Henry Cavill Would Be Very Excited To Play A James Bond Villain

Henry Cavill is interested in playing a James Bond villain. The fifth and final entry in the Daniel Craig era of James Bond films, No Time To Die, is set to open in international markets this weekend and in the United States on October 8, 2021. After that, the future of James Bond remains a mystery as no decision on who will play 007 will be made until at least 2022.

Craig’s tenure as James Bond started in 2006, but Craig was just one of many actors considered for the role. One of the finalists for the role was Henry Cavill, who was passed over due to director Martin Campbell thinking the then 23-year-old actor was too young at the time. Cavill then was passed over for projects like Superman Returns and Twilight before finally getting to play Superman in Man of Steel. While Cavill’s future as Superman remains up in the air, the actor has found himself as the lead of the Witcher franchise on Netflix, as well as the role of Sherlock Holmes in Enola Holmes and its upcoming sequel.

While Cavill lost the part of Bond, the actor does appear to be open to joining the franchise, just not as the title spy. According to The Movie Dweeb on Twitter, Cavill said he is open to playing a Bond villain. He did not specify if he wants to play the title villain or a villain henchman, but he is open to a conversation with James Bond producers, Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson.

While many would want Cavill to play James Bond himself, the villain role makes a certain amount of sense for the actor. Cavill has already played an international super spy in The Man from U.N.C.L.E. in 2015 and has a history of playing a spy villain as he did in 2018’s Mission: Impossible – Fallout. Given his career of playing lead roles like Superman and Geralt, the chance to play a one-off role seems like less pressure and a chance for him to not have to make a long-term franchise commitment.

Cavill as a Bond villain would also allow the filmmakers to try something different. A common recurring motif among Bond villains, which every Craig film with the exception of Quantum of Solace, has featured a villain with a facial scar or deformity that is used as visual shorthand for their villainy that is to contrast the good looks of James Bond. This has led to criticism by enforcing a harmful and regressive troupe. Casting someone like Henry Cavill, who in another context could have played James Bond, as a handsome leading villain could allow the franchise to grow and explore new concepts of evil for a modern audience. The James Bond franchise will need to evolve to stay relevant, and starting with how the villains are portrayed is a good start.