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James Bond?: Tom Hiddleston?, ?Gillian Anderson, Jamie Bell Wanted For The Role As Daniel Craig And Sam Mendes Leave The ‘007’ Series

By Stephen Jordan
Published on: 20:05 PST, May 28, 2016

James Bond is in need of a new actor and director, it seems. For one, director Sam Mendes (who previously directed Skyfall and Spectre) no longer wants to be apart of the franchise, according to The Guardian, and says it’s time for some new blood to begin helming the 007 series. And with the apparent departure of actor Daniel Craig, Bond 25 will also need a new leading actor or actress to take on the role.

Mendes leaving the Bond franchise is not too surprising, considering that Spectre was not critically praised like Skyfall was.

“It was an incredible adventure, I loved every second of it,” Mendes said while attending the Hay festival. Mendes has spent five years in total with the Bond series. “But I think it’s time for somebody else.”

Director Martin Campbell reintroduced the character of James Bond with a more gritty, Bourne-like take on the character with Daniel Craig in 2006 with Casino Royale. Mendes followed 2008’s Marc Forster-directed Quantum of Solace with Skyfall in 2012.

James Bond?:Tom Hiddleston?, ?Gillian Anderson, Idris Elba Wanted For The Role As Daniel Craig And Sam Mendes Leave The '007' Series
Sam Mendes accepts the award for Best British Film for ‘Spectre.’ [Photo by Jeff Spicer/Getty Images]
“I’m a storyteller,” Sam Mendes continued. “And at the end of the day, I want to make stories with new characters.”

Mendes also made it clear that he would have nothing to do with finding a new actor to play Bond, pointing to producer Barbara Broccoli as the one and only voice on the matter.

“It’s not a democracy,” Mendes said. “Barbara Broccoli decides who is going to be the next Bond, end of story.”

Who will be the new James Bond? Tom Hiddleston, it seems, is apparently in talks with the studio to take over as Bond for Daniel Craig. Loki as 007?

Tom Hiddleston as James Bond is looking more and more like a possibility, as sources close to the actor claim that there has been at least one meeting between the studio and Hiddleston regarding the role. Hiddleston himself has mentioned having an interest in the role previously, but it looks like a deal has not yet been finalized with the Night Manager actor.

There have been reports floating around that claim Daniel Craig turned down millions of dollars to appear in two more Bond films. His most recent statements on the character and the possibility of coming back were pretty blunt, saying that he would rather cut his own wrists than be Bond again.

“I’d rather break this glass and slit my wrists,” were Craig’s exact words, however they were from an interview that had taken place right after Craig had finished filming Spectre. It’s possible that after a long, grueling shoot, Craig just wasn’t looking forward to the idea of jumping right back in.

But how does the idea of X Files actress Gillian Anderson as Bond sound? Anderson herself seems to think it’s a great idea.

The actress is getting plenty of positive support from fans who also think casting a woman as Bond as an excellent idea. Actress Reese Witherspoon quoted one of Anderson’s tweets and said that she would be on board with that.

Priyanka Chopra has also playfully suggested that she would like to play Bond, as opposed to a Bond girl. Fans have also voiced interest in seeing Idris Elba in the role. So it looks like there are a plethora of actors who could be the next 007. And according to an anonymous source, Barbara Broccoli is keen on actor Jamie Bell as James Bond.

“Barbara has been a fan of Jamie for a long time and has even thought about him playing another role in the franchise before. Everyone remembers Jamie as the little boy in Billy Elliot, but he’s now bulked up and got some serious roles under his belt.”

[Image via Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures/Columbia Pictures/EON Productions]

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