Henry Cavill’s 007 audition was tremendous” according to Casino Royale director, Martin Campbell.
During an interview with The Express, the filmmaker revealed new details about Cavill’s 007 screen test.
“He looked great in the audition,” he said. “His acting was tremendous. And look, if Daniel didn’t exist Henry would have made an excellent Bond. He looked terrific, he was in great physical shape… very handsome, very chiseled. He just looked a little young at that time back then.”
Famously, Cavill just missed out on the role of 007 back when casting for the 2006 hit, Casino Royale, took place. The role, of course, went to Daniel Craig. However, Campbell thinks Cavill simply missed his time to play the iconic British superspy. At the time, Cavill was only 23, so his casting would have made him the youngest Bond yet.
“It was ultimately down to, and this is what I’ve been told, it was just down to me and Daniel, and I was the younger option,” said Cavill in an interview with Josh Horowitz. “They obviously went with Daniel and I think it was an amazing choice to go with Daniel. I probably wasn’t ready at the time and I think Daniel did an incredible job over the past movies, so I’m happy they made that choice.”
It’s no secret that 007 producers are now on the lookout for the next James Bond after Daniel Craig left the franchise behind with No Time to Die. Could Cavill now play Bond? “By the time Daniel got to [No Time To Die] really he was at an age where one more would have been too old for him,” said Campbell. “I think they sign on for three Bonds, I’m not absolutely 100% certain of that. I know with Pierce [Brosnan] he had to sign on to three when we did him. So, that’s going to take, what, six years of your life maybe? I suspect Daniel [had] the same deal. And the next guy’s going to have to do that.
“Henry’s 40, so by the time he’s done the third one he’s going to be 50. Anything beyond that’s two, three years per Bond. He’s in good shape Henry, he’s a good guy. He did very well in the audition, but ironically, he was too young.”
The next Bond movie is said to be a “complete reinvention” of the series and it’s reported that producers are looking for someone younger, ideally in their 30s.
IGN’s Casino Royale review gave it 9/10 and said: “The point of Fleming's story was always about how Bond, after suffering at the hands of Le Chiffre and then facing even greater pain later, realizes his place in the world and that he must go after the threat behind the threat. In other words, James Bond literally and figuratively gets his balls back, and that testicular fortitude is exactly what this 44-year-old franchise has needed for many years now.”
Want to read more about James Bond? Find out why some 007 favorites might be too old to play James Bond, and why John Williams would love to score a Bond movie.
Ryan Leston is an entertainment journalist and film critic for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter.