It’s looking more and more likely that James Bond will once again be sipping martinis without Henry Cavill. Following Amazon’s official announcement that Dune and Sicario director Denis Villeneuve will helm the next Bond film, rumors are swirling—and they’re not great news for Cavill fans. According to Variety, the search for 007’s next incarnation is narrowing in on a very different kind of secret agent. Amazon has a vision, and it doesn’t seem to include anyone with a speck of grey in their hair. The report states that the studio is zeroing in on actors under 30—a decision that effectively rules out Cavill (42), Aaron Taylor-Johnson (35), and fan-favorite Idris Elba (52). The three top contenders? Reportedly, Tom Holland, Jacob Elordi, and Harris Dickinson.
Elordi is Australian, but as fans will remember, George Lazenby was too—and he still donned the tux for On Her Majesty’s Secret Service. What Amazon really seems to want is not American, very young, and British-ish. The emphasis on youth and reinvention may be a play to future-proof the franchise for the next two decades, but it does slam the door shut on Cavill’s long-running Bond campaign—unless, of course, someone changes their mind.
Even before Daniel Craig was cast, Cavill had been in the mix for Bond. He famously screen-tested for the role during the audition process for Casino Royale—a clip that recently surfaced online via a VHS-to-YouTube resurrection. While he lost the part to Craig at the time, many fans never stopped hoping Cavill would eventually get his license to kill. But now it looks like that chapter is now about to be permanently closed. With Amazon wanting a fresh start—and with Villeneuve agreeing to give up final cut —it seems the studio is steering into bold, youthful reinvention.
What’s Next for Henry Cavill?
Not being 007 won’t slow Cavill down. He’s set to begin filming the long-awaited Highlander reboot in September, with John Wick’s Chad Stahelski directing. He’s also leading Prime Video’s Warhammer 40,000 cinematic universe, producing and starring in both live-action and animated projects. Then there’s In the Grey with Eiza González and Jake Gyllenhaal, directed by Guy Ritchie; the upcoming Voltron movie, and, of course, last summer we saw his his record-shattering MCU debut as “The Cavillrine” in Deadpool & Wolverine, which grossed $1.3 billion globally.
