The Daniel Craig Walk-Out Emergency Kit
Open in the case of Daniel Craig turning down your $99 million James Bond contract
The shaken-not-stirred martini hit the proverbial fan this weekend as The Daily Mail dropped the bomb that Daniel Craig had turned down a $99 million offer to star in two more James Bond films. The BBC has since reported that “no decision is likely to be made for a while,” but honestly, that all could just be studio spin. Let’s take it from the mouth of Bond himself:
Craig, never an easy actor to pin down in interviews, has both stated in the past year that he would continue playing the role as “long as physically able,” and that he would “rather slash [his] wrists” than come back as Bond. Sounds to me like he hasn’t really made his mind up.
So, while things may be up in the air for the time being, I think it’s time to start preparing for the end of Craig’s Bond. When you hear a hurricane’s brewing, do you sit around and wait for it to hit, or do you get an emergency kit ready?
Hopefully you answered emergency kit. If not, take a second and think about your life choices.
Plenty of other people are taking the emergency kit approach too, with Sam Mendes allegedly meeting with other actors, and British bookies taking bets on the next Bond casting decision.
So now, ladies and gentlemen, as CineNation’s Bond-expert-in-residency, let’s take a look at what (who) I’m including in my Daniel-Craig-walkout-emergency-kit:
Author note: I’m basing a lot of my “buzz” resources on those good old British bookies. Find the odds for the next Bond here.
First off, let’s establish what this franchise needs right now.
Hopefully you read my last Bond article, so you’re well aware of my opinions. But your time is valuable, so I’ll give you the quick recap:
One of Spectre’s (many) weaknesses is that it was begging for a suave, sarcastic Bond. I’m a well-documented fan of Craig’s brooding, brutal Bond (bonus points for alliteration), which was much-needed as a Die Another Day palate-cleanser, but it feels like brooding Bond has run his course.
What this franchise needs is someone who is fresh, dashing, quick with a pun, and gifted with a smile that makes the ladies swoon. I’m looking for our Remington Steele-era Brosnan, just waiting to rise to stardom and seduce the world.
SO LET’S KICK OFF BOND HUNT (patent pending) 2016!
The Internet Favorite: Idris Elba.
I know why you’re here. You probably just skipped the intro to this article and scrolled straight to the Idris Elba part, hoping to see me join everyone else on the internet in fan-forcing the Bond franchise to hire Idris Elba.
But I’m not going to do that.
Keep in mind this is coming from a huge, HUGE Idris Elba fan. I’m currently on my second run of watching Luther all the way through. I’m possibly the only person in the world who saw The Losers in theaters, and I saw it out of loyalty to Idris (and Jeffrey Dean Morgan).
So put your pitchforks away, I have my reasons, and I think they’re all pretty reasonable.
Why He Should Be Bond:
I mean, he’s a total badass, he’s hands-down one of the best actors in his generation, and he’s got a great accent. What else do you need to be Bond?
Why He Shouldn’t Be Bond:
I have two main reasons to say no to Idris.
Mainly, he’s too similar to Craig’s Bond. While I’m sure Elba could pull off suave and sophisticated, all it takes it a couple episodes of Luther to realize how incredible this actor is as a character who’s brilliant, brooding, and all-together pissed off. In a similar manner to Craig in Spectre, I’m worried that Elba’s dramatic talents would feel out of place in a campier Bond film.
Reason number two, unfortunately, is his age. At 43, Elba is just five years younger than Craig. No offense to anyone of any age, but realistically, if I’m someone at the studio, I want to cast my new Bond young enough that he’ll stick around for a number of years. If Craig is planning on retiring from Bond at 48, that means Elba only has 2 Bond movies in him (at the most) before he’s retiring age too.
Why He Could Be Bond:
The Internet is a powerful place these days, and fan-service is actually a viable factor in making movies now. Just look at Deadpool. As long as the internet continues to call for Elba, his name will always show up on these short lists.
His Odds Right Now:
Elba is at 3rd best odds on the betting list right now with 8–1 odds.
