As fans of the James Bond film wait for the final casting, Doctor Who and Jessica Jones star David Tennant revealed that he was once considered for the role. The actor shared this in a podcast episode of Acting for Others saying he was approached by a friend of the franchise’s producer and said he has a chance.
In a parallel universe, Tennant would make a really badass British spy agent. The actor said in the podcast that it happened when Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson were planning to reboot the film series following Pierce Brosnan’s version.
David Tennant Was Once Considered For James Bond Role
The actor hinted he had no idea that he was even on the list until a director told him so. In the podcast, David Tennant said:
“I never believed I had [a chance] until I worked with a director recently who had worked with the Broccolis, who said, ‘Yeah, you were on the list that time.’ “I went, ‘What time?’ He went, ‘The last time.’ I went, ‘What time? He went, ‘The last time.’ I suppose he meant Daniel Craig because before that I’d have been a child. I think it was a long list and I don’t think I was ever near the top of it, but apparently so.”
It would have made all the difference if David Tennant landed the iconic 007 role. He said it would have been a “game changer” but the actor believes it happened for a good reason. He added:
“I think it’s a bit of a game changer. That level of celebrity. Bond is on a different level. But there is that bit [as the Doctor] where you lose your anonymity, certainly. It was a different scale to anything I’d done before in terms of just the general public being aware of you. There’s always someone who has a DVD that they want signing. But I’m not going to complain about that, it’s a very privileged place to be.”
Daniel Craig landed the role in 2006 and ended up working on five installments, while David Tennant joined the cast of Doctor Who in 2005. Had things turned out differently, we would not have the gritty version of James Bond and the famous Tenth Doctor that we know.
What We Know So Far About The Casting
There are still a lot of unknown details about the upcoming James Bond film, especially the actor who will fill in the shoes of the character. Many names have been added to the list, such as Henry Cavill, the most popular bet, Idris Elba, Tom Hardy, and Regé-Jean Page. Other notable names include Tom Holland, Jacob Elordi, and Henry Golding. Although, the criteria for the lead role have been revealed by the producer.
Someone who is in his late 20s to mid-30s, and willing to commit to at least a ten to the twelve-year contract would be suitable. This explains why they are choosing a much younger lead as compared to the previous actors who played Bond.
Wilson, one of the executives, said during an event at London’s British Film Institute (via Deadline):
“We’ve tried looking at younger people in the past. But trying to visualize it doesn’t work. Remember, Bond’s already a veteran. He’s had some experience. He’s a person who has been through the wars, so to speak. He’s probably been in the SAS or something. He isn’t some kid out of high school that you can bring in and start off. That’s why it works for a thirty-something.”
Fans can only wait until further announcements are made. The casting will presumably take longer as filming won’t start until after at least two years.
