Is Damian Lewis the new James Bond? If Daniel Craig leaves, then it’s likely

Is Damian Lewis the new James Bond? If Daniel Craig leaves, then it’s likely

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It’s by no means official, but reports are supposedly saying HOMELAND actor Damian Lewis has been given an “unofficial nod” to play 007 by the producers of the James Bond franchise, but only in the event that Daniel Craig should decide to no longer continue with the role. Rumors say Craig, who stars in his fourth 007 outing SPECTRE this November, may want to step down – he’s indicated in interviews the character is holding up his life, which he needs to get back to. Now take this with a grain of salt, as right now the 47-year-old actor has no significant reason to leave the franchise (other than personal reasons), and it’s safe to say the kind of money he’d make playing Bond is substantially more than what he’d be paid for other roles. And with the success of his first three outings, particularly SKYFALL, it stands to reason the folks at EON Productions would probably be happy to have him stick around for a few more films. But one thing that historically has been a constant with EON is being ready for a “just in case” scenario. Timothy Dalton was originally screen tested to play Bond back in the late 1960s for ON HER MAJESTY’S SECRET SERVICE (1969), but didn’t get the role until 1987 with THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS. As Roger Moore neared the end of his run, actors like Sam Neill and James Brolin were tested to potentially be successors, before Moore decided to stick it out for one or two more. Even Pierce Brosnan was a potential Bond long before GOLDENEYE in 1995. The point is EON Productions isn’t above having options just waiting for a possible switch.

The Damian Lewis rumor evidently started when a “well-placed” source spoke to The Sunday Mirror stating “If Daniel Craig leaves, it’s Damian Lewis who will be crowned the new Bond.” Another quote stated “He is seen as an all-round international star who is perfect for the role. As he ages, he looks increasingly suave and sophisticated.” But again, this is said to only be the case in the event that Craig leaves. The source smartly added “At the moment all focus is on the release of Spectre in November. Producers are convinced it’s a particularly strong 007 movie. Daniel excels in the role and there is no pressure on him to step down. But if he does, people close to Damian have had an unofficial nod he is the number one choice.”

Lewis is a strong actor who has delivered excellent work in BAND OF BROTHERS and HOMELAND, and the highly underrated series LIFE. This is also not the first time his name has come up as a potential selection for 007, but he’s among other rumored actors like Tom Hardy, Michael Fassbender and Idris Elba. There’s a contingent of moviegoers who think a black actor could be a smart move for the 007 franchise, and Elba is the favorite choice of many, but even he thinks he might be a little too old now for the role. Former Bond actor Pierce Brosnan was recently asked about his feelings on a black James Bond, and stated that while he has no problem with it, he believes the next 007 will be white (and he probably knows the mindset of the producers pretty well). There’s also the logic of Bond being loyal to the character Ian Fleming wrote and conceived, which is a white male who works for the British Secret Service. If you alter that drastically, you could risk offending or alienating the fan base.

While I love Idris Elba, I honestly don’t have any interest in seeing him play 007. And before anyone brings up the race card, let me just say this – I love the SHAFT movies, but I have no interest in seeing a white version of John Shaft. I’ve had several discussions about this, and I personally don’t think they should cast a black actor as Bond, but it’s mainly that I think it would come across as a stunt rather than a necessity. There’s absolutely nothing to prevent the producers from introducing a black secret agent character within the 007 stories, and possibly giving that character a spin-off movie, which would be a lot safer for all involved. Incidentally, this already almost happened in female form with the Halle Berry character of “Jinx” in DIE ANOTHER DAY (Brosnan’s fourth and final outing), but that character being poorly underwritten and the negative reviews that installment received led to EON bailing on the idea.  We want to know your thoughts. Would you like to see Damian Lewis in the role? Do you think a black actor would be better? Do you have a choice no one has mentioned yet? Sound off in the comments below.

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About the Author

Born and raised in Dallas, Mark has been a movie critic since 1994, with reviews featured in print, radio and National TV. In 2001 he started the Entertainment section of the Herorealm website, where he contributed film reviews and celebrity interviews until 2004. After three years of service there, he started Bigfanboy.com, which has become one of the Dallas film community's leading information websites. Bigfanboy hosts several movie screenings in the Texas area, and works closely with film and TV studios and promotional partners to host exciting events and contests. The site also features a variety of rare celebrity and filmmaker interviews, and Bigfanboy.com regularly covers the film festival circuit as well. In addition to Hollywood reporting, Mark has worked for many years as an advertising and sci-fi/comic book artist. Clients have included Lucasfilm Ltd., Topps Trading Cards, The Dallas Mavericks and The Dallas Stars. From 2002 until 2015 he managed the Dallas Comic Con, Sci-Fi Expo and Fan Days events in the DFW area. He currently catalogs rare comic books and movie memorabilia for Heritage Auctions, and runs the Dallas Comic Show conventions, but remains an avid moviegoer and cinema buff.