Craig still not confirmed for the next Bond movie

Despite claiming he would rather “slit his wrists” than play Bond again, Daniel Craig is thought to be seriously considering donning the iconic tux again after reportedly being offered an eye watering $150 million to star in two more 007 movies.

Craig, who will be nearing 50 by the time the second of those would be shot, has been at the heart of a renaissance for the franchise, with the last two outings – Skyfall and Spectre both making more than $1 billion worldwide. And don’t forget, he took over at a time when not only were the films seeing a decline in interest, but also when they were facing its stiffest competition, particular in the stocky form of Jason Bourne.

It is therefore little wonder that Sony are keen to secure his services for the next two installments, which will very likely be shot back to back, before introducing a new 007 in a third movie a little while after. All that is a way off yet however, and Bond - famous for his skills at the poker table, is holding all the cards over the studio.

So, if it isn’t going to be Craig, or indeed even if it is, then who is likely to be next in line?

The usual suspects are being wheeled out, with Doctor Strange star Benedict Cumberbatch unsurprisingly many people’s favorites, while even less surprisingly saying he isn’t interested in the role. Other front runners include Clive Owen, James Norton, Jamie Bell, Richard Madden and Damien Lewis. Though it is incredible we are still having this conversation in 2016, there is also strong speculation on whether the next Bond could be black, with Adrian Lester, Idris Elba and John Boyega all apparently with greater than an outside chance of making history, breaking the mold, and hopefully putting that discussion to bed for good.

Speak to actors and the chance to play the iconic role is something of a double edged sword. Yes, it is going to help the bank balance, and put you in the spotlight, but that does come at a cost. It is almost unheard of that an actor is asked to play a role on film where he will be compared to so many who have been there, done that before. And Bond fans, maybe more than any other movie aficionados are extremely quick to voice their opinion if the present incumbent isn’t deemed up to the mark. Even if it goes well, there is then the issue of becoming defined by the role. Sean Connery for example had a glittering career outside of MI6, but the first thing that comes into people’s heads when his name is mentioned is Bond, and that is something an eager young actor at the beginning of a potentially rewarding and hopefully diverse career has to keep in mind.

Over the years, the list of those who were considered, talked about or actually rejected the role is as long as it is sometimes astonishing. For example, one has to wonder if we would still be here talking about the franchise if Dick van Dyke had landed the role he was reportedly interested in in 1967. And it isn’t just movie history that could have changed that year. John Bingham turned down an offer from Cubby Broccoli to screen test for the role. 7 years later, Bingham would go on to become one of the most infamous people on the planet, under his more familiar name of Lord Lucan. Not all, those considered were quite so left field and it would have been genuinely interesting to see what the likes of Terence Stamp, Oliver Reid, Cary Grant and Richard Burton brought to the role.

There are further examples of opportunities missed, but these are massively outweighed by bullets dodged. Mel Gibson, Clint Eastwood, Burt Reynolds and Adam West were all considered and in some cases offered the role, but it didn’t go any further, mainly down to their nationality. That leads of course to the oft asked question about whether or not Bond needs to be British. Regardless of the complexities of an American for example working for MI6, the powers that be also need to be aware of what has got the franchise to where it is today. The fact that it is shamefacedly British, and that it doesn’t take itself too seriously in being so is what sets it’s apart from the plethora of other action/spy movies. By taking that away, by tinkering with the very core of why people love (and loathe) James Bond films, it would be a very dangerous – and potentially expensive mistake. Of course, a non-Brit has played the suave womaniser before. George Lazenby, who starred in 1969’s On Her Majesty’s Secret Service was Australian, though he did play it with an English accent. Lazenby was also notable for being the youngest actor to play the part (29) and is still the only one to have received a Global Globe nomination for the role.

Whoever plays the lead in Bond 25, unless there is a dramatic change in direction there is one stat that will no longer hold true. At the minute, Bond, in all his reincarnations, has dispatched 365 bad guys. You don’t need me to tell you, but I will anyway, that’s one for every day of the year. The movie theater, and the world, would be a lot worse off without him.