James Bond Casting Director: Younger Actors Have Lacked the ‘Gravitas’ and ‘Mental Capacity’ to Play 007

Zack Sharf Digital News Director “Guardians of the Galaxy” writer-director James Gunn revealed in a recent interview with ComicBook.com that Zoe Saldana’s Gamora was nearly killed off in 2017’s “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2,” about a year before the character met her demise in “Avengers: Infinity War.” According to Gunn, it was Marvel executives that talked him out of the decision. “Gamora almost died in ‘Vol. 2,'” Gunn said. “I knew from the beginning Zoe only wanted to play the character for so many years, and she’s been very honest saying that she’s done [after this]. And so I was going to have her die. I thought she was the one that was going to sacrifice herself…I was kind of talked out of it by Kevin [Feige] and Lou [D’Esposito], and then it just didn’t work that well. It didn’t feel right, it felt much more right to go where we go in that movie. That seemed what was correct for the story.”

James Bond franchise in No Time To Die. Last year's 60th-anniversary celebrations for the franchise came and went without any news on casting the next 007. Nevertheless, rumours have been circling certain stars like Aaron Taylor-Johnson, who reportedly auditioned for Barbara Broccoli.

Richard Madden has long been among the short list of actors rumoured to be in the running to take over the role of James Bond now that Daniel Craig has left the franchise.

James Bond fans are 'stirring' after some have suggested the upcoming 'shake' up of the franchise could see Richard Madden don the famous white tuxedo. The actor, 36, is best known for his role as Robb Stark in Game of Thrones and has been among the favourites in the race to be the next 007 ever since Daniel Craig called time on his stint as the British secret agent.

While mystery still surrounds the identity of the next James Bond – or exactly how producers will get round the necessary change of narrative required after 007’s last outing – fans are now convinced they have uncovered which actor will be scooping up the licence to kill. 

Richard Madden has the Internet talking!

Eva Green has claimed that “justice prevailed” after successfully suing a production company over the collapse of an abandoned sci-fi film.The Casino Royal star was set to play the lead role in dystopian thriller A Patriot, but the production company, White Lantern Films, collapsed in October 2019.After the film was abandoned, Green sued the production company, claiming she was still entitled to her $1m (£810,000) fee.On Friday (April 28), the judge ruled in Green’s favour, stating that the actress was entitled to her fee. The counter claim, alleging that Green jeopardised the film by abandoning it, was dismissed.The judge said (via The Independent) : “In particular, I find that Ms Green did not renounce her obligations under the artist agreement; nor did she commit any repudiatory breaches of it.”Following the ruling, Green said in a statement: “My professional reputation has been upheld.“In this legal action I was forced to stand up to a small group of men, funded by deep financial resources, who tried to use me as a scapegoat to cover up their own mistakes,” she said.

Prince Andrew was given a replica James Bond Aston Martin car worth £4,000 when he was just six years old, according to a new documentary examining his public downfall.The Duke of York - who was then the second in line to the throne - was gifted the working vehicle which had machine guns behind the headlamps, a rotating number plate and a smokescreen function to befuddle chasing villains all before he turned seven. Channel 4’s Andrew: The Problem Prince examines how Prince Andrew was stripped of his Royal duties over his friendship with late American paedophile Jeffrey Epstein and sexual abuse accusations from Virginia Guiffre, who settled her civil claim against the Prince last year. Claims which Prince Andrew vehemently denied.

“Succession” star plays the “tormenter” once again in a new reality competition series inspired by James Bond, titled “007’s Road to a Million,” according to The Hollywood Reporter.“I got to see how ordinary people would cope with being on a James Bond adventure,” Cox, 76, said about his new role, according to the outlet. Cox will host as “The Controller” – AKA the emcee – and the one who decides the future of contestants on the new Amazon Studios game show.The series features two-person teams competing to win $1.2 million, shot in locations that are relevant to James Bond, such as the Scottish Highlands, Jamaica and Venice, Italy.

