Christopher Nolan’s potential involvement in the James Bond franchise has been the subject of persistent rumors over the last few years. Nolan has shown interest in the director’s role on a number of occasions, and with the end of the Daniel Craig era of James Bond, these rumors have gained significant momentum. If producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson succeed in bringing Christopher Nolan on board (as per rumors, for two movies), the hype for the film will skyrocket.
Nolan is enjoying a wave of success following the release of Oppenheimer, a biopic on the Father of the Atom Bomb. The interesting question that arises with the rumored entry of the Interstellar director is the choice of actor who will succeed Daniel Craig in the iconic 007 role.
Who Will Be Christopher Nolan’s Choice Of James Bond Actor?
Throughout the years, the iconic role of MI6 spy agent, James Bond, has been played by legendary actors such as Sean Connery, Roger Moore, Pierce Brosnan, and, of course, Daniel Craig. Craig announced his exit from the role after No Time to Die in 2021. Since then, various actors have been rumored to take up the mantle in the franchise.
One of the fan-favorite contenders was Henry Cavill, who was the second choice for the role during the casting of Casino Royale. Cavill has expressed his interest in the role on various occasions. However, with Christopher Nolan reportedly in talks to direct, another Marvel actor has emerged as a frontrunner. Aaron Taylor-Johnson is known for his roles as Pietro Maximoff in the MCU’s Avengers: Age of Ultron and the titular character in the upcoming Sony’s Spider-Man Universe film, Kraven the Hunter.
Taylor-Johnson previously collaborated with Christopher Nolan in his 2020 sci-fi action film, Tenet. There have been reports suggesting that Taylor-Johnson has secretly auditioned for the role and may soon be confirmed. Earlier, other actors in Nolan’s circle, such as Cillian Murphy, Robert Pattinson, and Tom Hardy, were also rumored to be considered for the role.
What Are The Chances Of Christopher Nolan Helming The James Bond Movies?
The chances are pretty high for the franchise to bring in Christopher Nolan, especially since the last rumored director Matthew Vaughn, has taken on a DC project, making him unavailable. Interestingly, Nolan had to pass up the opportunity to direct an earlier James Bond film, Spectre, due to a busy schedule.
Further, in an interview with Playboy Magazine, Nolan revealed that he has maintained communication with the producers of the James Bond franchise. The Dark Knight director shared his excitement in potentially directing a Bond film with Playboy:
“I’ve spoken to the producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson over the years. I deeply love the character, and I’m always excited to see what they do with it.”
More recently, Nolan admitted that it would be an “amazing privilege” to direct a James Bond movie during an appearance on the Happy Sad Confused podcast with Josh Horowitz. However, Nolan presented a condition to have creative freedom over the project if he were to take it on. Nolan shared with Josh Horowitz:
“You wouldn’t want to take on a film not fully committed to what you bring to the table creatively. So as a writer, casting, everything, it’s a full package. You’d have to be really needed, you’d have to be really wanted in terms of bringing the totality of what you bring to a character.”
Fans look forward to a confirmation from the producers, especially since it has been two years since the release of the last Bond film. In the meantime, fans of the franchise can enjoy all the Bond films, now available for streaming on MGM+.
Source: Playboy Magazine, Josh Horowitz – YouTube
