The Bond odds have been at it ever since No Time to Die closed the chapter on Daniel Craig’s 007. With Henry Cavill, Idris Elba, and Tom Hardy tripping all over each other for the coveted role of James Bond, the roster of who’s who seems like a Japanese puzzle box of melée and confusion. And as time moves forward, more names keep pouring into the debate and the odds with the latest reports claiming two new names have overtaken the otherwise regulars and favorites.
Paul Mescal and Cillian Murphy Enter the 007 Race
007 was pretty much a nonstarter for Henry Cavill and Idris Elba – two of the most-voted nominees for the role – ever since Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson announced their criterion for the new version of the literary hero. With the requisite age category and the probability of the new actor has to carry the industry forward for at least the next decade, the likelihood of the 40 and 50-year-old actors getting cast was slim to none.
In their place, shots were being leveled at younger actors like Tom Holland, James Norton, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Richard Madden, and The Gray Man star, Regé-Jean Page. Among female candidates, Emily Blunt has remained a crowd favorite, while Jodie Comer, Emilia Clarke, and Rachel Weisz follow closely behind. But the tide has turned once again and the James Bond roster has witnessed two new names pull through in the race to deliver a much-needed boost to the competition: Paul Mescal and Cillian Murphy.
Paul Mescal & Cillian Murphy as James Bond Candidates
The 2020 miniseries, Normal People, catapulted Irish actors Daisy Edgar-Jones and Paul Mescal to meteoric popularity with the adaptation of the eponymous best-selling novel by Sally Rooney. Paul Mescal has gone on to win a BAFTA and an Emmy nomination for his role while his more recent part in Aftersun earned him his first Oscar nomination at the age of 27. The actor currently looks like an incredibly favorable candidate to be the next James Bond, considering his age and credibility in Hollywood circles.
Cillian Murphy, on the other hand, needs no introduction. The Peaky Blinders star has been anything but idle since his breakout performance in the apocalyptic drama, 28 Days Later. The eventual recognition he went on to find while frequently collaborating with acclaimed director, Christopher Nolan, and the immutable British period crime drama, Peaky Blinders, has made him a coveted actor in the upper strata of the industry.
Cillian Murphy makes a strong statement with his electrifying performance as Tommy Shelby in the series, a trait that proves he would make a very good Bond. However, while Mescal seems closer to fulfilling the age criteria, Murphy at 46 is not going to be an easy pitch for Broccoli and Wilson as they navigate the future of the 007 franchise.
No Time To Die is available for streaming on Prime Video.
Source: Irish Mirror
