Sorry, Tom Holland fans; he may have the chops for Spider-Man, and maybe at least half the chops for Nathan Drake, but it doesn’t look like he or any other young actor will be gunning for the storied role of James Bond any time soon.
Indeed, on the 60th anniversary of the super spy’s debut in Dr. No, Michael G. Wilson, who served as a producer on 2021’s No Time To Die, admitted that eyeing younger actors for the role of Bond just hasn’t worked out in the past; if there’s one essential aspect of Bond that can never be downplayed, it’s his experience in the field.
He could’ve left it at that, but would go on to explain that the aforementioned nuance is what makes the role work in the hands of a “thirtysomething,” which is essentially another way of shouting “Let the games begin!” in the realm of fan-casting.
With that in mind, here are 10 “thirtysomethings” or “thirtysomething”-adjacent actors that could find themselves caught up in some British Secret Services shenanigans.
Dan Levy
He may be distinctly rooted in comedy, but considering it’s one of the most difficult shticks in the business to pull off — one that he did quite prominently thanks to Schitt’s Creek — it would hardly be surprising if Levy’s range could slot into the Bond role without much hassle.
Chris Hemsworth
An easy answer on the basis of drawing many a crowd, audiences from around the world are used to seeing Hemsworth in the hero role thanks to his work in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. But, where Thor tends to bring out the more humorous side of Hemsworth, he’s already proven that he’s more than capable of dialing into more serious tones as well, as seen in the likes of Spiderhead and Extraction.
Aaron Taylor-Johnson
Another entry on the safe side is Aaron Taylor-Johnson who, much like Hemsworth, is no stranger to tapping into both the heroic and stoic for his many on-screen escapades. Taylor-Johnson has the added benefit of having already pulled off the secret agent-esque role thanks to his portrayal of Tangerine in Bullet Train.
Daniel Kaluuya
The man who Jordan Peele once defined as “his De Niro,” Daniel Kaluuya’s malleable gravitas that he utilized in Get Out and Nope would have no trouble bringing the no-nonsense Bond to life, to say nothing of his tried-and-true capacity for tender charisma and the ability to turn up the intensity when the scenes get harrowing.
Dave Franco
Dave Franco definitely has the history and reputation on his side, having been a notable name in the industry for the better part of the decade, whilst his turns in the likes of the Now You See Me duopoly of films and Nerve would all feed into Bond’s action hero checklist quite nicely, if unconventionally.
Mackenzie Davis
It would be unwise to write off the possibility of a female James Bond (Jane Bond, anyone?), and while it’s hard to say if the next film will be the history-maker, we’d love to see Mackenzie Davis strap in for the role if it did. Indeed, Davis’ Bond-worthy résumé consisting of Terminator: Dark Fate and Blade Runner: 2049 is perhaps only a bit less perfect than her picturesque Bond aesthetic.
Scott Mescudi
Okay, hear us out; Kid Cudi’s full acting potential may not have gotten a shot in a leading role, and James Bond would almost certainly be too big as a starting point, but after seeing the likes of Bill & Ted Face the Music, Don’t Look Up, and Ti West’s first two entries in the X trilogy, there’s no denying that he enhances just about every project he gets involved with. If not Bond, then perhaps an associate.
Michael B. Jordan
Another name sure to draw a crowd, very little needs to be said about Michael B. Jordan that isn’t already clear as day for most; he’s got the dramatic weight, the action thriller experience thanks to Without Remorse, and a resounding charisma that would echo across the many layers of Bond without missing a beat.
Austin Butler
It may be hard to remember that former Disney Channel star Austin Butler is now a “thirtysomething,” and despite being on the younger side of such a title, Butler’s positively explosive performance in Elvis makes us think he could handle anything that gets thrown at him. We’d especially like to see if he could nail Bond’s diction just as well as he did Presley’s.
Josh Peck
You have to really dig through Josh Peck’s filmography to find anything that isn’t geared toward the younger demographic, but that’s about to change next year when he appears in Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer biopic as physicist Kenneth Bainbridge in what’s set to be a landmark release for 2023. What we’re saying is, if Peck can go from perennial goofball to Oppenheimer, anything is possible.
