‘A mixture of Bond, Ivan Drago, and just a bit of Superman spice’: One of the inspirations behind Henry Cavill’s new role is not like the others

You’d think an actor would be content getting the rare opportunity to play both Superman and Sherlock Holmes, but Henry Cavill has never exactly been shy in admitting he’s always wanted to throw on cinema’s most iconic tux and step into the shoes of James Bond.

He’s come mighty close before after famously making it to the final two alongside Daniel Craig before losing out on Casino Royale, but at 40 years old there’s a growing belief that he might be too old for the next iteration of 007, with Eon Productions indicating it wants a younger star who can anchor the franchise for at least a decade if not even longer.

Fortunately, a blockbuster spy thriller has come along anyway, with Cavill set to star in Matthew Vaughn’s incoming $200 million epic Argylle. In an interview with ScreenRant, the filmmaker name-dropped two obvious influences behind the former DCEU veteran’s character, with an unexpected third thrown in for good measure.

“I said to Henry, Argylle is a mixture of Bond, Ivan Drago, because of Rocky IV, and just a bit of Superman spice. And he gets it. He was a delight and is a delight to work with and be with. Henry is one of the greatest, sweetest men.”

From the outside looking in, you’d think the Drago comparisons come from the haircut, which ended up becoming one of the biggest talking points coming out of the first trailer. Then again, maybe it’s because he’s a huge buff dude with an ice-cold demeanor, but we won’t be finding that out for sure until Argylle comes to theaters in February.