UK actor Aaron Taylor-Johnson has been offered a chance to play James Bond, Britain’s most famous fictional spy, according to a recent report by the Sun that quoted unnamed sources.
The Sun claimed that the 33-year-old actor had not yet accepted the job offer, although “insiders” who spoke to the newspaper said that he is expected to take up the mantle from Daniel Craig, who played 007 in five movies over the course of 15 years.
“Aaron is going to sign his contract in the coming days and they can start preparing for the big announcement,” one of the media outlet’s sources said.
BBC and CNN, however, cited other sources familiar with the situation who claim that there is no truth behind the speculation. British film company Eon Productions, which produces the Bond movies, was approached by BBC but refused to comment on the rumour.
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This is not the first time that speculation over who will play the new James Bond has abounded, as other performers such as Henry Cavill, Idris Elba, Tom Hardy and Cillian Murphy have all been mentioned.
Bookmakers Lottoland found that Idris Elba was the first choice among UK adults to play the iconic character, followed by Tom Hardy and Henry Cavill. The poll also showed that participants were open to a female 007 as well, with actresses such as Emilia Clarke and Emily Blunt making it into the top 20.
While Taylor-Johnson has yet to be formally confirmed, he appears to be open to the idea, telling Numéro that “I find it charming and wonderful that people see me in that role. I take it as a great compliment.”
Taylor-Johnson first gained mainstream prominence for his role in the superhero film Kick-Ass (2010). Since then, he has continued to achieve success with roles in Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015), Bullet Train (2022) and other blockbusters.
