One of the most famous roles in the world is up for grabs after Daniel Craig hangs up his tuxedo. Following the 25th installment of James Bond — No Time to Die, a new Bond will step into Craig’s place.
Although it has not been officially confirmed by Universal, The Vulcan Reporter has sent the internet into overdrive that Tom Hardy has been locked in for the coveted role.
According to the outlet, Hardy auditioned back in June and an official announcement is was due for November, however, due to the global coronavirus pandemic it may be delayed.
Hardy has been one of the hot tips to replace Craig for a while now, however, once the news broke that it was likely to be him, betting in the UK on who will be the next Bond was suspended. A significant increase in bets saw original frontrunner James Norton (War and Peace) edged out of the race by Hardy.
Others who are in the running for the coveted role are Tom Hiddleston, Idris Elba and Richard Madden and Outlander’s Sam Heughan.
Pierce Brosnan, who played Bond between 1994 and 2005, said in a 2018 interview with The Daily Mail that Hardy would make a great Bond.
“I’d be happy to see him do it. You need an actor who can put a bit of wiggle into it, that’s what makes Bond,” he said.
As for Craig, Brosnan said he has “been an incredible Bond”.
“He’s very physical, he looks lethal. You genuinely believe this is someone who could kill a man,” he said.
If Hardy does indeed play the MI5 agent, he will follow in the footsteps of Sean Connery, David Niven, George Lazenby, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan, and Daniel Craig.