Casting a new James Bond is a nearly insurmountable task. There’s a lot of speculation and jockeying the position with various candidates, but ultimately someone is chosen. We’ll likely be waiting for that experience until, at the very least, some time has passed after No Time To Die’s release. But there’s yet another candidate throwing their hat into the ring to succeed Daniel Craig: current Spider-Man star Tom Holland.
Always the busy man, Tom Holland spoke with Variety’s Awards Chatter podcast, as his latest film Cherry is making the rounds before its streaming premiere this month. And though he may be occupied playing Spider-Man in the MCU and starring in potential franchise starters like Uncharted, Holland clearly has room for a tuxedo in his closet. So the following statement is no surprise:
I’ve got two roles coming up that I’m playing in the next few years that I’m really excited about, but I can’t talk about them yet. But I mean, ultimately, as a young British lad who loves cinema, I’d love to be James Bond. So, you know, I’m just putting that out there. I look pretty good in a suit.
Mysterious as always, Tom Holland is keeping himself going with those two roles that he “can’t talk about,” as well as gigs like starring in the long-awaited adaptations of both Sony’s Uncharted franchise and Lionsgate’s YA hopeful Chaos Walking. But if there was ever a potential stumbling block for Holland’s potential 007 casting, it’d have to be the fact that he’s currently committed to that friendly, neighborhood franchise known as Spider-Man. A role that has advantages as well as drawbacks to his hypothetical Bond-ing.
On the brighter side of the issue, doing so many appearances in the MCU would make Tom Holland ready for the demanding stunt work a movie like No Time To Die, or any other modern Bond movie, would require. Plus, Holland’s natural British charm checks some boxes for those who don’t believe that anyone but someone from the UK and its former colonies could continue the 007 legacy. But before you get too excited, there needs to be some discussion about the negative side of making such a casting decision.
While Tom Holland is an actor that’s certainly capable of range, we’re only just starting to see him branch out with the rather extreme looking Cherry. As we’ve seen in the past, Eon Productions typically casts someone who’s in that sweet spot between somewhat of an established name, but not too big of a brand, to play James Bond. Though sometimes exceptions can be made, like if DC Studios fixture Henry Cavill were to be cast in the role. At this moment, Tom Holland is automatically known as Spider-Man, and that’s a hard look to shake when trying out for another iconic legacy that tends to follow an actor around in their post-gig years.
As of this writing, Tom Holland is an actor who looks like he’s hitting his stride. Should the diversification of his career work out, the 24 year-old actor could be a perfect candidate for the James Bond series a couple of years down the road. Let’s not forget that even Daniel Craig had some critics in his initial casting, and 2006’s Casino Royale shut that down right quick. With that in mind, let’s watch Mr. Holland’s career with great interest, and revisit this matter when the time is right; because when it comes to playing James Bond, it’s best to never say never.
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