Even though it’s going to be a good few years before we see the iconic secret agent back on our screens, speculation is already running rampant on who’ll end up getting the nod to throw on the tuxedo and become the next James Bond.
A lot of fans are finding it increasingly hard to look past Henry Cavill, but given that The Witcher star will likely be in his 40s by the time the 26th installment in the franchise begins shooting, Eon head honchos Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson might be looking to skew a little younger.
One name that would garner a lot of support is that of Daniel Kaluuya, who fits the bill in more ways than one. He’s an Academy Award-winning actor with a litany of acclaimed performances under his belt, but he’s not quite an A-list superstar. At least not yet, anyway.
He’s a good age at 33, and has experience of stunt-heavy productions and big budget blockbusters thanks to his turns in Kick-Ass 2, Sicario, Welcome to the Punch, and Black Panther. The only downside is that he doesn’t really see himself in the role, as he revealed to Yahoo.
“I just don’t if I’d want to watch my version of James Bond. That’s just me. That’s just me, I go, ‘I don’t wanna watch that.’ But I’d want to watch a villain. I’d do that. I think that would be fun.”
However, his NOPE co-star Keke Palmer disagreed, saying that Kaluuya would make for an excellent 007.
“I’m so ready for that. He’s such a specific actor that if he did do 007, he would come at it with such a unique [approach]. That’s why I would want to see it, because [he] would bring something so fresh to it. But I also get you want to play the villain.”
It’s going to be until the identity of Daniel Craig’s successor is revealed, but it’s looking as though Kaluuya won’t be the one stepping into those daunting and immaculately polished shoes.
