British actor Aaron Taylor-Johnson has reportedly been offered the role of James Bond.
According to reports in The Sun, Eon Productions have chosen their next 007 agent. The previous Bond actor, Daniel Craig, appeared in five films in the series, ending with No Time to Die in 2021.
Taylor-Johnson has appeared in films such as Avengers: Age of Ultron and Bullet Train. He's also due to appear alongside Ryan Gosling in The Fall Guy later this year.
If confirmed, Taylor-Johnson would become the seventh actor to portray the famous British agent on film.
If not, however, there are plenty of talented British actors in contention for the role of the continuously popular super spy to get excited about.
Recently, the name tied to Bond was the now Academy-Award-winning Irish actor Cillian Murphy.
In 2010s, apart from the constant calls for Idris Elba, the triumvirate of Tom Hardy, Charlie Hunnam and Michael Fassbender were the main three names connected with the role, but Fassbender, 46, has long dropped out, admitting, truthfully, that he's too old for the part.
In the current decade, a host of new names emerged. A slew of actors, including Henry Cavill, Outlander's Sam Heughan and Behind Her Eyes star Tom Bateman have all gone public with their desire to be considered – with Cavill the most outspoken.
Black Panther actor Michael B Jordan's name was also mentioned frequently in relation to the role, but while he would be excellent, the part will likely only ever be played by a British actor.
There are no women in the list because, as producer Barbara Broccoli told Variety in 2020: "James Bond can be of any colour, but he is male.
"I believe we should be creating new characters for women – strong female characters. I'm not particularly interested in taking a male character and having a woman play it. I think women are far more interesting than that.”
Here is a list of actors who could be James Bond if Aaron Taylor-Johnson isn't confirmed.
Rege-Jean Page
Although the British-Zimbabwean actor, 35, cut his teeth in theatre, his turn as the Duke of Hastings in Netflix’s Bridgerton caught the world’s attention. Page shot to the top of many Bond wish lists, and recently appeared opposite Chris Pine in the Dungeons & Dragons film.
Tom Hardy
Long considered the frontrunner as Daniel Craig’s successor, as time goes on, it looks less likely the actor will make the cut, and not only because of his age. According to IMDb, Hardy, 46, has at least four upcoming projects, including the Venom and Mad Max sequels, making him a pretty busy guy.
Sam Heughan
The Outlander star, 43, appeared in the action thriller, SAS: Red Notice, in which he plays a member of the British special forces. With a legion of female fans, the 6’2 actor has already showed off his 007-ish chops in The Spy Who Dumped Me, plus, that Scottish accent has shades of a certain Sean Connery.
He says: "I think it’s an incredible franchise and a great character, so of course I would jump at it."
Dev Patel
The Oscar-nominated star broke out in the controversial UK TV show Skins and has since become a Hollywood favourite. At 33, he would be on the young side to play Bond, however, the younger the actor, the more films they can do. The actor has, however, expressed reservations about being a "tokenistic" Bond.
He says: "If it works for the story, and I feel like I can bring some truth out of this role or embody it well, then that's what it should come down to."
Tom Bateman
Currently better known as Star Wars actress Daisy Ridley’s other half, Bateman fully stepped into the spotlight with is role in Death on the Nile. His turn as the suave Dr David Ferguson in Netflix’s Behind Her Eyes opened fans' eyes to the possibility of him becoming Bond, plus he has a twin brother called Merlin who could serve as an instant body double.
He says: "I don't think there's an actor alive who would say no that [role]."
Henry Cavill
The Superman actor, 40, has been vocal about how much he would love the role. He auditioned for Bond when the role went to Daniel Craig, revealing that Casino Royale director Martin Campbell told him, "Looking a little chubby there, Henry", during a scene in which he wore only a towel.
Charlie Hunnam
Another stalwart on the list alongside Hardy, the Sons of Anarchy actor’s name remains attached to the role despite his insistence he’s not that interested. A recent turn in Guy Ritchie’s gangster flick The Gentlemen allowed him to show off the cool-under-pressure British vibes the role of 007 requires.
He says: "I'm an enormous Tom Hardy fan, so I would love to see him as James Bond."
James Norton
The actor, 38, may not have yet achieved global stardom, but in his native UK, he’s the psychopath from Happy Valley. Also starring as Meg’s love interest, John Brooke, in Little Women, just like 007, Norton studied at Cambridge University.
He says: "I mean, as far as I’m concerned, I have not had a single conversation beyond like this. I hope Daniel Craig might do one or two more."
Riz Ahmed
Oscar nominated for Best Actor for Sound of Metal, the British-Pakistani actor, 41, is the first Muslim to be nominated in that category. And he could make history as the first person of colour to play Bond, too. Having shown off his versatility in roles such as Rogue One and Venom, he’ll next be flexing his talents as the Prince of Denmark, Hamlet.
He says: "Any stretching the mould of what our traditional archetypes are appeals to me – so yes, those classic stories, be it a kind of superhero or James Bond."
Richard Madden
The actor, 37, turned his career-making role of Robb Stark in Game of Thrones into a varied and eclectic career. Winning rave reviews for the very Bond-esque Bodyguard, his good looks have also seen him cast as the Prince in Cinderella and as Romeo in a stage production of Romeo and Juliet. Plus, he also starred opposite Angelina Jolie in Marvel’s The Eternals.
He says: "It’s very flattering to be involved in that conversation at all, but it’s all just talk, and I’m sure next week it’ll be someone different."
