuality, or alter his backstory but there is only so far you can go.

I would give a slight edge to Madden over Cavill because I don’t want to see the market become over-saturated with Cavill and his guns. Madden has a smaller profile and doesn’t appear to have big commitments to other super-franchises (unless Eternals becomes huge).

Dev Patel

My top choice is Dev Patel. He checks all the boxes, would be the first non-Caucasian James Bond, and has proven range that is superior to Cavill and Madden in my opinion. His performances in Slumdog Millionaire, The Personal History of David Copperfield, and The Green Knight all demonstrate his impressive talent. He’s been nominated for dozens of awards in his career to back it up.

Patel has not done a great deal of action and may not have the muscles, but he can be imposing at 6’2” and definitely brings the attractiveness, charm, and appeal needed for the role.

Unlike Cavill and Madden, Patel would allow some new tweaks in the character. He probably would not be the Bond to get into one fistfight after another like Daniel Craig, but James Bond is largely supposed to be an aristocratic-type who blends in to elite society, using his guile as much as his strength or firepower. The character does not need to be a great athlete or someone who looks like Delta Force or an MMA fighter.

Traditionalists may see this pick as pandering but lack any arguments on the merits. There is nothing about the James Bond character that requires him to be Caucasian. He should be British, which Patel is, but to be what James Bond is meant to be, he can be any ethnic background.

One con is that it is unclear if Dev Patel is prepared to take on what is a physically demanding role. He has to be athletic enough to convince audiences he is indeed a secret agent that can subdue villains with both his hands and his Walther PPK.

Honorable Mention For the Boys

Other names I have heard suggested for James Bond (if he stays male) include Luke Evans, Robert Pattinson, and Taron Egerton. There are more but these seem to pop up the most.

Luke Evans looks the part and has done plenty of action but I am not really sure he is a James Bond. Actually, he strikes me as a potential villain or lieutenant to a Bond villain. It is hard to explain but he has a more sinister feel to him. He is also 42 years old, which isn’t too old to do a movie now but if he is to be Bond for at least 3 movies, he’d be doing it into his fifties.

Daniel Craig did play Bond at age 52 but that should be the exception not the rule. A new James Bond should be a younger 007 agent, in the prime of his career, not one that is already a seasoned veteran. Indeed, the long tenured Daniel Craig did his first movie in his late 30s.

Robert Pattinson is an intriguing pick but there is a chance he is going to be the next Batman, assuming the next movie gets sequels. If so, it wouldn’t be the best idea for the same man to play Batman and James Bond. While Pattinson has done action, up until now he just isn’t all that convincing. Perhaps the Batman movie will change that but for now, I see him as just a pretty boy who can definitely act but whose filmography suggests someone who would rather do indies or movies seeking awards.

Taron Egerton has already played a British spy in The Kingsman. He kind of looks the part, although does come off as younger than his actual age of 32. He would be an interesting choice but probably would not generate much buzz compared to other actors. Plus the comparisons to his character in The Kingsman may not be what James Bond producers want.

To sum up, if James Bond remains a male character, my top pick would be Dev Patel. Sadly, they probably won’t ask me my opinion when they go to choose the actor.

Moving On

Now, let’s consider if the producers go out on a limb and do a gender flip. First, some modifications to the character would be necessary. James Bond has extensive military and espionage training but in public, he appears as a wealthy aristocrat who can move in any social circle across the world. He gets attention as a sort of celebrity, and not someone who appears to be military. A female secret agent could easily do all this. The question is whether she would carry herself like a duchess who has the grace and prestige to gain entry, or gets in on her looks and charm, perhaps entering as the arm-candy to a poor sap who thinks she is just a mindless social ladder climber.

I would prefer this James Bond, or Jamie Bond, or Jessica Bond (seriously, what would be her name?) carry an aura of social status and not just be a cheap seductress or stereotypical femme fatale who happens to work for the good “guys.” There needs to be more to her if she is to overcome the deep skepticism of the James Bond fan base.

A tall order…

Lashana Lynch

Let’s get the obvious one out of the way. Lashana Lynch plays a 007 in No Time to Die, so she is likely under consideration. Her character is completely overshadowed by Daniel Craig’s Bond, however. Having said that, she looks comfortable in a gunfight and appears more than capable to do everything asked for by a Bond movie.

Is she charismatic? A smooth operator that can get into any party across the world? It really is hard to tell. I’ve only seen her in two or three roles and she is never asked to do anything remotely like that. Without a track record, she’d need to convince producers in auditions, which perhaps she already has when they gave her the 007 role.

