Aaron Taylor-Johnson Reportedly Had James Bond Meeting That 'Went Well'
With Daniel Craig having moved on from his time in MI6 to get down with hip-shaking vodka commercials and Southern-accented crime solving, the time has come to pick a new James Bond to helm the historic film franchise. Casting a new 007 has always represented a new chapter in the filmography of the famous fictional spy, and casting an actor who can embody that new era will undoubtedly be of paramount importance. However, it now seems that one actor may have a real shot at the title of Bond, James Bond, and it's none other than Taylor-Johnson, Aaron Taylor-Johnson.
Taylor-Johnson already has several franchise films under his belt, having played Lieutenant Ford Brady in 2014's "Godzilla" and the speedster Quicksilver in 2015's "Avengers: Age of Ultron." He'll also play the titular lead role of Sergei Kravinoff in the upcoming "Kraven the Hunter," which is part of Sony's Spider-Man universe of films alongside crown jewels of the film industry such as "Venom" and "Morbius." He's also proven himself more than capable in an action thriller, as evidenced by "Bullet Train" and "Tenet."
But new reports suggest that Taylor-Johnson might not stick around as a Spidey hunter for Sony, opting instead to take his vodka martinis shaken, not stirred. According to Puck News, the English actor met with a Bond producer and the meeting went swimmingly.
Aaron Taylor-Johnson seems like a top pick for 007
As reported by Puck News, Aaron Taylor-Johnson sat with Barbara Broccoli, one of the producers of the "James Bond" franchise, to discuss casting, and things seem to have gone in his favor, according to the outlet's sources. While castings for the iconic British spy tend to pick less established actors — Sean Connery did smaller crime films before his big turn, Roger Moore was known for television roles, and Daniel Craig had previously taken on supporting parts — Taylor-Johnson has seen his profile elevated in the last several years. In fact, he will be the lead in Sony's "Kraven the Hunter" before he ever makes it to set in a three-piece suit for the next "Bond" film.
Still, Taylor-Johnson seems to otherwise fit the bill for Bond. He's relatively young compared to many of his predecessors when they first appeared as Ian Fleming's notorious spy, he's proven himself a great actor over the years in everything from tentpole blockbusters to oddball comedies, and perhaps most importantly, he's British. With Daniel Craig's final bow as Bond in "No Time to Die" now far in the rearview, the Broccolis will likely want to make their new pick sooner rather than later. It's hard to think of someone better suited (pun intended) to the role than Aaron Taylor-Johnson.