Watch Him In:
Luther. Seriously. Watch it now. Also check out The Losers for the novelty of a pre-Marvel Elba, Chris Evans and Zoe Saldana.
The Other, Newer Internet Favorite: Tom Hiddleston.
If you’ve seen any of the articles about Craig leaving over the weekend, then you’ve definitely seen Tom Hiddleston’s name mentioned as the next Bond. What was only a whisper in the wind last week has now become almost a certainty (according to the Internet).
Why He Should Be Bond:
Tom Hiddleston is the anti-Craig. Where Craig frowns, Hiddleston grins. The witty one-liners sound weird coming from Craig in Spectre, but Hiddleston would pull them off perfectly. One need only watch him as Loki in a Marvel film to see his mischievous charm and that fun twinkle in his eye. Hiddleston would be a fun Bond, which is exactly what this franchise needs.
Why He Shouldn’t Be Bond:
Although he’s claimed to be done with Marvel films after Thor: Ragnarok, Hiddleston already has another franchise possibility in the works with Kong: Skull Island. I know we’re in an era where it’s totally cool for actors to split time between huge blockbuster franchises (looking at you, Chris Pratt. And you, Jennifer Lawrence), but contractual obligation to another franchise could be a factor in signing or not signing Hiddleston.
Why He Could Be Bond:
In addition to the Internet firestorm right now, Hiddleston has also been spotted at lunches with Sam Mendes, director of Skyfall and Spectre. Coincidence? Surely not.
His Odds Right Now:
Hiddleston is easily the front-runner in the betting pool at 1–2 odds.
Watch Him In:
He’s not showing off his British accent here, but Hiddleston gives one of his most suave, charming, and just plain likable performances as F. Scott Fitzgerald in Woody Allen’s Midnight in Paris.
The Dark Horse: Aidan Turner
I have to admit that my knowledge of Aidan Turner doesn’t extend further than his strange (and not Tolkein-sanctioned) dwarf/elf love-triangle in the Hobbit trilogy. As poorly conceived as that love-triangle might have been (and as poorly executed as the films might have been), Turner is a celebrated British television actor. He also currently appears to be the second most popular choice for Bond.
Why He Should Be Bond:
By all accounts, Turner is a great television actor. My research on his shows and performances all turned up rave reviews. As far as playing one of many dwarves in a Hobbit movie goes, I have to say I actually found his performance as Kili quite charming, given the situation. (And my mom still calls him “the cute dwarf”)
Why He Shouldn’t Be Bond:
Some might complain that Turner is not well-known enough, or that he needs more film experience to be a Bond. I’d argue against both. Bonds usually haven’t been movie stars before their casting. In fact, I’m surprised at how many prominent names have come up in this recent casting speculation. Let us not forget that Pierce Brosnan, one of the best Bonds (that’s right, I said it. Still doesn’t mean Die Another Day was any good) came straight from TV with the charming series Remington Steele.
Why He Could Be Bond:
Turner recently wrapped up all his TV appearances in England and relocated to Los Angeles. After being spotted taking a few meetings with Bond producers, the major theory is that he moved to America to try to get this role. Only time (or another email leak) will tell.
His Odds Right Now:
Turner has the closest odds to Hiddleston, coming in at second with 9–4 odds.
Watch Him In:
Being Human is one of those series that I’ve always meant to watch, but never got around to it. I’ve heard good things. Turner also stars in the critically acclaimed mini-series And Then There Were None and Poldark.
The Franchise King: Tom Hardy
It seems like you can’t talk to anyone about a franchise these days without Tom Hardy’s name coming up. Already enjoying major popularity, last year’s success of Mad Max: Fury Road cemented Tom Hardy as one of the biggest action heroes in Hollywood. Hunter and Brandon even pitched him as the new Wolverine in a recent CineNation episode.
So of course Hardy’s name is on the short-list for Bond. He’s on literally every short-list in Hollywood right now, I’d imagine.
