“Aaron went for a screen test to be the next Bond in September and producers and Barbara loved him. The 32-year-old has recently become a frontrunner after The Sun reported that he went for a secret screen test with producers including Barbara Broccoli at Pinewood studios, and seriously impressed them. Let's take a quick read of his Bond credentials: Taylor-Johnson is a Brit, checks the heartthrob box and has an established name without being too tied to any other franchise. On top of this, he's good – really good – at emotional range, and his breakthrough role as a young John Lennon in Nowhere Boy was a testament to these skills.Īlso, in Nocturnal Animals, Outlaw King and most recently Bullet Train opposite Brad Pitt, he's quietly been proving himself a Hollywood staple. The actor, no stranger to stunts, has proven himself as an action star in the making through roles in the Kick-Ass movies, Avengers: Age of Ultron, Godzilla and Tenet. Does that take him out of the running? Depends on how hard and fast that age range is. The Bond producers are on record as looking for an actor in their thirties for the PPK-waving part, and Cavill just recently hit 40. Plus, ironically given what Martin Campbell has come out and said about Campbell being too young at the time of Casino Royale, he might be just a touch too old for the role now. Likewise, Cavill’s stint as Napoleon Solo in The Man from U.N.C.L.E is probably too Bond: ditch Solo’s American accent and it’s the same character. Granted, his stints in both of those properties have now ended, but they'll likely follow him for years to come. Cavill cuts a dashing figure but nobody can be Superman, Geralt from The Witcher and James Bond. Why not: Perhaps his history with franchises is his greatest disadvantage. He just looked a little young at that time back then.” Cavill would've been in his very early twenties at the time of his tryout, so yeah, a little young indeed. He looked terrific, he was in great physical shape… very handsome, very chiseled. “And look, if Daniel didn't exist, Henry would have made an excellent Bond. His acting was tremendous,” the filmmaker said. Director Martin Campbell, who also did GoldenEye in 1997, spoke about Cavill's audition back in the day in an interview with Express UK (h/t Variety). What's more - in an alternate universe in which Daniel Craig wasn't (gulp) born or, hear us out, went on to be Superman instead (keep with us), Cavill could've been the star of Casino Royale. After the absolute mess of his Superman reintroduction and then axing, there's a big franchise-shaped hole in Cavill's life waiting to be filled. Sixteen years later, matured as an actor and a man, surely he could go one better? He's got the gap in his schedule, at least. Auditioning for the role, aged 22, in 2005, Cavill reached the final two before Craig edged him out (apparently it was a virtual toss-up). Classically handsome, but could clearly take you in a fight. Square-jawed, broad-shouldered, dark-haired, blue-eyed. Why: Draw a picture of Bond and the result would be Henry Cavill.

New james bond actor henry cavill