While it may be a tall order to replace Daniel Craig as the new face of James Bond in the 007 franchise, there are capable stars in the industry that might just make it possible. Among them, stars like Henry Cavill, Tom Hardy, and Cillian Murphy are, at the moment, the top contenders for the role of the British superspy in the coming years.
As far as everyone knows, the decision to cast any of these aforementioned stars by Eon Productions can go either way. But according to actor Pierce Brosnan, he feels like Murphy may be the best choice to play the role of Bond in the franchise going forward, which is a hefty compliment since he himself is one of the iconic Bond actors from the past.
Pierce Brosnan Claims Cillian Murphy Might Be The Perfect Star For The Role Of James Bond
When something as crucial as choosing the next face of the iconic and prestigious 007 franchise is considered, it’s natural to realize that there is no room for error. Therefore, stars have to go through an extensive screening process to make the cut, and at the moment, the most likely candidates for the next face of James Bond are none other than Cillian Murphy and Henry Cavill.
Although nothing is set in stone at the moment for any of these stars to become Agent 007 in the future, there are public preferences and even celebrity speculation about who will be the next Bond. Among them, former 007 star Pierce Brosnan claimed during the recently held annual Oscar Wilde Awards that he believes the Inception star will be his top pick for the role.
In a conversation with BBC, the Black Adam star claimed that he believes Murphy would fit in wonderfully as the face of James Bond in the franchise, saying:
“Cillian would do a magnificent job as James Bond on His Majesty’s Secret Service,”
This comment went on record before Murphy was awarded Best Actor in a Leading Role at the 2024 Academy Awards for his role as the titular protagonist of Oppenheimer, which bolsters his reputation in the industry. Along with that, if he does end up as Bond in the future, he would be the only star to have received an Oscar in his career while being the face of the franchise.
Along with that, we have seen time and time again how the star has a dynamic nature to adapt himself to a character almost naturally, which might not even be necessary for this role since he has already played the role of a cold, calculating, and brutal man in BBC’s super hit series Peaky Blinders, which gives him an edge over the competition.
What Do We Know About The Future Of The 007 Franchise?
While Murphy may have received a big thumbs-up from the former Bond actor as well as his fellow Irishman, it still doesn’t mean that the star could not be bested by his competitors in the future.
Apart from stars like Cavill and Hardy, there are others who are still in the running for the role of the titular superspy in the race. While the actors for Bond are being screened, Eon Productions’ CEO Barbara Brocolli is reportedly eyeing a filmmaker to take the reigns for the upcoming films with the new star they would appoint.
One of these candidates for the director is none other than Christopher Nolan himself. It may not be clear whether Nolan would be taking this offer or not, but if he does, he would definitely keep Murphy on the top of his list.
