Pretty much every English actor under the age of 40 has been rumored as a possible James Bond over the last year or so. Tom Hiddleston was one of those, though it appears he's no longer in the running. If a new report is to be believed, apparently Barbara Broccoli, who produces the James Bond movies decided against Marvel's Loki to play the new James Bond because she found him too smug and not tough enough.
Recently it was reported by Page Six that Daniel Craig may be on the verge of returning to the James Bond franchise for one last go. If that report is to be believed, it appears that part of the reason that the role is still available is because Tom Hiddleston, who a few months ago was rumored to be meeting with Barabara Broccoli's Ion Productions, apparently didn't impress the woman behind Bond.
It seems like an odd combination of faults to disqualify you from being James Bond. Honestly, smugness is one of the character's defining traits. If Tom Hiddleston is naturally smug, he'd only fit into the part that much better. As far as Hiddleston's toughness goes, that would seem to be an easily overcome problem. Certainly, getting physically prepared to play James Bond is part of the deal and we're sure Hiddleston would be hitting the gym with a trainer to get ready. This would appear to be an indication that when the James Bond franchise decides to move on from Daniel Craig, we're likely still in for the same type of film. Craig was absolutely a tough guy James Bond, more so than previous iterations like Roger Moore or Pierce Brosnan. If the producers want somebody who will come across on-screen as tough they clearly aren't planning a return to the more classic type of character.
As with most rumors, we have to take this one with a heaping dose of salt. While it's fairly well confirmed that Tom Hiddleston did meet to discuss playing Bond, beyond that we can't be sure exactly where things went. The sources in the story are anonymous and as such cannot be verified.
Of course, Hiddleston is far from the only name that has popped up in regards to taking over the role of James Bond, and he's not even the most recent to attain a "frontrunner" status. Tom Hardy has been the name people have been talking about recently, and there's no indication here what Ion Productions thinks about him or Damian Lewis, or Idris Elba or any of the others whose names have come up ever since we got the indication that Daniel Craig might not come back.
Of course, all of this is moot if Daniel Craig does decide to return to play James Bond again. When the time comes to recast the role for real the odds are everybody, even those who were passed over, will be considered again. Maybe by then Tom Hiddleston will play a movie "tough guy" and prove he has the chops to take on James Bond.
