Ahead of the release of No Time To Die, Daniel Craig has announced that he would be finally retiring from the role of James Bond after this film. Bookies in Britain have been placing bets on Tom Hardy for this role for a long time and rumors from unconfirmed sources suggest that Hardy might indeed be the next actor to play the role of the British spy.
While Hardy has often been suggested by fans to be a perfect fit for James Bond, other actors, like Idris Elba and Tom Hiddleston, have been a part of this conversation.
Tom Hardy: Range And Versatility
Tom Hardy has never shied away from taking up challenging and diverse roles. He often changes accents, physical features, and acting style for each of his characters. While playing Bane in The Dark Knight Rises, he had an altered voice for the entirety of his role. In movies like Dunkirk and Mad Max: Fury Road, he displayed his physical prowess, as these parts hardly required any dialogue.
Playing the titular characters in Bronson, Capone, and a double role in Legend proves how comfortable he is changing looks and accents, depending upon the role.
Alternative: Idris Elba
Idris Elba has proved his charm with both his offscreen personality and his roles, such as the titular detective in the BBC series Luther. Just like Hardy, Elba too boasts a wide range of versatility, having dabbled in realistic dramas, as well as mainstream blockbuster franchises, like the Marvel Cinematic Universe and Star Trek.
The actor is also extremely popular for his calm and composed baritone voice, which adds a whole new dimension to his suave personality. His last major role as the superhuman villain in Hobbs & Shaw further showed that he’s in great physical shape, suited for any action roles that come along his way.
Tom Hardy: Experience In Crime Films
Tom Hardy has often dabbled with the other side of the law, starring in several criminal roles. His star-making performance in Bronson found him playing a troubled and hyperviolent prisoner. Legend and Capone both showed him playing legendary figures from the crime world, while he had similar roles as either as law-enforcer or a criminal in films like Lawless, The Drop, and even series like Peaky Blinders.
Most of these performances have the actor using firearms or being involved in scenes that require realistic action. This could serve as good preparation for him if he were to be cast as 007.
Alternative: Henry Cavill
Henry Cavill is probably one of the most charming British actors right now, whose every major role oozes with star power. He redefined the pop-culture image of Superman, starting with his moving portrayal of the Kryptonian hero in Man of Steel.
Cavill also has experience in the spy genre, playing the main baddie in the latest installment of the Mission Impossible series in which he got to perform stunts, alongside Tom Cruise. An underrated role of his is as Napoleon Solo in Guy Ritchie’s The Man From U.N.C.L.E, in which he played a finely-suited CIA agent in the 1960s.
Tom Hardy: Roughness To The Character
Whether it be the novels or the films, the character of James Bond has always been a suave, smooth-talking, well-dressed gentleman with a polished accent. While Tom Hardy can be another charming Pierce Brosnan or Daniel Craig, he can also add a raw roughness and grittiness to the character.
Even though Hardy’s roles are extremely different from each other, there’s a certain cockiness and brashness that he seems to emulate in these performances. It would be a fresh take than the usual Bond charm that audiences have been used to for decades.
Alternative: Tom Hiddleston
Most of the actors who play Bond are usually uptight or reserved. Tom Hiddleston has proven that he can be extremely serious when required (an example being The Night Manager) and charmingly funny (as can be seen in his portrayal of the mischief god, Loki). This flexibility can be channeled into his performance if he ever gets to play James Bond.
If, by any chance, filmmakers in the future plan to add some good British dry humor to James Bond’s personality, then Tom Hiddleston would be the perfect pick (or rather an unconventional pick) to play the MI-7 sleuth.
Tom Hardy: Changing Physique
Times have changed from Roger Moore to Daniel Craig and the role of James Bond has become more physically-taxing, requiring specific training for the various ambitious stunts that the franchise aims for.
Tom Hardy, time and again, has shown his ability to bulk up or reduce his body mass, as per the requirements of his roles. While he hasn’t dabbled in extremely lean looks, like Christian Bale, he has often gained weight for physically-challenging roles. In 2008, he gained up to 40 pounds in five weeks for Bronson. He followed a strict diet and workout regimen to get into shape for portraying an MMA player in Warrior and he later followed the routine in a more extreme manner to portray the bulky villain, Bane.
Alternative: Armie Hammer
Armie Hammer is an actor who deserves roles with more recognition. While his finest role might be in the romantic drama Call Me By Your Name, the American actor has had a diverse track record of thriller, biopics, and action films.
Hammer has always delivered when it comes to overall charm, even in his critically-panned films or where he had a supporting role. His experience in the spy genre can be seen in his portrayal of a KGB agent alongside Henry Cavill in The Man From U.N.C.L.E. For his vibrant screen presence and ability to play leader-like characters, the actor is often considered to be a fan-favorite for the role of Batman.
Tom Hardy: Comeback Vehicle For Tom Hardy
The last pinnacle of Tom Hardy’s current career might have been in 2015 when he starred in Mad Max: Fury Road and played the antagonist in The Revenant (for which he earned an Academy Award nomination). Both films garnered a lot of buzz at awards ceremonies. After 2015, Hardy appeared in Dunkirk, which was directed by usual collaborator, Christopher Nolan.
His recent films, however, failed to win over audiences and critics and are largely forgotten, including the highly-anticipated Venom and Capone. Maybe taking up the mantle of James Bond would have Hardy channel some of his finest acting chops, making the role an efficient comeback for his career.
Alternative: Henry Golding
The Malaysian-British actor Henry Golding has slowly and steadily been rising in his career, from travel show host to promising leading man in films. Golding won over new fans with his performances in romantic dramas, like Crazy Rich Asians, and A Simple Favor and Last Christmas, the latter two directed by Paul Feig.
Guy Richie’s 2020 crime ensemble film The Gentlemen kickstarted his action career. Now, the actor has been roped into playing the iconic GI Joe character Snake Eyes in the movie of the same name that might get a release by next year. With just a few films, he has shown his acting chops and has worked with high-profile directors, like Feig and Richie. His rendition of Bond could prove to be promising.
