Michael Caine revealed his choice for the next James Bond
Landing one of the most coveted roles in all of cinema has the potential to define an actor for the entirety of their career, but having once been under serious consideration to play James Bond himself and turned it down, Michael Caine headlined his own spy franchise instead.
Created as a counterpoint to the lighter and breezier ongoing adventures of 007, 1965’s The Ipcress File starred Caine as Harry Palmer in a more grounded, gritty, and realistic espionage tale that would go on to spawn two theatrically-released sequels in 1966 and 1967 before he returned to the role decades later in made-for-television follow-ups in 1995 and 1996.
Even though he politely declined the opportunity to occupy the part of cinema’s most famous secret agent, that doesn’t mean Caine hasn’t been following the franchise from afar. After all, he was friends with both Sean Connery and Roger Moore, so he’d have been keenly aware of the property’s inner workings regardless of whether or not he caught each new instalment on the big screen.
However, when it comes to the debate over who should replace Daniel Craig as the next iteration, Caine was quick to name Tom Hardy as his number one candidate in conversation with The Guardian, although it came with the caveat that donning the iconic tuxedo should “make him do a posh accent”.
Hardy has been a popular pick among fans and industry professionals alike, even if recent intimations from the powers-that-be have hinted he’s aged out of being in the running. While 46 is hardly geriatric in acting terms, Eon Productions heads Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli have repeatedly hinted that the next Bond will be skewing much younger.
The producorial duo suggested they were searching for somebody in their 30s who could potentially headline the Bond saga for at least a decade, if not longer, which would appear to instantly eliminate Hardy’s name from whatever shortlists are being drawn up behind closed doors.
Craig was 37 when he debuted in Casino Royale, and he famously beat out a young and relatively unknown Henry Cavill to secure the lead in Martin Campbell’s acclaimed reboot. Ironically, Cavill has become a firm favourite ever since, but having recently turned 40, he doesn’t readily fit Eon’s remit once the casting search begins anew, either.
Caine and Hardy are both regular collaborators of Christopher Nolan, himself a lifelong Bond enthusiast and another name that repeatedly makes the rounds anytime the next chapter in the globetrotting series is on the hunt for a new director. Were Nolan to finally realise his dreams and take the reins on a 007 epic, though, then Hardy’s chances of being hired would hypothetically rise, given their established professional relationship.
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