Nearly twenty years ago, the choice for a new James Bond came down to three actors. Henry Cavill, Alex O’Loughlin, and Daniel Craig. The role eventually went to Craig, after Cavill was judged too young at around 21 years old. Now, twenty years later and the search for a new Bond underway, Cavill’s name is back on the list.
However, it is a tricky role to pitch for. Sometimes some movies are seen as perfect audition pieces, like Daniel Craig in Layer Cake. Sometimes, having too high profile a role, or too similar a role in your recent past, can count against you.
In the past Cubby Broccoli was clear that he wouldn’t share Roger Moore with The Saint, and Pierce Brosnan with Remington Steele. Would the producers want a Bond with a profile as Superman, and with The Man From UNCLE and Argylle on his resume?
Argylle features Cavill as something of a super-spy. Bryce Dallas Howard co-stars as Elly Conway, the author behind spy novels which get played out on screen by Cavill as her fantasy agent Argylle. Her life in print coincides with reality as she finds herself forced to team up with Sam Rockwell’s Aiden Wilde, an actual undercover spy tasked with saving Elly. Dua Lipa and John Cena also star.
In an interview with Total Film, Cavill was asked whether this role, or any others, could impact his chances of being 007:
“It’s a fun character. Whether I’m ruled out of Bond because of this or not is up to Barbara Broccoli and Mr. Wilson.”
One other thing that could count against him is his age. He is currently 40 years old, and producers have intimated they want to skew a little younger with their casting and grab an actor who can stick around for a number of movies. The biggest threat probably isn’t his age, it is the producers current inability to make a Bond movie without a +3-year gap between installments, coupled with the curse of modern Hollywood, increasingly giant budgets.
They are lucky to find themselves with such a seemingly perfect candidate, practically in their laps, who really wants to play the part.
Last Movie Outpost humbly suggests they get their damn fingers out, and move fast so age won’t be an issue. Make the next two back-to-back to leverage the economies of scale to bring the budgets down, and bring Cavill’s age perfectly back into line. You’re welcome.
Argylle, from Universal Pictures and Apple Original Films, opens on February 2nd, 2024 and will stream to Apple TV+ at a later date.
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