MOVIE NEWS – Henry Cavill’s name has been hovering near the top of James Bond wish lists for years, and now the actor himself has made it clear that he would still be open to joining the franchise’s next era. The twist is that he no longer sees himself as Bond, but rather as a villain worth remembering.

Henry Cavill has never needed much help looking like he belongs in a tuxedo, and that is only one reason why his name keeps resurfacing whenever the search for a new James Bond heats up. He was already in the conversation before Daniel Craig landed the role around Casino Royale, but the timing never worked in his favor. He later went on to play Superman in Man of Steel, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, and Justice League, then built another major fan following as Geralt in The Witcher, yet the Bond question has stubbornly refused to leave him alone.

Cavill became an even more popular fan pick after Craig’s final outing in No Time to Die, with every passing year bringing the industry one step closer to the still-untitled twenty-sixth Bond film. But the same passing years also apply to Cavill himself. He is now 42, and reports have suggested that the next Bond will likely be younger, giving the series room to build several films around a long-term lead. Cavill seems fully aware of that reality, but he has also made it clear that this does not mean he has lost interest in the world of 007.

Cavill Says Bond May Be Off the Table, but a Bond Villain Is Still Very Much on It

Speaking to Heat Magazine, Cavill explained that he never actually turned Bond down in the first place, it just was not the right moment. “I didn’t turn the role down – it just wasn’t the right time. What actor wouldn’t love to be Bond? But at 42, I’d probably be considered a bit old to start now. I would love to be a Bond villain, though. If it was the right character, I think that would be fascinating to explore.”

That idea does not sound half bad. Cavill has the screen presence, physicality, and polished menace that could make him an excellent 007 antagonist, arguably just as effectively as he once looked suited for the hero himself. He already proved how naturally he fits this kind of slick espionage material in The Man from U.N.C.L.E., and he has shown a more ruthless edge in films such as Mission: Impossible – Fallout and The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare.

There Are Still Plenty of Question Marks Around Bond 26

What is already confirmed is that Denis Villeneuve will direct the next Bond chapter, while the script is being handled by Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight. Beyond that, the project is still surrounded by a lot of fog. There are no major concrete details yet about the story, the casting direction, or how aggressively this next film plans to reinvent Bond after Craig’s departure.

Cavill also reflected on what it meant to play Superman, saying it was fantastic when children recognized him not as an actor playing a hero, but as Superman himself. In his view, that kind of iconic role creates a real responsibility, not only toward the film but also in the way you carry yourself around such a huge fanbase. In that sense, Bond may no longer be the kind of figure he wants to carry off-screen for years to come. As a villain, though, he could still fit into that universe very comfortably.

Source: MovieWeb