What Next For James Bond – A Look At The Latest Rumors

The longest-running and most successful movie franchise among US and UK audiences is at a crossroads. As the final credits rolled on No Time to Die, the traditional words James Bond Will Return appeared on the screen. With a spoiler alert for the seven people on the planet who have yet to see it, that presents Barbara Broccoli and co with a few challenges. Follow Our website TheGossipsWorld Media for the latest updates!!!!!

For one thing, the movie closed with our eponymous hero unable to leave the villain’s lair as he was carrying a deadly virus, and being blown to smithereens by friendly fire. If they can find their way around that problem, there is the question of who will take custody of the Aston Martin and the Walther PPK now that Daniel Craig has taken a final bow.

There are no definitive answers, but the future of the Bond franchise is assured and there are plenty of theories and rumors doing the rounds. Let’s do a little crystal ball gazing.

A Re-Reboot For Bond?

When Craig took over from Pierce Brosnan, the scriptwriters took the opportunity to reboot Bond. Casino Royale was Ian Fleming’s first Bond novel and the secret agent was a new and raw recruit to MI6.

One solution to the dilemma presented by No Time to Die would be to do something similar and again press the reset button. Rumors from the Bond camp do indeed suggest that the next James Bond movie will take place “in a different universe” to the one in which Craig’s Bond died. That being the case, we can assume Madeleine, Mathilde, and Vesper are similarly expunged from history.

It also means the character of Felix Leiter can join Bond’s resurrection, something that will probably be easier for fans to cope with. After all, let’s not forget he had his leg bitten off by a shark in Licence to Kill but grew it back for subsequent appearances.

New Universe, But The Same Cars, Casinos And Girls

Whichever universe he occupies, some things about Bond will never change. In the license to Kill, the roving eye for the Ladies – Barbara Broccoli has confirmed that while Bond’s face might change, his s*x will not. Also, there are the exotic cars and of course the casino backdrop.

Way back in 1962, Bond’s opening scene in Dr. No featured him seated at the baccarat table in a high-class casino. In the Casino Royale reboot, the game was changed to poker as nobody played baccarat anymore. But 20 years on, things have gone full circle and baccarat is one of the most popular online live dealer casino games in the Bond-obsessed US market – see Legit Gambling Sites for more information about how baccarat is played.

It’s fair to assume that whether Bond’s next adventure takes him to Las Vegas or Monaco or even London, we will see him back at the baccarat table in his new incarnation. The next question to consider is what he will look like.

The Battle For Bond – The Latest Contenders

The question has been burning since Daniel Craig first spoke of stepping away after Spectre in 2015. Eight years is a long time to debate a candidate for a role that ideally needs an actor in a quite specific age range. Producer Michael Wilson has confirmed that the actor needs to be in his 30s to reflect someone who has “been around,” while being young enough to occupy the role for 10-15 years.

That instantly rules out many of the front runners such as Tom Hardy (45), Idris Elba (50), and Tom Hiddleston (42). The favorites with the bookmakers at the time of writing are as follows:

• Paapa Essiedu – Charismatic and with a great stage and screen presence, the star of The Miniaturist and I May Destroy You has recently gone from outsider to 7/4 favorite after no less an authority than Danny Boyle tipped him for the role. The producers have already said that Bond can be any color, and at 32, Essiedu is young enough to carry the role into the 2040s.

• Aaron Taylor-Johnson – Before Boyle set the internet buzzing, all the talk was about the Kick-Ass star, following reports over the holiday period that he had been engaged in meetings with Barbara Broccoli. Like Paapa Essiedu, he is 32 so an ideal age, but he will have to lose those flowing locks to convince as a former SAS operative!

• Henry Cavill – if it feels like Henry Cavill has been in the running to play Bond forever, that’s because he has. The Superman star has been among the front runners since Craig took up the role, never mind leaving it. Cavill was in the running for Casino Royale, but at the time was considered too young. If Craig had stepped away after Spectre, the role would have been his, but he turns 40 in a few weeks’ time, so it could be that his moment has passed.

• James Norton – the 37-year-old Happy Valley star has done his prospects no harm with some meaty roles in War and Peace and McMafia.

• Regé-Jean Page – approaching his 35 birthday, the Bridgerton star is the same age Daniel Craig was when he auditioned for Bond, and this time last year the bookies had him odds-on. However, he’s now slipped to an 8/1 outsider, trailing the above names, and has recently told Vanity Fair he “has enough on his plate”.