British actor Henry Cavill is popularly regarded as Clark Kent, a.k.a., Superman from the DC Extended Universe. He portrayed the superhero character from 2013 to 2023 and was highly lauded by the audience as well as the critics for his performance. The actor also appeared as Sherlock Holmes in Netflix’s Enola Holmes.
Apart from Superman, Cavill’s portrayal of August Walker in the Tom Cruise-starrer Mission: Impossible—Fallout is highly talked about. The audience loved the actor’s performance as a ruthless and burly CIA assassin in the movie. After Daniel Craig bid the James Bond franchise adieu, talks of Cavill being a front-runner for the part started to murmur in the industry, as the actor has always expressed his love for the character and the franchise. Henry Cavill spoke about the success of the franchise after Daniel Craig was cast as 007.
Henry Cavill praises Daniel Craig for doing an amazing job as James Bond
Early in January, Henry Cavill, to promote his spy action comedy movie Argylle, appeared on SiriusXM alongside Matthew Vaughn. During the conversation, the actor praised former 007 agent Daniel Craig for having a successful five-movie run with the franchise after Vaughn commented on the Bond Curse. He said,
“I don’t think there’s a curse for those kinds of things, but I do think Daniel Craig did an absolutely amazing job. And he and everyone else involved breathed new life into the franchise, which did wonders.”
Henry Cavill is one of the dear admirers of the characters, and last year in June, Martin Campbell, during an interview with Express UK, revealed that Cavill could have been James Bond instead of Daniel Craig. He said,
“He looked great in the audition. His acting was tremendous. And look, if Daniel didn’t exist, Henry would have made an excellent Bond. He looked terrific; he was in great physical shape, very handsome, and very chiseled. He just looked a little young at the time back then.”
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Martin Campbell also touched upon whether Henry Cavill is back in the mix for the character and revealed that it’s very unlikely. The reason is, he’s 40, so by the time he’s done his third James Bond movie, he will be 50, and according to Campbell, anything beyond that’s two, or three years per Bond. He mentioned that the actor’s in good shape right now but at the time he was too young and now he seems a little older for the part.
Henry Cavill has not yet given up on his dream to star as James Bond
In his recent appearance on The Rich Eisen Show, the actor, who will soon be seen in Guy Ritchie’s The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, dwelled upon his dream to star as James Bond. He said that he is not ruling it out yet.
“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 Barbara Broccoli and Mike Wilson, and we’ll see what their plans are.”
Cavill plays Gus March-Phillipps in the upcoming movie, who is the founder of the British Army’s Percurose of the Special Air Service. It was reported that when author Ian Fleming created his iconic character of James Bond, March- Phillips was one of his major inspirations. Cavill added,
“I’m sure Ian Fleming wrote James Bond with a lot of stories and a lot of characters in mind, but as I understand it, Gus March Phillipps was one of the stronger influences.”
Producer Barbara Broccoli who co-owns the rights to the franchise has revealed that they are looking for an actor who is in their late 20s or early 30s. This is because portraying Bond on-screen is a multi-film commitment. Actor Aaron Taylor-Johnson is rumored to play James Bond; however, no announcement has been made yet.
The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare opens in theaters on April 19.
Frequently asked questions
What did Henry Cavill say about Daniel Craig’s time as James Bond?
While promoting his spy comedy Argylle, Cavill praised Daniel Craig’s run as 007, saying Craig and everyone else involved breathed new life into the franchise. The comment came even though Cavill was reportedly once in contention for the role that eventually went to Craig, showing he holds no hard feelings about how the casting played out decades earlier.
Was Henry Cavill really considered for the James Bond role?
Yes, reports indicate Cavill auditioned opposite director Martin Campbell during the casting search that led to Casino Royale. Campbell reportedly felt Cavill had strong acting ability and screen presence, but producers wanted an older actor for the multi-film commitment, so the role ultimately went to Daniel Craig instead.
Could Henry Cavill still play James Bond in the future?
Cavill has said the decision rests with the franchise’s producers, naming Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson as the ones who would decide. Reports suggest producers tend to favor actors in their late twenties or early thirties for the multi-film role, which could work against Cavill given he is now in his forties.
