Marvel Star In Talks to Play Next James Bond (Report)

By Richard Nebens Updated:
Daniel craig as James Bond, Avengers Infinity War Poster

As the search for a new star to play James Bond continues, a former Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) actor may be in the running to don the black suit.

Agent 007 has been the focus of an incredible 27 movies since 1962, with seven actors having suited up for the role as the franchise has become one of the biggest in movie history. The character was last played by Daniel Craig in five separate appearances since 2006, but with Craig now exiting the role after 2021's No Time to Die, the time has come to find a new face to fill the British secret agent's shoes.

Plenty of names have been in the running for the new Bond over the last few years, including Star Wars' John Boyega, Venom star Tom Hardy, and former Superman standout Henry Cavill.

But now, the attention turns to an actor with two Marvel roles under his belt, and it appears that he may be closer to taking the role than many expected.

Kraven/Quicksilver Star Met for James Bond Role

Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Stephen Colbert
Aaron Taylor-Johnson

According to a new report from Puck News, actor Aaron Taylor-Johnson met with James Bond producer Barbara Broccoli about taking over the role of 007 after Daniel Craig leaves the franchise. Along with fitting the bill of what the team wants, especially being only 32 years old, sources noted that his meeting with Broccoli went well.

This also lines up with a rumor from December 2022 that Taylor-Johnson was already in line to play James Bond, which also noted that a mini-trailer featuring him would be released in March or April to announce his casting.

Will Taylor-Johnson Be Confirmed as James Bond?

Aaron Taylor-Johnson's star power has risen significantly over the last few years, especially since playing Pietro Maximoff/Quicksilver in 2015's Avengers: Age of Ultron from Marvel Studios. He's also set to make an even bigger jump with his leading role as Kraven in 2023's Kraven the Hunter, which will only make him that much more of a hot commodity, especially if this casting comes to fruition.

Taylor-Johnson certainly has the look and the status to pull off the suave and savvy character of James Bond, and at only 32 years old, he would be able to play the role for years to come even with other movies on his schedule. Fans saw him pull off a buttoned-up look quite recently in 2022's Bullet Train, and he'd be able to revisit that kind of reserved and smooth character once again if he takes over the 007 mantle from Daniel Craig.

For the time being, there are no set plans for when the next Bond movie will come after 2021's No Time to Die, and it appears that the announcement for Taylor-Johnson won't be made official for the next couple of months. But if and when it is made official, he'll become the latest addition to a historic legacy by taking on arguably the biggest role of his career to date.

- About The Author: Richard Nebens
Richard Nebens joined The Direct in March 2020, now serving as the site's Senior Writer and also working as an assistant editor and content creator. He started his journalism career as a hobby in 2019 and is passionate about sharing news and stories from the entertainment industry, especially comic book movies, comedy, and sci-fi. Richard looks to expand his knowledge about movies and TV every day, and he is eager to stay locked into the latest releases and breaking news at every opportunity.