Tom Holland Could Defeat Tom Hardy Before They Ever Face-off in the MCU Thanks to James Bond Franchise

The James Bond franchise has contributed to the entertainment industry for more than six decades, all through its combination of spy stories and action. As the hunt for a 007 replacement gets intense, there are rumors of two of the most promising action stars of British origin – Tom Hardy and Tom Holland.

Both these actors have their own distinct careers in the field of entertainment. However, although they haven’t come face-to-face against each other as Venom and Spider-Man, it looks like the race to the next James Bond has placed them against each other.

Tom Holland Might Beat Tom Hardy in the Race for James Bond

James Bond movie producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson are now at the point of making a decision about what direction the franchise will be taking after Daniel Craig established the character’s modern world style.

In their offers to cast the lead, the producers have been very particular that they are in search of an actor in his 30s willing to stick to the franchise for at least a decade (as per The Associated Press). 

When Sean Connery first dressed up as 007, he was 32 years old. George Lazenby, being the youngest so far, was 29 when he was cast. The oldest casting has been Roger Moore, who joined the franchise at 45. Pierce Brosnan took the role at 42, and the latest Bond, Daniel Craig, got cast at 38 and retired at 51.

Veteran casting director Debbie McWilliams notes the age factor in the casting. McWilliams said in an interview with RadioTimes that she believed younger actors lack “gravitas” and “they didn’t have the mental capacity to take it on.”

This age requirement puts both Hardy and Holland in an interesting position. Tom Hardy first showed his interest in James Bond in his 2017 interview with The Daily Beast (via The Guardian), where he said,

There’s a saying amongst us in the fraternity of acting… that if you talk about it [Bond rumors], you’re automatically out of the race. So I can’t possibly comment on that one!

On the other hand, Tom Holland has publicly shown his desire to portray the spy. During an interview with Variety, he said,

As a young British lad who loves cinema, I’d love to be James Bond. I’m just putting that out there. I look pretty good in a suit.

Pierce Brosnan also endorsed Hardy for the next Bond in his earlier interview with The Mail on Sunday (via The Telegraph). However, Holland, who is currently 28 years old, might leave Hardy behind in the race as the latter is currently 47. By the time the makers decide their next 007, Holland will enter his 30s, but Hardy might not fit well with their vision in his 50s.

Tom Holland’s Previous James Bond Pitch Shows His Interest in the Franchise

Holland’s connection with James Bond is not just limited to his interest. During the filming of Spider-Man: Far From Home, he actually pitched Sony a new concept of a young James Bond movie.

In an interview with Total Film magazine (via Games Radar), Holland said,

I had a meeting, after or during ‘Spider-Man 2’, with Sony to pitch this idea of a young Bond film that I’d come up with. It was the origin story of James Bond. It didn’t really make sense. It didn’t work. It was the dream of a young kid, and I don’t think the Bond estate [was] particularly interested.

In some ways, this failed pitch was beneficial for the actor. His willingness to do an origin story for one of the most famous franchises ever made Sony think about him as Nathan Drake in Uncharted. 

That experience might possibly make the studios think of Holland even more seriously for the role of Bond. It showed he understands franchise filmmaking, his ability to lead big production franchises, and a real passion for spy films.

All James Bond movies are available to stream on Prime Video.

Uncharted is available to stream on Netflix.