No Time To Die is pretty much locked into its October 8 release date, allowing fans of Daniel Craig’s James Bond to prepare to celebrate his fifth and final adventure in theaters. Though in times of great departures, big arrivals find their way into the fold, especially in the world of 007. And while talk surrounding Regé-Jean Page and Henry Cavill’s potential candidacy for the honors of succession is at an all time high, a new name has popped up that I frankly did not see coming: 1917’s George MacKay.
Previously, per a rumor that Page Six had reported, Bridgerton alum Regé-Jean Page was still very much the frontrunner. It’s his name, alongside Henry Cavill’s, that’s apparently been traveling through the EON Productions offices, in discussions for the next James Bond. However, that supposed talk also seems to have yielded a bump in George MacKay’s prospects, as noted below:
They are talking about Regé, but Bond producers are not making any decisions until after No Time to Die is released. They are focusing on Daniel Craig’s big finale. But Henry Cavill also is still in the running, he’s a lot more famous now than when his name first came up. One other name is George MacKay. One of the producers of 1917 has come over to Bond and is suggesting George. There is some talk about rebooting the Bond franchise after Daniel Craig with someone younger, and he could fit the bill.
In a crowded room of rumors, this potential follow-up to No Time To Die probably takes the cake. Not only is George MacKay an actor that most haven’t spoken about considering, at least as far as the odds are concerned, but another reboot to the James Bond legacy is quite a surprising prospect. Since No Time To Die has been labeled as “the mission that changes everything,” this plan would seem to undermine that assumption, which has been used to market the 25th Bond film for some time.
However, George MacKay isn’t a horrible choice to potentially play James Bond in the next iteration of the character. It also helps that not only is an unnamed producer from 1917 lending their support to MacKay’s hopes, but the actor did receive praise as part of his rigorous work with Skyfall and Spectre director Sam Mendes. So there’s definitely a hypothetical foundation to build upon with the 29-year-old actor’s chances.
No matter how many rumors seem to surface, we seem to get the same official response from Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson when it comes to No Time To Die and the Daniel Craig era. While everyone’s anxious to see who will become the next James Bond, Broccoli and Wilson are hard at work celebrating the end of an era. That means focusing on the theatrical and eventual home video release of Craig’s swan song, and taking the temperature of the fans after the dust has settled. So while there very well may be conversations happening behind closed doors, no decisions or announcements will be made before Daniel Craig gets the proper farewell he’s earned.
It’s going to be some time before George MacKay, Regé-Jean Page, Henry Cavill or anyone hoping to be cast as the next James Bond will get to see their chances seriously start to form up. But thankfully, the fans will finally get to see No Time To Die on September 30 in the UK and October 8 in the US, as the film is still slated to make those dates as its theatrical debuts. As always, it’ll be fun to dissect rumors and chatter that arise in the meantime, as we wait for James Bond to return to movie theaters in the near future.
