Jeff Bezos Polls Fans on Next James Bond; Clear Favorite Emerges

In a stunning development, Amazon has taken full creative control over the James Bond franchise, marking a significant shift as long-term producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G Wilson step back. This news has sparked widespread speculation and excitement about who will be the next actor to don the iconic 007 suit.

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos took to X / Twitter to pose the burning question to fans: who should be the next James Bond? The response was overwhelming, with fans voicing their preferences loud and clear. While names like Tom Hardy, Idris Elba, James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, and Aaron Taylor-Johnson were mentioned, one name rose above the rest: Henry Cavill.

Following Bezos' tweet, Henry Cavill quickly became a trending topic online, fueled by the enthusiastic support from James Bond fans. The actor, known for his roles as Superman and in "The Witcher," has long been a fan favorite for the role of 007. With Amazon now at the helm, speculation is rife about whether Cavill's chances of becoming the next Bond have increased, especially given his involvement in Amazon's upcoming Warhammer 40,000 project.

Cavill's history with the Bond franchise is well-documented. He famously auditioned for the role in 2006's "Casino Royale," an audition that director Martin Campbell described as "tremendous." Despite his impressive performance, the then 23-year-old Cavill was deemed too young, and the role went to Daniel Craig. Reflecting on this, Campbell told The Express in 2023, "He looked great in the audition. His acting was tremendous. And look, if Daniel didn’t exist Henry would have made an excellent Bond. He looked terrific, he was in great physical shape… very handsome, very chiseled. He just looked a little young at that time back then."

Cavill himself acknowledged the close call, stating in an interview with Josh Horowitz, "It was ultimately down to, and this is what I’ve been told, it was just down to me and Daniel, and I was the younger option. They obviously went with Daniel and I think it was an amazing choice to go with Daniel. I probably wasn’t ready at the time and I think Daniel did an incredible job over the past movies, so I’m happy they made that choice."

As Daniel Craig concluded his tenure with "No Time to Die," the search for the next James Bond intensified. Campbell noted, "By the time Daniel got to [No Time To Die] really he was at an age where one more would have been too old for him." He also mentioned the typical commitment to the role, saying, "I think they sign on for three Bonds, I’m not absolutely 100% certain of that. I know with Pierce [Brosnan] he had to sign on to three when we did him. So, that’s going to take, what, six years of your life maybe? I suspect Daniel [had] the same deal. And the next guy’s going to have to do that."

Considering Cavill's current age of 40, Campbell added, "Henry’s 40, so by the time he’s done the third one he’s going to be 50. Anything beyond that’s two, three years per Bond. He’s in good shape Henry, he’s a good guy. He did very well in the audition, but ironically, he was too young."

With Amazon now steering the James Bond ship, the possibility of Henry Cavill stepping into the role of 007 seems more plausible than ever. Fans eagerly await the announcement of who will be the next to carry the legacy of James Bond forward.