It is commonly known among fans of Henry Cavill that the British actor once vied for the role of the suave super-spy, James Bond. After delivering a stellar performance as a DC superhero in Man of Steel, he was on a straight path to achieving greatness. Many expected him to easily bag the part with his looks and background in action thrillers with the superhero movie. 

However, Cavill was deemed too young for the part by Casino Royale’s director. Apparently, Martin Campbell had some equally worrying reservations about Daniel Craig too. 

Daniel Craig was not a traditional Bond in this major aspect

In a recent interview with Express UK, Martin Campbell relayed his experience of looking for the next James Bond after Pierce Brosnan ended his 007 run in 2005. Although Daniel Craig was the most preferred successor, the 79-year-old was worried that he was not a traditionally “handsome guy”. For him, the previous Bonds were all “sexy” and appealed “to women” more. Whereas, the Spectre actor was “tougher” and rugged.

Regardless of this, he still beat Henry Cavill to the spot by being a “superb actor” and also being of the right age for Bond. Despite being rejected for Casino Royale, today the 40-year-old is headlining not one but two spy thriller flicks. Also, he is still a top contender for the next James Bond now that Craig has exited the franchise!

Even so, his many competitors are no less worthy than Daniel Craig once was.

Who is Henry Cavill competing with this time? 

What started as a steady one-on-one between Cavill and Aaron Taylor-Johnson, the battle for the 007 part has seen many new additions since. Apart from Tom Hardy and Idris Elba who have now fallen behind, the list also includes Regé-Jean Page of Bridgerton fame. Cillian Murphy who garnered a strong fan following after Peaky Blinders, and more recently Oppenheimer, is in the running too. 

Also joining this list more recently is Damson Idris, a 32-year-old budding actor. Moreover, there is also speculation about a female James Bond entering the mix sometime soon as well. Who knows, in the search for the best man, the makers could land on a female actor as well. Until then, Cavill’s fans are rooting for him to snatch it up soon!

Do you agree with Martin Campbell that Daniel Craig is not handsome like a traditional Bond? Share your thoughts in the comments.