Oscar-winning director Danny Boyle was at one point set to direct the upcoming Bond 25 before dropping out due to creative differences. Although that experience made him realize that franchise filmmaking isn’t for him, Boyle still thinks about the Bond franchise and even who should play 007. While watching Claire Denis’ High Life, Boyle had an epiphany that Robert Pattinson should be the next James Bond, as he explained:
It was so bizarre, because I was sitting there thinking: ‘Oh my God, they should get him to be the next Bond.’ … He must be in his 30s. How old was [Sean] Connery? He’s ready now.
There is a lot of speculation and plenty of opinions on who will be the next James Bond after Daniel Craig presumably ends his run with Bond 25, and for Danny Boyle that question has a simple answer: Robert Pattinson. The sudden realization of Pattinson’s rightness for the role came to the director while watching the actor’s performance in the acclaimed High Life, as Boyle told The Guardian.
As someone who came awfully close to directing a James Bond film, Danny Boyle has a certain idea and vision of the character in his head that Robert Pattinson apparently fits. When pressed on the notion that Pattinson is too young for the role, Danny Boyle cited original big screen Bond, Sean Connery. Boyle was right, too, Connery’s first 007 film was Dr. No in 1962, when the actor was 32-years-old.
Robert Pattinson just turned 33. So if an arbitrary number is a deciding criteria, Robert Pattinson is no younger than Sean Connery was, and Connery is probably still the most famous and iconic 007. Most studios tend to look for younger actors anyways for these kinds of franchise films so they can lock them in for multi-picture deals that will have the actor playing the character for several years. Also, crucially, Pattinson is British.
This isn’t the first time Robert Pattinson’s name has been brought up for the role, but the names that have been the most prominent it seems to me have been Richard Madden, Sam Heughan, Tom Hardy, Tom Hiddleston, Cillian Murphy and, the people’s 007, Idris Elba.
Robert Pattinson has plenty on his plate at the moment between Matt Reeves’ The Batman and Christopher Nolan’s Tenet but maybe he could be a multi-franchise actor. Although, despite his indie work and the fact that he was Cedric Diggory in Harry Potter, fans might riot in the streets if the Twilight actor gets James Bond and Batman. Until he (hopefully) changes hearts and minds in The Batman, of course.
But before we get a new Bond, we first have to see the last film for the current Bond Daniel Craig, and that is proving easier said than done. Bond 25 has suffered delays; director changes; rumors of onset issues; and injuries, including to star Daniel Craig.
Bond 25 is still scheduled for release on April 8, 2020 and Danny Boyle’s new film Yesterday hits theaters on June 28. Check out our 2019 Release Schedule to keep track of all this summer’s biggest titles.
