Why Henry Cavill's Casting as James Bond in Casino Royale Was Always Meant to Be!

Henry Cavill was almost chosen to portray James Bond instead of Daniel Craig, despite his natural charm, charisma, and impressive physique. Surprisingly, Casino Royale director Martin Campbell believed that Cavill wasn't the right fit for the iconic character.

Casino Royale marked the beginning of the recent James Bond film series, with Craig donning the role of 007 for five movies spanning fifteen years. In true Bond-movie fashion, his portrayal of James Bond propelled his career to new heights. Prior to his Bond role, Craig primarily worked in television and smaller films. Just before Casino Royale, he appeared in Lara Croft: Tomb Raider and Road to Perdition. Since his breakthrough as Bond, Craig has also been recognized for his performances in films such as Cowboys & Aliens, Logan Lucky, and, notably, as Detective Benoit Blanc in Rian Johnson's Knives Out and Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery. While Craig's acting prowess speaks for itself, his portrayal of Bond undeniably played a significant role in his success.

Craig's career and Cavill's could have taken different paths. In an interview with Express UK, Campbell discussed Cavill's audition for James Bond and why Craig ultimately landed the role. "Cavill looked impressive in the audition," Campbell remarked. "His acting was outstanding. If Daniel had not been in the picture, Cavill would have been a fantastic Bond. He had a striking appearance, was in excellent physical condition... very attractive, very well-defined. However, he appeared slightly too youthful during that period."

As Craig's James Bond bids farewell, the question lingers: who will be the next 007? Could it be Cavill? Campbell addressed this possibility, but his response may disappoint those hoping to see Cavill don the iconic suit and battle villains with high-tech gadgets. "I believe they have a three-Bond contract, although I'm not entirely certain. When we worked with Pierce, he had to commit to three movies. That's around six years of your life. I suspect Daniel had a similar agreement, and the next actor will have to adhere to that as well. Henry is currently 40, so by the time he finishes three films, he will be 50. Any further films would require two to three years per Bond. Henry is fit and talented, and he did exceptionally well in the audition, but ironically, he was considered too young." While Campbell's response wasn't a definitive no, it seems that Cavill is approaching an age where playing Bond may not be feasible.

Although Cavill may have been deemed too young and now potentially too old to portray James Bond, his career has thrived without the role. His portrayal of Superman and Geralt of Rivia solidified him as a star in the action and fantasy genres, and his upcoming projects reflect this success. Cavill is set to produce and star in a Warhammer 40k film, along with appearances in Guy Ritchie's The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare and Matthew Vaughn's Argylle. So, while his fans may have missed out on seeing Cavill as Bond, they can eagerly anticipate his thrilling performances in the future.

Casino Royale is available on Amazon Prime Video.

Source: Express UK