Denis Villeneuve finally gets to do his own take on James Bond. In 2017, he revealed he’d been in talks to direct a Bond film, but it had fallen through because of his commitment to Dune. With the third (and presumably final) Dune shooting this summer and coming out next winter, Amazon and MGM handed him the keys to Ian Fleming’s take on MI-6, and its most impressive secret agent. Predictions on who would actually be the next Bond have been all over the place ever since Daniel Craig hung up his tuxedo with No Time to Die in 2021.
There’s no real profile of the ‘perfect’ Bond, which might be why there’s been no clear successor emerge in the past few years. Despite what common knowledge might suggest, Ian Fleming actually didn’t love the idea of Sean Connery as Bond; he was too big and bulky. George Lazenby, the one-off, wasn’t British at all; he was Australian. Roger Moore didn’t start playing Bond until his mid-40s. Timothy Dalton was lean and broody in the role before Daniel Craig ever showed up. Pierce Brosnan was Irish, and he was a previous runner-up for the role. And Daniel Craig was infamously blonde. Part of the thrill of Bond is that anyone could be Bond; but knowing who the director is might help us figure out who the perfect James Bond could be. Here are seven actors who would be perfect for Denis Villeneuve’s take on 007.
7) Jacob Elordi
Let’s get the obvious pick out of the way: of the three young British actors on Amazon-MGM’s list, Elordi seems the most likely to actually take the role. He’s still under 30 (reportedly one of Amazon-MGM’s hopes), and his being Australian doesn’t hurt his chances, because we know he can do a fine English accent. He’d be the tallest Bond, at 6’5″, but that’s not a bad thing. Between him, Harris Dickinson, and Tom Holland, he seems the most equipped to carry on a stoic quality in the role. His lack of action experience might play against him, but Timothée Chalamet wasn’t exactly an action star before Villeneuve chose him for Dune, either.
6) Will Poulter
Will Poulter could be an inspired choice for the next Bond; he’s consistently surprised people since his first big franchise role as Narnia’s Eustace Scrubb. He’s got MCU experience thanks to Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, and there’s even rumors James Gunn wants to bring him into his new take on the DCU. He’s got a lot of action experience, and he’s not such a big name that his level of fame would surpass Bond’s cultural cache. If Villeneuve wants his Bond to be as action-packed as he’s said in the past, Poulter might be the most experienced choice in roughly the age range Amazon-MGM is hoping for.
5) Sam Claflin
Sam Claflin is probably too old to play the new Bond at this point, but he would still be a good Bond. He’s also worked with Amazon on another high-profile project, with Daisy Jones and the Six. He has the broody qualities most of the past Bonds have held, in some capacity, but he can also turn on the charm when need be. He’s also got an expressive face, which might help if Villeneuve really cuts back on dialogue and focuses on action, like he’s said he’d like to. Even if he doesn’t fit for Bond, one hopes he’s being considered for some kind of supporting role within MI-6 itself.
4) Aaron Pierre
Aaron Pierre‘s name keeps coming up in Internet discussions, and it’s hard to argue with his credits over the past few years. He’s worked with Amazon on The Underground Railroad, he played Malcolm X, he was the voice of Mufasa in in the titular Lion King prequel… he’s a LAMDA grad, and he’s British. Pierre has a lot of intensity, and he has plenty of action experience. He could be an ideal Bond, especially if Villeneuve’s film represents a new evolution completely for 007.
3) Rebecca Ferguson
This may be the most ‘hear me out’ choice of them all, but of all of Villeneuve’s past stars, Rebecca Ferguson seems the most suited to be Bond… or a version of Bond. She doesn’t get to do a lot in the Dune movies, but we know she’s great at action, and she can certainly lead her own show (see Silo). Her mother is English, and her first big role was a historic English queen, so she’d fit the nationality requirements. Even if she doesn’t play Bond himself (themself?) one can only hope she gets a chance to graduate spy franchises, and be more than the typical Bond girl. Villeneuve’s worked with a host of star actors, such as Gyllenhaal, Gosling, and Chalamet, but they all seem too American (or Canadian, in Gosling’s case) to actually fit in Bond’s shoes. They’re also all too well known. Rebecca Ferguson, on the other hand, might slip right in, like she has in so many other franchises.
2) Jack Lowden
Jack Lowden has a lot going for him in support of his being the next James Bond: he might be a few years too old, but he’s Scottish, just like the original. He’s also been showing off his spy chops in the much beloved Slow Horses, which is reminiscent of Pierce Brosnan showing off his stuff in Remington Steele before finally landing Bond. Lowden has worked with Christopher Nolan before, and he can certainly handle action showdowns — even if many Slow Horses stunts for River Cartwright feel more Buster Keaton-esque than truly contemporary. The only thing that might play against him, in the end, is that he’s River, who in many ways is an anti-Bond.
1) Asa Butterfield
Anyone can get jacked. If the last ten years of action stardom have taught us anything, it’s that. Asa Butterfield might seem an entirely unconventional choice, but he isn’t, really, when you look at him on paper. He’s 6 feet, he’s just under 30, and he’s been able to lead movies and shows since he was a kid. The above image is from Second Best, a play about a fictional runner-up for the Boy Who Lived in the first Harry Potter franchise. He’s next starring in Duncan Jones’s Rogue Trooper. His turn as Ender Wiggin in the 2013 Ender’s Game might be what clinches him as an ideal Bond, though; Ender is a strategic kid genius from the start, sure, but he has to learn how to actually fight. Butterfield’s take on that journey works because Ender isn’t great from the start; if this new 007 is to be a wholly new take on Bond, maybe what we need, ultimately, is a Bond origin story.
Who would be your pick for Villeneuve’s Bond? Who would you like to see populate the next installment of the Bond films? Let us know in the comments!
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