Why he should be Bond:
Hardy can play suave and charming without a doubt. He’s more recently been cast as the strong-but-silent type (or in case of The Dark Knight Rises, the body-building-evil-genius-with-the-voice-of-an-elderly-British-man type), but a look over his career shows some very dashing performances. And we already know he can pull off some great fight sequences and killer stunts, even if only looking at his performance as Max alone.
Why he shouldn’t be Bond:
As already mentioned with Hiddleston, how many franchises are too much? With the critical and commercial success of Mad Max, of course there are going to be more of those. And now Hardy’s allegedly making a cameo in the Star Wars universe. How big will that end up being? (No, I will not link to Boba Fett casting rumors as they have all been shot down. Every source I’ve found has pointed to Hardy in a role similar to Craig’s from The Force Awakens.) As a studio executive, you have to start considering just how much you want to share your giant franchise star with other franchises.
Why he could be Bond:
He’s Tom Hardy. He’s obviously got star power. If he really wanted to be Bond, I’m sure he could be.
His odds right now:
Hardy’s coming in at 4th best odds with 10–1 right now.
Watch him in:
Hardy’s at his suave best in Inception, one of his first American appearances, and Legend, one of his most impressive performances as identical twins/crime lords.
My Long Shot Pick: Chiwetel Ejiofor
I’ve been a huge fan of Ejiofor’s since 2006, when he appeared back-to-back in two great films: Spike Lee’s Inside Man and Alfonso Cuaron’s Children of Men, one of my all-time favorite films. I’m glad to see his career continuing to grow a decade later. When I scrolled through the many names on the betting odds list, ranging from the interesting (Cillian Murphy?) to the ridiculous (Sean Connery at 200–1 odds), Ejiofor’s struck me by surprise. I hadn’t thought of him for Bond before, but now that I think of it, I really like the idea.
Why He Should Be Bond:
Ejiofor could be the link between brooding and suave Bond that this franchise change needs. In the past few years, especially after his role in 12 Years a Slave, Ejiofor has been rightfully recognized as a dramatic powerhouse. But his comedic side will be crucial to the witty Bond the franchise needs. The Martian, Talk to Me, Kinky Boots…the man has brilliant comedic timing. Ejiofor could drop a Bond pun and actually get laughs, not just groans.
Why He Shouldn’t Be Bond:
As is the trend on this short-list, Ejiofor has a franchise commitment now. To be more exact, he has a universe commitment. Ejiofor will be joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe in the upcoming Dr. Strange as Strange’s best frenemy Baron Mordo. The role of Mordo in later films remains to be seen, but hopefully Ejiofor will continue on in the Marvel Universe in a Loki-esque villain/ally sort of role.
Why He Could Be Bond:
As seen with the Internet clamor over Idris Elba, the world is ready for a Bond of color. While I feel I’ve adequately argued why Elba isn’t suited for the role at this point, I would love an Internet campaign for Ejiofor. Where do you go to put in a request to create a trending hashtag on Twitter? #ChiwetelForBond
His Odds Right Now:
Ejiofor is pretty far back on the list, at 50–1 odds with other long shots like Richard Madden, Dominic Cooper, Dr. Strange co-star Benedict Cumberbatch, and Daniel Day Lewis (really?).
Watch Him In:
I’ve listed some pretty great roles above to check out, but for the ultimate Bond potential check out his award-winning role in the stellar mini-series Dancing on the Edge. He’s fun, he’s charming, and he looks damn good in a suit.
There you have it: My Bond Preparedness Kit.
Maybe, one day, this will come in handy when someone at some party corners you and asks who the next Bond should be. Or maybe, dear reader, your distant aunt is a studio executive with the Bond franchise and you think: “I should send her this. It might help her decision.” The answer is yes. Yes, you should send her this. And make sure to send her the link so she knows I wrote it. None of that copy/pasting nonsense. I want credit for my hours of Bond research.
So what did I get right? What did I get wrong? Let me know in the comments or on Twitter: @hears_a_who. I’ll be over on my account trying to get #ChiwetelForBond started.
