Is Harry Styles The Next James Bond?
Is Harry Styles going to suit up in a tuxedo and shoot bad guys?
Harry Styles has been a fan favorite choice to take on the role of super-spy James Bond after Daniel Craig hangs up his tuxedo in No Time to Die. Rumors abounded that he could actually be up for the role, and Styles certainly seemed willing to take on the task. He was recently interviewed by the Daily Mail and the subject of James Bond came up once again.
“I grew up watching those,” Styles said. “You know, I loved him when I was a kid. So I think it’s kind of everyone’s dream a little bit, right?” But, a representative for Styles flatly shot down the rumors that he was officially being courted for the role.
Yes, Harry Styles has debunked any idea that he is being officially courted for the role of James Bond. This might be a devastating blow to fans of Styles and the James Bond character, but there is a lot to understand right now about where the future of James Bond is headed.
With Daniel Craig ending his tenure after a very successful run, the future of James Bond is going to be extremely scrutinized in a myriad of ways. Of course, casting is one of those areas that will be subjected to intense examination. Could Harry Styles end up in the running for James Bond? Sure! But, the process is so early now that any actors the studio would be looking at would likely show up on what is called a “shortlist.” Essentially, this is fantasy casting for the people who will actually end up making the movie. They draw up a list of actors they think would fit this interpretation of the character. Whether or not any of those actors are approached could remain totally unknown to the public.
For example, Harry Styles is not the only actor whose name has popped up in the rumor mill for James Bond. We’ve recently run reports on actors like Henry Cavill and Tom Hardy being up for the role. Has anything official been done? Almost assuredly not. Maybe these actors have been propositioned for a potential meeting with the executives behind James Bond, or maybe their names just ended up on somebody’s shortlist. Even more ephemeral is the possibility that they are just popular actors that a large majority of fans would like to see in the role.
That would be our guess when it specifically comes to Harry Styles and his unsubstantiated attachment to the role of James Bond. Styles has a fervent and vocal fan following that would surely support him taking on such a coveted and illustrious role. It is no surprise that once the seed of his involvement was planted, a mighty oak of rumor and conjecture sprouted up and blossomed. It’s probably why Styles has had to continually shoot down any rumors that he is actually being pursued for the part.
Would Harry Styles even make a good James Bond? Maybe! He has only really started to stretch his legs as a full-time actor – his IMDb page only lists two acting roles that aren’t “Harry Styles” – and a role like James Bond could potentially make or break his career in the acting world. He’s young enough that he could carry the role over a large number of entries. And many fans were impressed with his dramatic work in the Christopher Nolan film Dunkirk. If he does get the role, we will be intrigued to see what he’ll bring to the classic character. But, for now, don’t expect him to shoot the camera any time soon.
