Tom Hardy has leapt back into the conversation of who should play James Bond after Daniel Craig, but there are several reasons why he’d be a terrible choice for the part of 007. Per official betting odds from aggregator US-Bookies, Hardy is now the number one pick to succeed Craig, beating out Bridgerton star Regé-Jean Page, who previously held the top spot. Hardy has been a popular choice for James Bond for years, but the franchise would be much better off going in a different direction after No Time to Die.
For years, 007 fans have contemplated who could pick up the mantle of Bond after Craig’s departure. Idris Elba, Henry Cavill, and a number of others have all gained traction at different points, but there’s never been a clear answer to the question of who could be the best next Bond. Hardy has remained in the discussion for years, and on paper he’s a great pick. He’s a dapper British superstar with immense acting talent and international appeal. But there are other reasons why he might not actually be such a good choice.
In short, Hardy is too similar to Craig to become the next Bond. The most successful 007 transitions have come when the newcomer brings a distinctly different energy to the role – something that hasn’t been seen in the character’s past iterations. Craig’s contribution was his Bond’s hard edge, a gritty twist on 007 that became a huge hit with audiences. Unfortunately, Hardy brings that exact same energy to the table, which would make it challenging for his Bond to differentiate itself from Craig’s enough to be successful.
Hardy’s age is another reason why he just isn’t right for the part. The star is currently 43 – a decade younger than Craig – and while there’s nothing wrong with older actors taking on big action roles, his age would be prohibitive to how long he could potentially remain as 007. Craig was 47 when he filmed Spectre, his fourth Bond film. Given that it will probably be at least two years before production on the next 007 movie begins, Hardy would be nearly that old in his very first outing as the character.
If an older James Bond is what the studio decides to go with, Elba might be a better choice, as his style of secret agent would be a much bigger shift from Craig than Hardy would be. Otherwise, Page or some other younger star would be a better choice, as they could stay with the franchise for much longer than Hardy likely could. There’s no question that Hardy is an exceptional talent of the modern age, but he’d be a terrible pick as the next James Bond star.
