Happy Global James Bond Day! If you’ve read any of my Bond rewatch posts, you know how much I love this series. And if you haven’t, well, I love James Bond. And now with No Time to Die on the horizon, I thought a James Bond dream cast would be a great way to celebrate the day.
The characters I’m casting are:
James Bond, Main Villain, M, Q, Moneypenny, Felix Leiter, Henchman/woman, Bond Girl, Secondary Bond Girl, Bond’s Ally; also choices for Director and the artist for the theme song.
A few notes:
- None of my choices can have been in a previous Bond movie, in any role
- They have to be current, living, working actors, directors, musicians
- I did not take current schedules or other project commitments into account
My master lists for each role were quite long, so I won’t include them in full. But I may mention a few other options in consideration.
James Bond
The list goes on and on for who could take over the James Bond mantle. I’m always of the opinion that any role should always go to the actor or actress who is best suited to the character. The beauty of the James Bond character is that it casts a wide net of who could be defined as “best suited.”
More than anything – except for maybe the director – whoever plays Bond sets the tone for the rest of the movie. You could go younger with someone like Tom Holland (Not my choice but a side note that I would LOVE to see a young James Bond also with a young supporting cast. Tom Holland, Letitia Wright, Taron Egerton, Millie Bobby Brown. I’d be so in.).
A choice like Henry Cavill might give us a more stoic, intimidating Bond. An actor like Tom Hiddleston could be a little more playful, maybe even campy.
There’s the female option, too. Gal Gadot, Kate Beckinsale, Vanessa Kirby, the list goes on. Any that I’ve mentioned would make a great choice, but I’m not looking for great. This is a dream cast. I’m looking for perfect. Which brings us to my selection for James Bond:
Luke Evans
First off, the man can pull off a tux. The picture above looks like it could have come straight from a James Bond movie. But this is more of a gut feeling. You see him and he just looks like Bond. He’s got the looks and the charisma. And while I haven’t seen him in an action role that screams “the next James Bond,” at least we know he’s up for the physical nature of the role.
Casting James Bond was the hardest choice on this list. I went back and forth a lot, and there are numerous great options. But in the end, Evans simply felt more like James Bond than anyone else I thought of.
In addition to the few mention above, some others in consideration (in no particular order):
- Richard Madden
- Charlize Theron
- Tom Hardy
- Tessa Thompson
- Chiwetel Ejiojor
- Rhona Mitra
- Maise Williams
- Sasha Luss
Main Villain
The villain role is a tough one to cast. You can take it in so many directions. When the actual movie is being cast, the studio has the benefit of matching the actor to the role. I have no such luxury, so I wanted to find someone who could play any number of different characters.
Willem Dafoe
My man has 131 acting credits to his name (at least according to IMDB). You name it, he’s probably played it. And if he hasn’t, he can do it. Whether the movie calls for a psychotic villain or a more measured one who maybe works more meticulously, Dafoe is your guy.
And he’s not just a character actor; he’s a legitimately great actor. While never having won, he does have four Academy Award nominations, including back to back years in 2018 and 2019. And look at that face up there. Try telling me that’s not the face of a Bond villain.
Others in consideration:
- Jude Law
- Ben Mendelsohn
- Cillian Murphy
M
M is probably the character that I would be the most flexible on. The head of MI6 doesn’t often play hugely important parts in the movie’s larger story. So I went with someone who could have a similar feel to my favorite M: Judi Dench.
Olivia Colman
Having a female head of MI6 presents a good counter to the inherent masculinity of the James Bond character. It provides a nice balance to Bond’s ego and machismo. And Olivia Colman (last year’s Best Actress winner) is as good as anyone working right now. Why not her?
Others in consideration
- Hugh Laurie
- Colin Firth
- Emma Thompson
- Idris Elba
Q
All Bond movies incorporate some level of humor. And the Q/Bond relationship is often more of a playful one, where the movie can easily fit in some quick, smaller jokes. And it’s also better when there’s a little tension between Q and Bond. It shouldn’t reach true animosity though, as there’s a mutual respect, possibly even friendship, between the two. It’s more like one friend (Bond, in this case) needling another, approaching the line but being careful not to cross it. My choice for Q can nail this character on all fronts.
Jodie Comer
I had to get Jodie Comer in here somewhere. Far from a hot take, but I love her as Villanelle on Killing Eve. It’s is some of the best and most enjoyable acting out there. Comer could bring a little edge to the character, give viewers something we haven’t seen before. And she could do it without losing the lighter side of Q either.
Honestly, Comer could probably fill any role here. I seriously considered her for both the villain and henchwoman. But when it all came together, she simply fit better in this cast as Q.
Others in consideration
- Letitia Wright
- Donald Glover
- Bill Hader
- Tom Holland
Moneypenny
Save for a couple exceptions, Moneypenny spends the vast majority of her time in the MI6 office doing her secretarial duties. While a vital character, there’s not a lot of depth here. So what do you need from an actress to make a good Moneypenny? She should be charming, fun, and able to banter back and forth with Bond.
Lily James
Moneypenny isn’t the most glorified role, and Lily James may be too big for it. But this is a dream cast, after all. She has that sweet, cheerful air about her, which fits right in with most of the depictions of the character. Think about her in Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again. That’s a bit more extreme than what Moneypenny would be, but it clearly shows she would crush this role.
Others in consideration:
Honestly, once I thought of James, that was it. Nobody else that came to mind even came close.
Felix Leiter
Felix Leiter is one of the few friends James Bond has. Leiter needs to be friendly and personable, while still capable of pulling off the super-spy vibe. And when framed in that way, I really only saw one choice:
Bill Hader
The movie would have to find the right balance of funny Bill Hader and serious Bill Hader. Veer too far into the comedic side, and you lose some of the weight of the character and, by extension, the film. Go too far the other direction, and you miss out on what makes Hader such a dynamic actor.
