Henry Cavill and the James Bond movies seem to go hand in hand, even if the actor hasn’t officially played the role himself. With spy roles in The Man from U.N.C.L.E. and the 2024 movie Argylle, paired with his candidacy for 007 consistently making the news, one has to wonder if the former Superman actor is out of the running thanks to such projects.
Cavill himself has some thoughts on the matter, and as one might expect, they’re pretty diplomatic. While speaking with our sibling publication Total Film (via GamesRadar), the ever busy man commented on the nature of the character at the heart of director Matthew Vaughn’s would-be franchise starter.
While he was on the subject, Henry Cavill offered this short but sweet response to the matter of whether he thinks his days of being Commander Bond days are over:
It’s a fun character. Whether I’m ruled out of Bond because of this or not is up to Barbara Broccoli and Mr. Wilson.
On the practical end, Henry could see himself at the center of a new spy franchise, as what we know about Argylle is that it’s the beginning of a potential trilogy of films. So if this former Apple TV+ exclusive turned theatrical release delivers the crowds that the powers that be hope to see, that could keep Henry Cavill busy with a commitment to a role designed to both pay homage and send up the James Bond legacy.
Not to mention “busy” is practically Henry Cavill’s middle name at this point. With a commitment to Chad Stahelski’s Highlander reboot on the books, as well as Prime Video’s Warhammer 40,000 series also being in the works, that’s a lot of excitement in the pipeline. So even if producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson are considering Cavill to play 007, there are some major deck chairs that’ll need to be rearranged to accommodate the opportunity.
Of course, this is James Bond we’re talking about here, and that’s the role of a lifetime if you’re even remotely interested. After reading about Henry Cavill’s exhausting Argylle train fight with co-star Sam Rockwell, one would think that the action portion of the audition could theoretically already be in the can. Come to think of it, with previous screen testing experience for 2006's Casino Royale under his belt, there could be a chance thatn Cavill wouldn't even have to audition.
In the world of James Bond casting, anything can happen. Will the second time be the charm, as it has for past 007s like Timothy Dalton and Pierce Brosnan? Who knows, especially with the word on the street calling for a thirty-something Commander Bond, which sees Henry Cavill's 41st birthday this May acting as a bit of a disadvantage.
However, there’s still plenty of mystery awaiting Henry Cavill and the rest of the Argylle cast, as Matthew Vaughn’s latest spy adventure is set to debut in theaters on February 2nd. Eventually, the film will stream for those with an Apple TV+ subscription, but the window of when that unveiling is set to take place is currently classified. So keep your eyes and ears peeled for any further intel as it arrives.
