Jeff Bezos Polls Fans on Next James Bond, Clear Favorite Emerges

The recent announcement that Amazon has taken full creative control over the James Bond franchise, with long-time producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson stepping aside, has sparked a flurry of speculation and excitement among fans. The burning question on everyone's mind is: who will be the next actor to don the iconic tuxedo and take up the mantle of 007?

Amazon's CEO, Jeff Bezos, took to X / Twitter to pose this very question to his followers, and the response was resounding. While many names were thrown into the ring, including Tom Hardy, Idris Elba, James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, and Aaron Taylor-Johnson, one name emerged as the clear fan-favorite: Henry Cavill.

Following Bezos' tweet, Henry Cavill quickly became a trending topic online, fueled by the overwhelming support from James Bond enthusiasts eager to see the Superman and The Witcher star step into the role previously held by Daniel Craig. With Amazon now at the helm, many are wondering if Cavill's chances of becoming the next 007 have improved, especially given his recent commitment to star in and produce Amazon's ambitious Warhammer 40,000 project.

Cavill's connection to the Bond franchise is well-documented. He famously auditioned for the role of James Bond during the casting of Casino Royale in 2006. The audition, which can still be viewed online, was described as "tremendous" by Casino Royale director Martin Campbell. Despite his impressive performance, the then 23-year-old Cavill was deemed too young for the part, which ultimately went to Daniel Craig.

In a 2023 interview with The Express, Campbell praised Cavill's audition, stating, "He looked great in the audition. His acting was tremendous. And look, if Daniel didn’t exist, Henry would have made an excellent Bond. He looked terrific, he was in great physical shape… very handsome, very chiseled. He just looked a little young at that time back then."

Cavill himself reflected on the experience in an interview with Josh Horowitz, saying, "It was ultimately down to, and this is what I’ve been told, it was just down to me and Daniel, and I was the younger option. They obviously went with Daniel and I think it was an amazing choice to go with Daniel. I probably wasn’t ready at the time and I think Daniel did an incredible job over the past movies, so I’m happy they made that choice."

The search for the next James Bond intensified after Daniel Craig's departure following No Time to Die. Campbell noted, "By the time Daniel got to [No Time To Die] really he was at an age where one more would have been too old for him." He added that typically, actors sign on for three Bond films, a commitment that could span six years or more. "Henry’s 40, so by the time he’s done the third one he’s going to be 50. Anything beyond that’s two, three years per Bond. He’s in good shape Henry, he’s a good guy. He did very well in the audition, but ironically, he was too young."

With Amazon now steering the franchise, the question remains: could Henry Cavill finally step into the shoes of James Bond? The fans certainly seem to think so, and with his previous near-miss and current association with Amazon, the stars might just align for Cavill to become the next 007.