James Bond candidate Tom Hiddleston is reportedly out of the running as the next 007. After all the speculation and the hype about Tom getting into the Bond game since May, International Business Times (IBT) has confirmed the sad news. IBT quotes spy thriller writer Frederick Forsyth as follows.
“I got a tip the other day which I’ll share with you. I understand Barbara Broccoli is absolutely no way going to pick Tom Hiddleston . No. Way.”
That would be a double ouch as Taylor Swift, Tom’s girlfriend is reportedly interested in getting her hands on the lucrative James Bond bandwagon, too, according to Movieweb . Not as James Bond or Jane Bond like X-Files ‘ Gillian Anderson, but as a bonafide Bond girl .
REJECTED: @TwHiddleston will never become James Bond #HiddleSwift https://t.co/t5qpsjOPxk https://t.co/t5qpsjOPxk
— 98.5 The Bull Tulsa (@TheBullTulsa) August 11, 2016
An Inquisitr article also claims that Tom is dating the “Bad Blood” singer in order to land the James Bond role vacated by Daniel Craig — but news about the Hiddleston ouster throws such speculation out the window as well. Although no decision has been arrived at yet by James Bond producers, Hiddleston’s “license to kill” loss does help narrow down the possible choices.
With Hiddleston out of the equation, the top three choices are Aidan Turner, American Hustle’s Jack Huston, and Grantchester’s James Norton. IBT also says that nobody actually contacted Idris Elba to play James Bond, and so the Pacific Rim actor should be out of the running, too.
The source, however, declined to explain why Taylor Swift’s boyfriend is no longer being considered to play James Bond. All it said was that “in May 2016, reports claimed Hiddleston was in “advanced talks” with Universal studios over the role.”
Therefore, there seems to be a big mystery here. The Week also carried the same story about Tom’s fall from grace but, alas, no explanation is being provided either. It’s almost like being fired, but without being provided any reason for the action whatsoever.
IBT also pointed out in its report that in May, bookers suspended betting on Tom Hiddleston for the James Bond role because of receiving a flurry of punts in favor of the actor. In other words, Tom was really a very popular choice among bookers at that time. Why that changed will perhaps remain a mystery forever, as sources do not provide any explanation.
The Inquisitr , however, has pointed to rumors that Hiddleston’s jet-setting romance is what might have caused the Night Manager actor to lose his chance of grabbing the sought-after 007 role. Hollywood Life , in contrast, holds the opposite view, claiming the following.
“A romance with arguably the biggest pop star on the planet will guarantee you huge coverage and that can only strengthen his hand in getting the role….James Bond producers are desperate for the next Bond to be a universal name that will boost the brand worldwide, especially in America.”
Anyway, losing out on James Bond should not be such a big deal for Tom, as he remains as bankable an actor as ever. Aside from the Thor project, he also has Kong: Skull Island . A versatile actor like Tom Hiddleston is not likely to run out of projects. Why he even snagged an Emmy Award nomination recently for his performance in The Night Manager , Variety reports.
Meanwhile, Deadline says that the James Bond door might not have completely closed for Daniel Craig even if he has signed on to Purity , a Showcase series. The source says that if ever the actor decides to rejoin the 53-year-old movie franchise which he supposedly left after the last James Bond installment, scheduling isn’t likely to be a problem.
In May, James Bond producers offered Craig an insane amount of money just to return to the Bond set but to no avail, says Daily Mail . Fortunately, if the British assassin and spy character still doesn’t find a suitable replacement by the opportune time, there is another alternative.
James Bond now has a comics version according to io9 Gizmodo. It’s called Hammerhead and it explores 007’s two sides, namely, “the charming, handsome gentleman-spy, and the brutally efficient man of action.”
So if things turn ugly with the James Bond selection program, who cares, there is always Hammerhead to satisfy 007 cravings. So what do you think of the new James Bond comics series? In particular, how do you find the name Hammerhead ? Does it reflect the true character of Her Majesty’s Secret Service ?
[Photo by Stuart C. Wilson/Getty Images]