If you're following the current excitement surrounding the James Bond movies, you're probably aware of the intense speculation surrounding the next actor to portray the iconic 007. Rumors have been circulating, which suggest that Aaron Taylor-Johnson is close to signing on as the eighth live-action Bond. However, even ahead of this speculation, another name has long floated around as a top contender: Henry Cavill. What's intriguing is that Cavill's fellow The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare cast member, Eiza González, is enthusiastically hyping him for the role even amidst the Taylor-Johnson hype.
Eiza González, who reteams with director Guy Ritchie and the Man of Steel alum for the upcoming action movie, portrays intelligence agent Marjorie Stewart in the World War II-set flick. Meanwhile, the Man From U.N.C.L.E veteran actor takes on the role of team leader Gus March-Phillipps, speculated to be the inspiration behind James Bond. When expressing her desire to see the take on the iconic 007 role, González was speaking with Entertainment Weekly and told the publication:
It's hard not to look at Henry Cavill and think of James Bond, to be really honest. Obviously, I'm part of the group of people that are rooting for him to get it hopefully, if that was a possibility.
To be honest, it's not hard to see why the actress can picture her co-star in the role of the iconic secret agent. And she's not the only one who holds that view. As mentioned, many have long pondered the notion of Henry Cavill playing 007, and he's been in the mix for the James Bond casting odds. It's worth noting that the Justice League star was previously considered for Bond, losing the role to Daniel Craig before the production of the latter's debut film in the long-running franchise, 2006's Casino Royale. At this point, Cavill doesn't seem to be actively seeking the role, though he doesn't totally opposed to it, either.
As of right now, reports continue to allege that Aaron Taylor-Johnson has been offered the coveted role of the MI6 agent and will be succeeding Daniel Craig. However, EW revealed that one of its sources says no official offer had been extended to the star, who has remained silent on the matter when questioned about the rumors in a recent feature by Rolling Stone U.K. Bond actor George Lazenby also weighed in on the theoretical casting, saying that he doesn't believe Taylor-Johnson has received an offer as well. But Lazenby does think he's a fit for the part.
As for Eiza González, she humorously remarked that while filming scenes alongside Henry Cavill in The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, she could envision the production as an actual Bond film. In her own words:
You're on a set staring at Henry Cavill, and you have Ian Fleming [played by Freddie Fox] sitting there in that opening scene that we have. There's nothing cooler when you're watching a movie, and worlds collide like you see Ian Fleming there and seeing him part of a mission, how that really transformed into what we know now as James Bond, and what came out of it, and him becoming a writer. I love that about the film.
There's certainly an argument to be made about how great the Argylle star would be for the role of 007. Of course, whether that actually happens, especially with the Aaron Taylor-Johnson rumors heating up at the moment, remains to be seen.
Until an official announcement regarding the next Bond is made, audiences can find solace in Henry Cavill embodying the inspiration behind the legendary secret agent. You can check out him and Eiza González in The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, which is slated to hit theaters on April 19th as part of the 2024 movie schedule.
