Ever since Bridgerton saw the departure of rising star Regé-Jean Page, we’ve seen the odds for the would-be James Bond candidate rise quite favorably. However, it looks like a recent turn of events is about to either make or break those fortunes, and it’s not clear which direction is more likely. We say this because, as of this moment, Page looks to have been cast as the new face of another legendary espionage adjacent property: The Saint.
Per sources that have spoken with Deadline, Paramount Pictures is looking to mount yet another adaptation of Simon Templar’s exploits, from the pages of author Leslie Charteris. This new version of The Saint, much like the 1996 Paramount film starring Val Kilmer, is another contemporary reinvention of Templar’s adventures in gentleman thievery. Writer Kwame Kwei-Armah, as well as producers Lorenzo DiBonaventura and Brad Krevoy are the current team mentioned as working on The Saint, with late film producer Robert Evans also being credited.
Previously there was talk of Chris Pratt relaunching the franchise, but it looks like that ship has sailed. And with Regé-Jean Page taking this role on top of recent castings in Netflix’s The Gray Man and Paramount’s Dungeons and Dragons, this latest twist of fate could work both ways for Page’s 007 candidacy. Which means we might see another huge odds shift in the coming weeks.
How The Saint Casting Could Harm Regé-Jean Page’s James Bond Odds
Wagering a guess as to how any confirmation of The Saint’s casting of Regé-Jean Page would play out in terms of his potential casting as James Bond, this feels like a scenario that’s a short term loss but a long term gain. On the shorter side of the equation, the more immediate vacancy that will be available after No Time To Die is released would more than likely go to someone other than Page. So if you’re one of the folks that’s been betting on Tom Hardy to take over the tuxedo, you might see some action in your favor.
How The Saint Casting Could Help Regé-Jean Page’s James Bond Odds
However, in the long term view of things, Regé-Jean Page only seems to be building a better resume for future Bond consideration. At 31 years of age, Page can afford to wait a little longer before he jumps into the role of James Bond. Also, the fact that he’s presumed to be The Saint’s lead does count for something, as Sir Roger Moore played that very same role for quite some time, before becoming 007 himself.
The Other James Bond Factors That Could Make A Huge Difference
While we’re trying to figure out how Regé-Jean Page’s James Bond odds might be affected by his potential work on The Saint, there’s still some pretty huge factors to consider. As of this moment, there’s no concrete script or release date for Bond 26, as again, we have to wait for No Time To Die to properly run its course. Also, with Amazon’s purchase of MGM, some serious conversations will need to happen to make sure the studio’s new management aligns with Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson at EON Productions.
In the worst case scenario, prolonged disagreement/negotiations could see James Bond sitting out for a longer than expected hiatus, similar to that time Timothy Dalton’s 007 was held up by business wrangling after he’d made License To Kill. So should The Saint become an unfortunate flop, or not happen altogether, Regé-Jean Page’s connection to the role could still see him become the top draw in the race to become Bond.
Obviously, there’s a lot of pieces that need to be moved between No Time To Die’s theatrical release, and Bond 26’s eventual development. And for now, the latest move on the board has seen Regé-Jean Page slide into another classic role that’s always felt adjacent to the world of James Bond. We’ll see how this pans out, especially following No Time To Die making its way to theaters on September 30th in the UK and October 8th in the US.
