The name’s Cavill… Henry Cavill? The Superman, Geralt and Sherlock Holmes actor has set his sights on another iconic character, revealing that he would “love” to play James Bond – after he originally failed to get the role in Casino Royale.
“At this stage, it’s all up in the air. We’ll see what happens. But yes, I would love to play Bond, it would be very, very exciting,” Cavill told GQ (opens in new tab). “If Barbara [Broccoli] and [producer Michael G. Wilson] were interested in that, I would absolutely jump at the opportunity.”
Prior to 2006’s Casino Royale – which saw Daniel Craig cast as 007 – Cavill auditioned for the role of James Bond. The then-22-year-old ultimately didn’t make the cut – and received some interesting feedback from Casino Royale director Martin Campbell.
“I remember the director, Martin Campbell, saying, ‘Looking a little chubby there, Henry’,” Cavill explained to Men’s Health (opens in new tab) in 2019. “I didn’t know how to train or diet. And I’m glad Martin said something, because I respond well to truth. It helps me get better.”
Now he’s been a swole Superman, a gymbound Geralt, and a sexy Sherlock, the odds are more in his favour. No word yet on who will be replacing Daniel Craig as James Bond. He’s all set to appear in his fifth and final film as the 00-Agent this November in No Time to Die, so maybe expect an announcement when the dust has settled on the Cary Fukunaga-directed spy swan song.
Want to relive 007’s storied history? Here’s how to watch the James Bond movies in order.