James Bond director Martin Campbell reveals Henry Cavill had a ‘great’ audition for 007
Martin Campbell has revealed that Henry Cavill has had a ‘great’ audition to play the next James Bond.
The Casino Royale executive gushed that the Superman star “looked great” when he auditioned for the role for the franchise’s 2006 reboot.
Despite the role going to Daniel Craig, who went on to appear in four subsequent films, Quantum of Solace (2009), Skyfall (2012), Specter (2015) and No Time to Die (2021), Martin said Henry “would have made an excellent Bond’.
He told The Daily Express“Look, if Daniel hadn’t existed, Henry would have been an excellent Bond. He looked great, he was in great physical shape… very handsome, very chiseled. He just looked a little young then.”
Henry, who is now 40, would have been about 22 years old when he auditioned, while Daniel, now 55, was 38 for the relaunch of the 007 films.
‘Henry would have been an excellent Bond’: Martin Campbell has revealed Henry Cavill (pictured) has had a ‘great’ audition to play the next James Bond
Audition: The Casino Royale executive gushed that the Superman star “looked amazing” when he auditioned for the role for the franchise’s 2006 reboot (Martin Campbell pictured in 2016)
The director explained that the audition process for choosing a Bond is “pretty awesome” as they had eight actors to choose from.
He said, ‘You sit around a table, eight or nine of you. It was myself and the producers, casting director, etc. And you go through the eight people and you raise your hand as you talk through each person and in the end everyone has to be unanimous in their decision, if you know what I mean.”
Martin went on to say it’s “ironic” now because Henry may be too old to play 007 now, as he may have to sign on to “three movies that take six years off your life” to film.
The director added: “Henry is 40, so by the time he’s done the third, he’ll be 50 and everything after that is two, three years a Bond,” Campbell added. “He’s in good shape Henry, he’s a good guy. He did very well at the audition, but ironically he was too young.’
Martin explained that Daniel “would have been really too old” to do another movie after his retirement from No Time To Die.
Despite not landing Bond, Henry played DC’s Superman in 2013’s Man of Steel and reprized his role in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016), Justice League (2017) (and the 2021 director’s cut).
The search for the next James Bond is currently ongoing and casting director Debbie McWilliams recently revealed that they ruled out younger actors because they “didn’t have the mental capacity” for the iconic role.
Among the most-cited candidates are Bridgerton star Regé-Jean Page, Tom Hardy and Aaron Taylor-Johnson.
Gushing: Despite the role going to Daniel Craig, who went on to appear in four subsequent films, Quantum of Solace (2009), Skyfall (2012), Specter (2015) and No Time to Die (2021), Martin said Henry “would have been an excellent Bond’ (Daniel Craig pictured in 2020)
Favourite: The director said, ‘Had Daniel not existed, Henry would have been an excellent Bond. He looked great, he was in excellent physical condition…very handsome’