Henry Cavill is no stranger to embodying iconic characters, having been the DCEU’s Superman since 2013 and playing Greek mythological figure Theseus in stylish fantasy actioner Immortals almost a decade ago, while his newest role has seen him once again become the subject of the internet’s affection as the latest in a long line of actors to tackle Sherlock Holmes.
However, the 37 year-old still sees James Bond as the one that got away. Fifteen years ago, Cavill made it down to the final two contenders for cinema’s most famous secret agent when Casino Royale was casting, but at just 22, he was deemed too young and the part was awarded to Daniel Craig instead.
Ironically, Cavill is now the same age Craig was when he was first hired as 007, and the recruitment drive is set to start all over again when the latter bows out in No Time to Die, which is still scheduled to hit theaters in November. The star of The Witcher has been one of the favorites to inherit the tux for years now, and in a recent interview, he admitted that he still hasn’t given up on his dream of playing Bond.
“At this stage, it’s all up in the air. We’ll see what happens. But yes, I would love to play Bond, it would be very, very exciting. If Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson were interested in that, I would absolutely jump at the opportunity. We’ll see what happens.”
Cavill has the chiseled features of Sean Connery, the suave charm of Roger Moore, the dry wit of Pierce Brosnan and the rough edges of Daniel Craig. On paper, then, he’s the ideal candidate, and has plenty of experience in both the espionage and blockbuster genres after starring in Man of Steel, The Man From U.N.C.L.E. and Mission: Impossible: Fallout. The only question is whether he’d have the time to be James Bond, Superman, Sherlock Holmes and Geralt of Rivia all at once.