For all of the excitement generated by this week’s announcement, one in which MGM and Eon slated the so-far untitled Bond 25 for a November 2019 release, the long-standing ‘will he, won’t he?’ debate surrounding Daniel Craig’s future as James Bond – or lack thereof – continues to rage online.
Having portrayed Ian Fleming’s super-spy four times already (Casino Royale, Quantum of Solace, Skyfall and Spectre), all signs currently point to Craig returning as Bond for one last outing. The British actor still has a two-picture contract to fulfill, after all, and though there has been much back-and-forth regarding his commitment to MGM’s flagship franchise – Kingsman: The Golden Circle star Mark Strong even went on record to claim that Daniel Craig was ready to retire his license to kill following the less-than-stellar Spectre – a few days back we heard that the actor had decided to reprise the role one final time.
That still remains unconfirmed, however, and as such, speculation continues to run rampant, with fans putting forth their top choices for Craig’s replacement. Alongside all the usual suspects – Tom Hardy, Idris Elba, etc. – one person who’s found themselves thrust into the conversation of who should be the next James Bond is Sherlock star Benedict Cumberbatch.
As one of the hottest talents in Hollywood at the moment, showing up everywhere you look and knocking it out of the park no matter which role he finds himself in, it’s no surprise that many want to see him play the iconic spy in Bond 25, or perhaps a future instalment. And while there’s been nothing concrete linking him to the franchise as of yet, that didn’t stop fans from asking the actor about it during London’s Film & Comic Con this weekend.
According to Empire, Cumberbatch was asked if he’d be stepping into the role of 007 and replied coyly, simply saying: “No comment.” This isn’t the first time the Doctor Strange star has been questioned in regards to Bond and having expressed interest in the job in the past, it wouldn’t be too much of a stretch to think that he’s at least had conversations about it.
We wouldn’t read too much into his seemingly coy answer here, but it’s still intriguing and given that Craig will probably depart the franchise after the next film (if he even signs on for it), you’ve got to believe that the producers are looking into who could replace him, and Cumberbatch seems like as good a choice as any.
The 25th instalment in MGM’s legendary James Bond franchise hits U.S. theaters on November 8th, 2019 – with or without Daniel Craig in the title role. But should the actor choose not to return for more, would you like to see Benedict Cumberbatch step in and replace him? Let us know in the comments section!