While on the other side of the law, his role as the titular character in Barry proves he can handle this kind of role. Like Q, Felix Leiter can come in and add a little levity to the story. Hader would be a perfect Felix Leiter.
Others in consideration:
- Vanessa Kirby
- Tessa Thompson
- Tom Holland
- Taron Egerton
Henchman
As much as I love a good gimmicky henchman (Odd Job, Jaws, etc), a more grounded character can often be more impactful. Be it James Bond or any other movie, strong side characters can greatly benefit a movie’s overall quality. I wanted to cast a strong actor here, someone we know would maximize their screen time.
Daniel Kaluuya
Kaluuya is a fantastic actor; we all know that. But his role in Widows is what convinced me to choose him here; it proved he can get his villain on with the best of them.
The gym and bowling alley (pictured above) scenes in particular highlight how twisted Kaluuya can play. His portrayal of enforcer Jatemme was terrifying. This might be my favorite casting choice on this list.
Others in consideration:
- Alicia Vikander
- Bill Hader
- Cillian Murphy
Bond Girl
The best Bond Girls are strong women who can call Bond on his b.s. while also being able to work with him as an active partner. Granted, it doesn’t always work (I’m looking at you, Die Another Day). But when done correctly (Barbara Bach in The Spy Who Loved Me or Michelle Yeoh in Tomorrow Never Dies), the two characters can create a formidable 1-2 punch.
Vanessa Kirby
Vanessa Kirby is tailor-made to play a Bond Girl, if not the actual lead. If and when we see the James Bond role switch to a female, Kirby would be my top choice right now.
She’s beautiful, she’s a great actress, she can fight, she’s a total bad ass. She sort of played this role just this past summer in Hobbs & Shaw. A Bond movie would of course have a little more weight to it. But as an (unofficial) audition, this cemented the fact that she would nail this role.
Others in consideration:
- Sasha Luss
- Alicia Vikander
- Tessa Thompson
Secondary Bond Girl
By category name only, this might be a little unclear. This would be the female character earlier in the movie who hooks up with Bond – figuratively and likely literally – before probably meeting an untimely death (Plenty O’Toole from Diamonds Are Forever; Monica Bellucci in Spectre, for two examples).
This character needs to be beautiful, have a big personality, and be charming and/or funny enough to make an instant impact, while not being so memorable that the audience misses her when she inevitably dies. That’s actually a pretty fine line, and takes some talent to navigate and toe that line.
Alexandra Daddario
I think she would be perfect for this role. She’s done mostly comedic work, but her turn in the first season of True Detective showed off some range that she doesn’t often get to showcase. She can pop in, chew the scenery for a bit, provide a few laughs. Boom, that’s all you need.
Others in consideration:
Like Lily James as Moneypenny, once I landed on Daddario, it was a done deal. Now ideally, I would like this role would go to an unknown, or relatively new, actress. So you can see my problem here. I can’t choose them if I don’t know who they are. That’s not to say Daddario is simply a “consolation” choice, just that I’d like this role to go to someone maybe looking for their break.
Bond’s Ally
Think Kerim Bey from From Russia with Love or Mathis from Casino Royale. Depending on how big a part this character plays, the type of actor or actress chosen almost doesn’t matter. So this came down to someone who I’d like to see get a chance in a big movie like this.
Henry Ian Cusick
I’ll admit it, there might be some recency bias here. I’m rewatching Lost and just watched “The Constant.” An all-time TV episode, featuring an excellent performance by Cusick. The man can act. I’d love to see him get a chance to flex his acting muscles.
Others in consideration:
- Joel Edgerton
- Lance Reddick
- Rosario Dawson
Director
This one was really only a two-horse race for me. I’ll get to them in a second, but there were a few others I considered.
A Quentin Tarantino Bond movie would be interesting, though I don’t think his style would be quite the right fit. Now don’t get me wrong, if Tarantino signed on to direct a Bond movie, I’d be excited. And I’m sure it would turn out great. But again, we’re talking a dream scenario. And for this one, that’s not him.
And I wouldn’t mind Matthew Vaughn or Guy Ritchie getting a shot. I think either of them, Ritchie especially, could knock it out of the park.
But all three of them pale in comparison to my top two choices: Christopher McQuarrie and Christopher Nolan.
McQuarrie of course directed the last two Mission Impossible movies, Rogue Nation and Fallout. Both are great, with Fallout being one of the best actions movies in recent memory. He would be a dynamite choice, but still falls just short of Nolan.
Nolan’s list of directing credits is a murderers’ row of movies. He’s responsible for some of the biggest and most acclaimed hits of the last 15 years. He’s more than proven himself capable of taking on an action spy series like Bond. And you know he would find a way to add his unique Nolan flair to it, likely in a way that’s so far unseen in the series. A Nolan Bond film would be a breath of new life in more ways than one. This pairing might be the single thing I want to see most out of any potential movie.
Artist for Title Song
This is one spot where it’s hard to go wrong. Lil Nas X, Post Malone, Lizzo. All incredibly popular right now. All very talented. And there are of course countless other artists and groups that fit the bill.
While I like my choice quite a lot, there are definitely plenty of other options that I would be more than okay with.
Halsey
Listen to these two songs, and you’ll see what kind of range she has between styles. She has a great voice, plus she has her own unique sound that I think would fit in great for a Bond song.
Let’s run down the choices one more time before we finish up.
And there we have it, one huge James Bond fan’s dream cast for a new movie.
But what do you think? Did I get anything right? What were my biggest whiffs? Sound off in the comments and let me know you would like to see cast in a new James Bond movie!