With the next film in the James Bond franchise set to be the 25th outing, there’s a certain pressure on the producers to deliver an unforgettable adventure. The series has had its ups and downs over the years, to be sure, but for such a milestone like this one, they really need to hit it out of the park. Unfortunately for them, however, everything seems to be very much up in the air at the moment.
Daniel Craig hasn’t officially departed the franchise, but he’s also not terribly keen on returning. Sam Mendes, meanwhile, has also said that he probably won’t be coming back for more. As such, the rumor mill has been piping hot with names who could possibly replace those two and one actor who keeps popping up again and again to step in for Craig is Tom Hardy. Alongside Idris Elba and Tom Hiddleston, he’s perhaps one of the most popular choices and it’s easy to see why.
Dashing, charismatic and talented beyond measure, he’s one of the greatest actors of his generation and would fit the part of James Bond like a glove. We imagine that he’s probably had some sort of conversation with the studio already, but at this point, neither party has confirmed anything.
The Daily Beast recently sat down with Hardy to discuss his new show Taboo and asked him about his thoughts on playing Bond. While he refused to comment on it directly, which is no surprise, he did mention that he’d love to see Christopher Nolan direct.
“You know, there’s a saying amongst us in the fraternity of acting, and in the fellowship of my peer group, that if you talk about it you’re automatically out of the race. So I can’t possibly comment on that one! If I mention it, it’s gone. But Chris Nolan, what a fantastic director for a Bond movie. Because Daniel (Craig) is so good, and what (Sam) Mendes and Barbara (Broccoli) have done has been so impressive, that it would be a very hard re-imagination to follow after. I wonder what the next installment of that franchise would become, and I think when you mention someone like Christopher Nolan, that’s a very powerful figure to bring into that world who could bring something new and create something profound…again.”
Like Hardy, Nolan is another name that has been tossed around a lot in regards to the James Bond franchise. With Mendes seemingly out the door already, the studio will definitely be requiring some new blood to helm and they need not look any further than Christopher Nolan for the job – should he be interested, that is. As for Hardy, well, Craig may still return so we’re not sure if a replacement will be needed, but we still can’t help but to be giddy with excitement over the prospect.
Nolan and Hardy have worked together several times now and the results are always electrifying. Next up for the duo is Dunkirk, which promises to be one of the summer’s biggest films. To have them team-up once again for a James Bond movie would be a dream come true for many and might just be the shot in the arm that the franchise so desperately needs right now.
The last entry, Spectre, was far from the worst outing for 007 that we’ve seen, but it underwhelmed on almost every count and with both Craig and Mendes clearly not too eager to make more James Bond films, it really wouldn’t be a bad idea to get some new talent both in front of and behind the camera. Like we said, the 25th entry is a pretty big deal and the studio needs a home run. There are few individuals in Hollywood who could guarantee that, but Christopher Nolan and Tom Hardy are certainly two of them.
