Over twenty years ago, the finalists for a new James Bond came down to three men – Daniel Craig, Henry Cavill and Sam Worthington. Craig, then 37, was considered the frontrunner for the part and ultimately got it.
Cavill, at the time, was a 22-year-old rising star from the likes of “Tristan and Isolde” and “The Count of Monte Cristo” and had been pegged to play Superman in McG’s collapsed “Superman: Flyby” project.
The producers were reportedly impressed with his audition, but the trouble was he was deemed far too young for the character. Though he missed out, Cavill went on to carve a successful career of his own, including getting to play Superman in Zack Snyder’s “Man of Steel” years later.
Even now, the 42-year-old actor remains one of the favourites for the role despite his age not gelling with Amazon’s plans to get a thirtysomething actor who will stick with the role for a decade.
In a recent interview with Heat Magazine, Cavill has ruled himself out of playing James Bond but is keen on another part in the franchise:
“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.”
Denis Villeneuve is set to direct the next 007 film, with Steven Knight penning the film. No actor has been officially cast as Bond yet, and said announcement isn’t expected for months as Villeneuve finishes up “Dune: Part Three” ahead of its December release.
In the same interview, Cavill also says fatherhood has shifted his perspective: “Your priorities change. What you used to prioritise before no longer seems quite as important” and says kids that come up to him “don’t see you as the actor who plays the superhero, they see you as actual Superman.”
Cavill has multiple films on the way with “In the Grey” arriving this Summer, “Enola Holmes 3” on Netflix later this year, the live-action “Voltron” film in early 2027, and the currently filming “Highlander” reboot.
