Amidst the speculation surrounding Daniel Craig’s successor as James Bond, one name that has consistently surfaced over the past decade in various tabloid reports is Henry Cavill, known for his spy roles in “The Man From U.N.C.L.E.” and “Mission: Impossible – Fallout.” Interestingly enough, Cavill had initially auditioned alongside Craig for the role in “Casino Royale” and didn’t get the role (but came close), obviously, but has been keenly interested in the role for years now.
At 40 years old, Cavill might be slightly out of date range; EON productions, the makers of the Bond movies, are said to be looking at actors in their 30s for more longevity in their role, which is why a name such as rumored contender Aaron Taylor-Johnson probably keeps popping up. However, the actor is not entirely giving up hope and, in a new interview, believes he could still be in the running.
Cavill cites the fact that the real-life British commando, Gus March-Phillipps, he plays in his upcoming action-comedy “The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare” from Guy Ritchie, was one of the significant influences on 007 author and creator Ian Fleming, an intelligence officer during WWII that contributed to commando missions.
Speaking on The Rich Eisen Show (via Games Radar), Cavill pointed out the Fleming connection between ‘Ministry’ and Bond. “I’m sure Ian Fleming wrote James Bond with a lot of stories, a lot of characters in mind, but as I understand it, Gus March-Phillipps was one of the stronger influences,” he explained of the character he plays in Ritchie’s movie.
Cavill was asked if he’d want to take on the 007 role and is aware his age could be a factor in that decision. “I have no idea,” he replied. “All I’ve got to go off is the rumors. The same information you have. Maybe I’m too old now, maybe I’m not. It’s up to [Bond producers] Barbara Broccoli and Mike Wilson, and we’ll see what their plans are.” When Eisen pointed out that Cavill was playing someone that Bond was based on, the actor said hopefully, “Yeah, it seems like a good first step, right?”
Beyond his age, one issue for Cavill might be that he’s about to lead the new “Highlander” franchise, and depending on scheduling and sequels, being in two high-profile franchises at the same time could potentially prove problematic.
Then again, no script, writer, director, or any plans for the next James Bond film have been announced, so we could still be several years away, and “Highlander” could make it to theaters as early as 2025 if all goes according to plan and the movie shoots this year.
‘Ministry’ will be arriving on the big screen on April 19, and you can watch that full interview on The Rich Eisen Show below.