Lynch seems like she is and would be a different kind of 007. Her attitude is more of the hardworking soldier and operator, someone who stays on mission unlike Daniel Craig’s more insubordinate approach. Based on that limited sample size, that just isn’t enough to know if she could be a James Bond. A 00-agent, sure, but Bond?

This would be a case of not only doing a gender flip but a significant departure from Craig’s Bond, and Brosnan’s too. Lynch would be a wild card as the next James Bond.

Hayley Atwell

How about an actress who has already played a secret agent? In addition to being Agent Carter, Atwell is also expected to be in the next couple Mission Impossible movies. She has action movie credentials, a pretty strong fan base, and demonstrated range. She’s done Marvel as well as period pieces like The Duchess.

On the pro side, she has the high profile, the range, and the appeal to be a Bond. She would be completing her first Bond movie at age 40-41 however, which is a touch late to be starting a run of movies but not a disqualifier. The other concern is if she’s prepared to step up and do everything demanded in a Bond movie in terms of stunts. The role of Agent Carter isn’t quite the same thing as being James Bond.

There is also maybe some concern of double-dipping in two spy franchises, James Bond and Mission Impossible. Like Cavill, Atwell is already a big deal. Adding Bond may over-saturate or be impossible if her other projects demand continued attention for the next decade.

Atwell would work in many ways but perhaps might not be what producers want in a new Bond. Not sure if Atwell has any significant edge over Lynch, as both have a drawback or two but I could see either filling the role.

Emily Blunt

If you’ve watched Edge of Tomorrow or Sicario, you know Emily Blunt is a credible action star. If you’ve watched any of her countless period piece movies or performances that have earned her awards, you know she has range. She’s done action, horror, drama, family, and comedy in her career. There is little doubt she can play a great British secret agent.

The pros are that there is little doubt she has what it takes to do a Bond movie. Her physique in Edge of Tomorrow was impressive, making her particularly fiercesome. She is attractive and charming no matter the role. Her work alongside action legend Tom Cruise in Edge of Tomorrow proved beyond any doubt she can play the badass and hold her own on screen with other great talent.

The only con is that the first movie would be released likely around her 40th or 41st birthday. It would be difficult for her to play the role of an up and coming agent, so her 007 would be in her late prime. Daniel Craig came off as an agent still learning all the nuances of the job in Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace, but honestly it was never that convincing or compelling.

If producers want James Bond to be played by a woman in the next movie, my pick would be Emily Blunt.

Honorable Mention For The Ladies

There aren’t as many blogs who list off their top picks for a female James Bond but I did manage to find a few names that were mentioned repeatedly. They are Margot Robbie, Natalie Dormer, Claire Foy, Jennifer Lawrence and Felicity Jones.

Margot Robbie checks all the same boxes as the top three, but has one minor drawback: she isn’t British. It isn’t that she can’t do accents. She played Queen Elizabeth I in Mary Queen of Scots, but my impression is that to be credible and acceptable to the audience, the actress must actually be from the British Isles. Her range is truly impressive with award nominations for I, Tonya and Bombshell. Her performance in Wolf of Wall Street is probably burned in the memories of many as well. On the action side, she has played Harley Quinn but not sure those movies really did her or the character justice.

If we set aside the requirement that the actress actually be British, then Margot Robbie is either my top choice or second choice behind Emily Blunt. There has been an Aussie James Bond, George Lazenby, but only for one movie. The multi-film Bonds have been from the British Isles or Ireland.

Natalie Dormer hasn’t done a great deal of action. Physically she is attractive but not as imposing or credible as a secret agent who is required to take bad guys out via hand-to-hand combat. Any actress can get in shape for a role, of course, but the other actresses on the list have already done it.

Claire Foy is another great actress who has played a British monarch on a hit TV show. She’s done some action in her Lisbeth Salander movie as well. Still, I don’t think she’s the best fit for 007. It is not that Foy could not be James Bond. It is just that the others listed above would be stronger choices, in my opinion. Foy checks every box and doesn’t really have any particular negative, other than perhaps not having as many action movies on her filmography.

Finally, there’s Jennifer Lawrence and Felicity Jones. Lawrence has been everywhere and won so much hardware, playing a female James Bond almost feels like a demotion. She is overqualified for the role and more importantly, is not British. Felicity Jones checks all boxes and has done action but it doesn’t really seem to be her strength. Like Lawrence, she is overqualified in terms of acting talent. Both could probably do it but neither are really a great fit.

So those are my personal favorites. Dev Patel to be James Bond, Emily Blunt to be Jamie or Jessica Bond. Feel free to disagree. It’ll probably be a few years before we’ll know who they go with. Until then, we are free to speculate.