Prime Video), said she was on board for the project from the get-go.“When I met [executive producers Joe and Anthony Russo], they explained to me what this character was, they wanted to create a female spy that’s like James Bond. I was like, ‘Why would I not do that?’ Of course, I want to do that!” Chopra Jonas, 40, told The Post. Priyanka Chopra Jonas (who married Nick Jonas, 30, in 2018) is no stranger to TV viewers after crossing over from Bollywood to Hollywood to star in the ABC series “Quantico” and movies including “The Matrix Resurrections.” She said that “Citadel’s” status as an international show was especially appealing to her. “Jennifer Salke [head of Amazon Studios] and I were in a meeting and she talked to me about wanting to create this global show that actually connects multiple countries and multiple filmmakers and storytelling, with different cultures in one show,” she said “I was like, ‘Wow, no one has ever attempted that in TV or film, ever.'” “Citadel,” premiering April 28, has already been renewed for a second season and Prime Video is planning spinoff series in other countries and languages following various spies.

Matthew Rhys has added his name to the long list of British actors who, despite their best endeavours, would not be Bond. 

Bonding with James Bond. Rachel Weisz shared rare insight into her and husband Daniel Craig’s home lives with their 4-year-old daughter, Grace.

Chris Evans wants in on the next James Bond movie!

Since her brief (and stunning) cameo in “No Time To Die,” Ana de Armas has been candid about what she thinks about the “James Bond” franchise. For instance, last year, she told EW that she didn’t think the next James Bond should be a woman, but women need a “more substantial part and recognition” in the franchise.

A casting director who will help select the next actor to play James Bond in the popular film franchise laid out one major requirement for Daniel Craig‘s replacement.

James Bond casting director Debbie McWilliams has said young actors lack the “gravitas” and “mental capacity” to play 007.In an interview with RadioTimes.com, McWilliams, who has been the franchises’ casting director since 1981, explained why young actors hadn’t worked out during auditions for 2006’s Casino Royale.“When we started, it was a slightly different feel,” McWilliams told the outlet. “We did look at a lot of younger actors, and I just don’t think they had the gravitas, they didn’t have the experience, they didn’t have the mental capacity to take it on, because it’s not just the part they’re taking on, it’s a massive responsibility.“So we kind of scrubbed that idea and went back to the drawing board and started again.”Daniel Craig was aged 37 when he was cast as James Bond for Casino Royale.

the short list of hunky Hollywood heartthrobs rumored to be in the running for the coveted Bond role, alongside Idris Elba, Tom Hardy, “Superman” stud Henry Cavill, Richard Madden of “Game of Thrones” and “Bridgerton” star Regé-Jean Page. A spokesperson for the video game company was shocked at the uncanny resemblance to Taylor-Johnson, telling the Times, “It’ll be amazing if he actually lands the role now.”Unwind Media also prompted the artificial intelligence technology to manufacture the next Bond girl, with the instructions to imagine a British actress in her mid-20s who is 5-feet, 7 inches tall.

This year, the search for Daniel Craig’s James Bond replacement will begin and, while rumours about a younger 007 were previously squashed by franchise producer Michael G. Wilson, longtime casting director, Debbie McWilliams, is further elaborating, explaining why young actors typically don’t fit the iconic role as opposed to those in their thirties.

the suave spy as opposed to older actors.“When we started, it was a slightly different feel,” McWilliams told  Radio Times recently.“We did look at a lot of younger actors, and I just don’t think they had the gravitas.”McWilliams said that with the big part comes big responsibility.“They didn’t have the experience, they didn’t have the mental capacity to take it on, because it’s not just the part they’re taking on, it’s a massive responsibility,” she explained.“So we kind of scrubbed that idea and went back to the drawing board and started again.”Daniel Craig was the most recent A-lister to play Bond, having begun with 2006’s “Casino Royale” and ending his run with 2021’s “No Time To Die.”The “Knives Out” star, 55, was in his mid-30s when he was first cast in the early 2000s.The world of Bond started cranking out films in 1962 with the flick “Dr. No,” starring Sean Connery.

Zack Sharf Digital News Director Margot Robbie’s “Barbie” trailer nearly broke the internet when its official trailer dropped at the start of April, which might’ve come as a shock to the Oscar-nominated actor considering there was a time when she thought no Hollywood studio would touch the satirical comedy. In a recent interview with BAFTA (via IndieWire), Robbie revealed that her first reaction to reading Greta Gerwig and Noah Baumbach’s “Barbie” screenplay was disbelief over the movie being made. “The first time I read the ‘Barbie’ script, my reaction was, ‘Ah! This is so good. What a shame it will never see the light of day because they are never going to let us make this movie,’” Robbie said. “But they did.”