Henry Cavill has had his name attached to the possibility of playing James Bond since before Daniel Craig was even cast, however, there is no doubt anymore that he is now not the right fit for the role. James Bond is the most famous British secret agent to ever appear in film, and after more than 60 years and six official actors have all held the title, a new Bond will soon be announced to take over from Daniel Craig after his almost 20 years in the role. But the choice of whom to cast is an incredibly difficult one.
The actor who will be cast as the next agent double-0 is a hot topic among many fans and moviegoers at large. With the race seemingly narrowing down to just a few names, it’s worth reflecting on one person who has continuously been in the running for the past 20 years, Henry Cavill. Cavill was one of the frontrunners being discussed to play Bond before Craig eventually landed the role in 2005, but with so much time and a star-studded career, Cavill is no longer a good fit to play the character.
7 Henry Cavill Is Too Old To Play James Bond
The average stint for a typical James Bond actor falls somewhere between 10 and 15 years. Daniel Craig’s first film in the hot seat, Casino Royale, was released in 2006, and his fifth and final film, No Time to Die, came out in 2021. This means that Craig was 38 during his first outing, and he is now 56. Henry Cavill is about to turn 41, and even if he were to be cast in the role, the first film would likely not come out for a few more years with development time.
While the age gap between Cavill and Craig’s first appearance seems narrow, the gap is wider than it initially looks. Cavill is certainly still in great physical shape, and actively taking on roles that require a lot of action and stunt work. But, to get the most out of an actor playing Bond, it is worth going a little younger to ensure they can appear in a minimum of three films, but ideally, more. Cavill is already an A-list actor with a busy schedule, and this would likely not be a good fit.
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6 Henry Cavill Has Already Played James Bond-Esque Spies
Henry Cavill may not have landed the role of James Bond, but he has had several outings in roles where crime and espionage are at the heart of the story. From Argylle, to The Minitstry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, and several other titles, Cavill has played a spy several times. And while this certainly proves his ability to appear in such a role, it would also impact his performance as Bond negatively, as many viewers may compare the other films. This would ultimately reflect poorly on the role that should be unique and spectacular.
Playing the most famous spy in the world would be special, but it would no longer be unique for Henry Cavill. Therefore, it is important to acknowledge that Cavill’s body of work has already covered much of the same ground, and it would not make sense to repeat a similar story as Bond. The actor who lands the role should make the role their own, and stand out from their other work, but the boat may be gone for Cavill to do the same considering there are so many other projects that are similar..
5 Henry Cavill Is Too Big A Star
This is also made even more challenging considering Cavill has become too big of a star. Cavill has played Geralt in The Witcher, Superman in the DCEU, and Sherlock Holmes in the Enola Holmes franchise for Netflix. These are not small roles, they are significant, and each comes with a large fanbase that recognizes Cavill’s talents and abilities for playing iconic characters. One of the things about James Bond that is special is that it typically marks a major milestone in actors’ careers, and becomes their most famous role.
For Cavill, it would simply be one of many. This is not a positive outlook for the brand, as the lead character should be iconic and notable in their own right. It could draw in crowds of fans who support Henry Cavill’s other performances and franchises, but it would also dilute the audience from being a fanbase that is there for Bond, to some that love Bond movies, and others that just like Henry Cavill. While this is not a fault for Cavill, it’s certainly a hurdle that appears too big to overcome in casting him in the role.
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4 Henry Cavill Has More Exciting Franchise Plans
In addition to the major franchises Henry Cavill has already appeared in, he is also working on a number of other franchises which have a significant following. Of the projects already announced, Cavill will be starring in the upcoming Highlander reboot, a new Warhammer movie franchise, and on the back of his appearance in Argylle, he is likely to appear in future Kingsman movies by director Matthew Vaughn. It is clear that Cavill will continue to be busy, despite his time as Geralt and Superman coming to an end.
And while this is good for his personal career, it would simply create more challenges for Cavill if he were to be cast as James Bond as well. Henry Cavill does not need another franchise to lead, nor would it make sense in terms of adequately dividing up his time. He is clearly a beloved and talented star, but none of this works in his favor for playing such a significant and recognizable character, that would also require a multi-movie deal from the already very busy actor.
3 Henry Cavill Would Be Better As A James Bond Villain
Having spent so much time playing a hero, and building a successful and full career in Hollywood, Cavill could be great if cast in a Bond movie, but not as the hero. Cavill has recently tackled a few roles which saw him playing a villain, such as in Mission Impossible – Fallout where he played August Walker. Having spent enough time playing the hero, it would be great to see him getting to play the other side as well. In addition, previous Bond films have also looked to other big names to play Bond villains, and Cavill could be a perfect cameo in this capacity.
Henry Cavill has also had roles where his allegiance is a little more ambiguous, and having him expand on his performances as the antagonist would be a great way to be a part of these movies without playing a similar role to most of his other projects. Cavill is a large and intimidating figure, and opposite some other Bond, he would make a great villain who could be equally clever and powerful. This would ultimately satisfy fans of his work who would like to see him in a Bond movie, while not tying him up for several movies.
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2 Other Actors Would Be A More Interesting Choice Than Cavill
Other actors who have been discussed for the role could also provide a more interesting and potentially entertaining version of the character than Cavill. There is no doubt that Cavill is talented, and he has the capacity to perform in such a role, but he also fits into a mold for the character who has been done many times over in similar ways. He is tall, handsome, well-groomed, sophisticated, and has a muscular physique. Switching up the formula for the character could provide an interesting new take on a hero that has been 60 years in the making with not a huge amount of change.
Aaron Taylor Johnson would provide a fresh take on the character as one of the youngest people cast in the role. Both Sean Connery and George Lazenby were younger in their first outings, but they were also made in 1962 and 1969 respectively. Film has changed a lot since then. Other actors like Dev Patel, Cillian Murphy, Charles Melton, and more would all be departures from the original character in some ways, and thus could provide a fresh and exciting new take.
1 Henry Cavill Tends Away From Romance In Movies
Henry Cavill has also revealed that playing romantic roles is not really where he is most comfortable. Cavill plays more action and fantasy characters, who may also have some sort of romantic connection, but the romance is not the focus of the story. Cavill has expressed a disinterest in being involved in sex scenes, and finds them to be largely unnecessary. While these opinions are a preference, it does raise a potential problem with playing the role of James Bond. James Bond may be saving the world as a spy, but an important part of the character is the romance.
Bond leans into his skills of seduction frequently in the movies, and this may result in some romantic rendezvous’. However, if Henry Cavill is uncomfortable with appearing in such a role, it wouldn’t make sense for him to take it, especially not at this point in his career. This could either mean that the romance is drastically toned down to accommodate him, or that he will be pressured into performing in a role he is not comfortable with. Neither of which would be good, and it amounts to Henry Cavill no longer being the right fit to play James Bond.