Rumour: Damien Lewis has been given the "unofficial nod" as the next James Bond

Sorry, Idris Elba fans. Seems like the popular actor’s long walk to spy-dom is going nowhere. At least that’s according to British publication Mirror.co.uk who are reporting that Homeland and Band of Brothers star Damien Lewis has in fact been given the “unofficial nod” to replace Daniel Craig as James Bond once Craig’s tenure as the world’s most famous secret agent is up. According to Mirror’s source, the 44-year old Lewis has been tapped as the replacement due to the fact that “he is seen as an all-round international star who is perfect for the role. As he ages, he looks increasingly suave and sophisticated.”

Just when the 46-year old Craig hangs up the Walther PPK is still up for debate though, as the actor recently told Esquire that this November’s Spectre will be his final film in the franchise. However, the rumblings are that if Spectre does really well – which is definitely not unlikely, coming off the record breaking billion dollar success of Skyfall – that Craig will be offered a small mountain of money to entice him back for one more.

According to Mirror’s sources though, there’s no rush on the replacement saying “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.”

I have to of course draw attention to that “unofficial” part, as we’ve heard absolutely nothing official from Bond’s paymasters over on the Sony lot so this is still very much in rumour territory. However, Mirror has had a pretty solid track record when it comes to casting on the Bond franchise, having correctly predicted several roles in Spectre. This is of course also not the first time that Lewis name has popped up in relation to 007, as earlier in the year he mysteriously became a bookie favourite to get the gig, prompting speculation that somebody out there knew something but wasn’t overtly telling.

Personally, while I’ve absolutely been routing for the heavily touted Idris Elba to the get the gig – not just because he would be the first black James Bond, but because I think he has all the tools to give us a fresh and compelling new iteration of the character – I’ve been a fan of Lewis’ work for years now already and I really think he is a solid pick. His filmography is diverse enough that we’ve already seen him exhibit every facet of Bond’s personality, from the suave ladies man to the physically capable action hero. Plus, he would still be making Bond history as the very first ginger 007! (You hear that, Nick? You’ll finally have a hero to look up to!)

What do you guys think? Is Lewis a good choice, or should Elba rather get the nod? Or maybe you have an even better out of left field pick? (No, Darryn. Seann William Scott will be a horrible James Bond!!)

 

Last Updated: September 30, 2015