James Bond producer Michael G. Wilson has claimed that younger actors are out of the question for 007 because the character is a “veteran,” not “just any kid from high school.”
The search for Daniel Craig’s replacement hasn’t started yet, but Wilson and the rest of the team have an idea of what they’ll be looking for when they audition for the role. According to Deadline, the James Bond producer addressed the casting criteria for 007 at a recent event at London’s BFI, explaining why “an actor in his thirties” is a good fit for the character.
“We’ve tried looking at younger people in the past,” he said. “But trying to imagine it doesn’t work. Remember, Bond is already a veteran. He has gained some experience. He’s sort of a person who went through the wars. He was probably in the SAS or something. He’s not some kid from high school that you can bring in and start. That’s why it works for a 30-something.”
The youngest actor to play 007 is George Lazenby, who was 29 when he filmed On Her Majesty’s Secret Service. The rest of the Bond actors were in their 30s and 40s when they first signed on for the role, and that’s not about to change. The chosen candidate must also be willing to commit to the franchise for at least a decade.
“We don’t just cast someone for a film. We’re casting someone, hopefully for at least a decade. It’s a big decision that we have to make and we’re nowhere near that,” producer Barbara Broccoli previously told , adding, “Any actor that thinks about it has to think about how it does would change his life.”
The next James Bond who never played 007
Since Daniel Craig left the role, there have been several suggestions as to who should take on the role and how the franchise could be reinvented. Idris Elba has proved a popular choice with fans despite previously quashing rumors about it. Dwayne Johnson has also thrown his hat in the ring, but Broccoli seems to have already ruled him out.
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Adele Ankers-Range is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow her on Twitter.