Henry Cavill as Bond? Not So Fast, Says Veteran 007 Director

Henry Cavill as Bond? Not So Fast, Says Veteran 007 Director

Ever since Daniel Craig holstered his Walther PPK for the final time in No Time to Die, the search for the next James Bond has been the cinematic equivalent of Kremlinology. Fans have dissected every rumour, every bookie’s odd, and every casting whisper with the precision of MI6 analysts.

But last week, the internet went into full-blown meltdown mode when a supposed audition tape of Henry Cavill reading for Casino Royale surfaced online. The response was predictable: cheers of vindication from Cavill’s long-time supporters, who have been lobbying for his casting ever since he narrowly lost out to Craig in 2006.

But if you thought this was some long-lost artefact confirming the Man of Steel actor as the closest thing to an anointed successor, think again. Martin Campbell, the director of GoldenEye and Casino Royale, has dismissed the footage as complete “bullsh*t.”

Martin Campbell Sets The Record Straight

Speaking to ScreenRant while promoting his latest action thriller, Cleaner, Campbell was blunt when asked about the so-called Henry Cavill audition tape.

“I’m sure that’s bullsh*t,” he said without hesitation. And Campbell, having been at the helm for two Bond reboots, certainly knows a thing or two about the speculation machine that churns around 007 casting. He continued:

“Look, anything you actually hear about Bond, whether it be the casting, anything you read online, don’t believe a word of it. I’ve been through this on two Bond films, right, and you’d be amazed about the stuff that comes out. None of it is true. I mean, almost a hundred percent wrong, honestly.”

But then came the real head-scratcher. Campbell claimed that if Cavill’s audition was genuine, it wasn’t for Casino Royale at all—it was for GoldenEye. Which, of course, is a slight problem. That film came out in 1995. Cavill was 12 years old at the time, so something about this from Campbell doesn’t quite add up.

“And I sometimes read, there’s a hilarious thing I watched on YouTube, which was Henry Cavill’s Casino Royale audition. Well, it’s bullsh*t. I mean, he’s doing an audition, but it was kind of for GoldenEye, it had nothing to do with Casino. They make this bullsh*t up all the time, and it’s rubbish, quite frankly.”

So what was Campbell actually trying to say? Maybe Cavill’s audition material might have come from an earlier Bond script, or he might simply be mistaken himself. Either way, this so-called smoking gun is nothing more than a smokescreen.

Who’s Really in the Running for 007?

Tracking the next Bond front-runner has become a national pastime, and the list of names in contention is constantly shifting. Cavill remains a perennial fan favourite, but he’s not the only one to have been linked to the role.

Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Idris Elba, Tom Hardy, and—for reasons known only to the bookmakers—former footballer Royston Drenthe have all had their moment in the sun.

Some names can already be ruled out. Elba has publicly stated he has no interest in the role. Hardy, at 46, may simply be too old to sign on for a multi-film commitment that could span a decade or more.

Meanwhile, a new contender has entered the fray: Scottish actor Stuart Martin is the current bookies favourite to don the tuxedo for Bond 26. But if you ask Martin Campbell, none of the names swirling around the rumour mill hold any weight until two people—Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson—make their final decision. As he put it:

“You’ll never know who’s actually going to be James Bond until Barbara and Michael, the two producers, decide who it’s going to be.”

So, for now, the mystery continues. MI6-grade surveillance may be required to get to the truth, but until EON Productions makes their official announcement, the guessing game goes on.