A new James Bond is about to be chosen, taking up the title from previous franchise lead Daniel Craig. And while director Denis Villeneuve has yet to announce which British actor will be next to play 007 on film, one rising star has exactly what’s needed to deliver Amazon and MGM the most faithful depiction of the super spy fans have ever seen.
Callum Turner is The New Frontrunner for The Next James Bond
This won’t be the first time movie fans have heard Callum Turner’s name mentioned among other potential actors for the next Bond movie, a list which has featured nearly every leading-man (or woman) over the past decade. And given Turner’s increasing star power thanks to Fantastic Beasts, Apple TV+’s Masters of the Air, and Eternity, it’s no shock to see Daily Mail reporting Turner is all but a lock for the lead in Bond 26, with his fiancée Dua Lipa presumably ready to deliver the film’s theme.
While still just gossip for now, the rumors surrounding Turner being cast are unique for one very specific reason: they make perfect sense. The news might not be as shocking as the reports of Gillian Anderson, Tom Hardy, or Damson Idris being short-listed, but what it lacks in headline-grabbing heat it makes up for in logic. Because Callum Turner’s work so far proves he is exactly what Amazon and MGM need to remind the world why 007 is still one of a kind.
Turner is Finally The ‘007’ Author Ian Fleming Actually Had in Mind
Turner checks the boxes required to give Amazon their desired “fresh face” for the next James Bond, considering his ‘rising star’ status for American audiences, in particular. But adding even more weight to his case is the fact that, compared to all actors who previously played 007 on film, Turner is arguably the most faithful to creator Ian Fleming’s original vision for the super spy.
Despite existing only on the printed page at the time, Fleming’s original novel “Casino Royale” included mention of Bond as similar to “Hoagy Carmichael, but there is something cold and ruthless.” The comparison to Carmichael would be repeated in “Moonraker,” giving the British agent an even more vivid description:
“Rather like Hoagy Carmichael in a way. That black hair falling down over the right eyebrow. Much the same bones. But there was something a bit cruel in the mouth, and the eyes were cold.”
In other words, a physical checklist to consult when analyzing the clues to Bond’s outward and inward character, and a drastic departure from the previous 007 actors cast as movie stars based on entirely different attributes.
Since influential American musician and actor Hoagland “Hoagy” Carmichael is less known to modern movie fans, it can’t be understated: some of Bond’s greatest fans don’t realize just how different Ian Fleming’s idea of the character was from his eventual movie depictions. And the fact that Fleming singled out Carmichael, an unassuming figure whose charm and appeal went well beyond good looks or a charming smile can’t be overlooked.
If nothing else, the comparison paints a picture of a James Bond who is unassuming, confident, and inviting… revealing an unsettling coldness or danger to those who pay closer attention. And at just over 6 feet tall, and currently passing 35 years of age, Turner is an uncannily perfect match for Fleming’s early depictions of James Bond, straight from his novels.
Callum Turner Can Be The Dramatic Change James Bond Needs
Whatever Fleming’s original intentions, James Bond would take on a pop culture identity all his own, soon becoming an embodiment of suave, an international man of mystery who could cause women to swoon at a glance, and win over movie audiences with a wry smile, or wink to camera. In the end, this evolution towards ‘Sexiest Man Alive’ status with leads like Timothy Dalton or Pierce Brosnan became baggage of its own, and something pushed back upon with Daniel Craig’s Casino Royale reboot.
For many critics and moviegoers, Craig’s blend of charming smiles and deeply troubled, tortured interior was a breath of fresh air for the franchise. But director Martin Campbell’s playful Casino would be followed by increasingly grimmer tales, as an aging Craig grew ‘too serious’ for many casual fans. As even existing Bond cast members are calling for a change from Craig’s style, a return to Bond’s less grimdark roots is once again precisely what’s needed.