It’s almost hard to believe that it’s been two years since No Time To Die hit the screens, bringing Daniel Craig’s run as James Bond to a very definitive ending. Even before the movie was out we knew Craig was done as Bond, so the question of who the next Bond would be has been an ongoing debate among both fans and Vegas oddsmakers. One actor who has not been shy about his interest in the role is Sam Heughan, and he’s now listing the reasons he would be good in the role in case anybody is curious.
Speaking with the UK’s Telegraph, Heughan reiterates his interest, making it clear that he would like to be considered for the role. But beyond wanting to be Bond, he does believe he would be a good Bond. Not only because he has the action chops, but can also bring a little something else to the part. He explained…
I’ll throw my hat in the ring. I’d be a brilliant Bond, I’m good at action and I’d bring a lot of emotional intelligence.
Action credentials are certainly key to being Bond, it’s a physical role that will require a lot of choreographed fight scenes, action driving, and shootouts. The emotional intelligence side of things hasn’t necessarily been a prerequisite for the character. I’m not sure we would say most portrayals of the character have that, but with the No Time To Die ending, we know the next Bond will be a “new” Bond, so maybe that’s something the new version of the character will have.
At this point, it’s anybody's guess who the next James Bond will be. Henry Cavill has been a strong frontrunner among oddsmakers for the last couple of years. More recently Aaron Taylor-Johnson has been rumored to be under consideration. More recently however, Barbara Broccoli has indicated that a “non-star” would absolutely be in the running for Bond, so it’s possible that a name that hasn’t been mentioned could end up in the part.
It’s not even entirely clear if the hunt for the next Bond is actually on right now or if Barbara Broccoli and co. are not quite ready to begin that process. It was four years between Bond movies when Daniel Craig took over from Pierce Brosnan, and Craig was only confirmed in the role as production on Casino Royale was getting underway, about a year before the movie opened in theaters.
Of course, if we see a repeat of that timeline, it means 2024 will be the year we learn who the next James Bond will be. There will almost certainly be a lot of disappointed actors when that happens, but there will also be one whose career will likely be forever changed.
