Whether or not Bridgerton’s Regé-Jean Page ends up gaining the role of 007 in Bond 26, the potential James Bond star is not jeopardizing his chances for the part by taking on major blockbuster roles. At the current time, it’s tricky to predict where the James Bond franchise will go next. As of 2022, Daniel Craig’s reign as James Bond is over, but no announcement has been made about who will be the next actor cast as the suave super-spy.
Although big names like Tom Hardy and Idris Elba have been discussed for Bond 26, it is still unclear who the franchise’s producers are leaning toward. One name that has come up a lot is Regé-Jean Page, whose comparative obscurity could bolster his chances at gaining the part. However, Page is right not to avoid high-profile projects in the meantime.
When the Bridgerton star became an overnight sensation in late 2020, Regé-Jean Page was immediately tapped as a bookmaker’s favorite for Bond 26. While his odds have since improved and worsened depending on the day, Page has always had one thing going for him that every other potential James Bond actor lacks — novelty. Page isn’t as well-known as his competitors so, if the James Bond franchise producers want to do something new with the next movie, he would be a perfect candidate for the part. However, Page’s profile has only grown since Bridgerton debuted, with upcoming big-budget projects like The Gray Man, Dungeons and Dragons, and The Saint all imperiling his chances for the role of Bond. That said, this ignores the history of the role, which has seen several iconic actors claim the part after having already been a well-known name.
Miss Moneypenny actor Naomie Harris conveyed the worries many had with Page's chances of getting the role in an interview where she endorsed Tom Hardy for Bond, but questioned his chances of gaining the role, “they always choose someone who we don't expect and someone who's more up and coming.” This sentiment, which many commentators have echoed, calls Page’s wisdom into question when it comes to taking on blockbuster roles. However, this discounts the fact that former 007 actor Roger Moore was also a well-known leading man, who had even played James Bond in a comedy sketch years before getting the role for real.
Not only that, but the career trajectory of Pierce Brosnan proves Page’s path even more right. Brosnan well-established by the time he became James Bond, and had already starred in a similar role on TV’s Remington Steele. Brosnan was even offered the role of Bond twice, narrowly missing out to Timothy Dalton the first time. This proves that, while Daniel Craig and Timothy Dalton were more left-field choices, the James Bond franchise producers are willing to overlook pre-existing fame if they have a name in mind for 007. Like Brosnan returning for Goldeneye after just barely missing out on the part years earlier, the Bridgerton star's chances of playing James Bond won’t be hurt by Regé-Jean Page hedging his bets and taking on major roles that boost his profile before any announcement are made regarding Bond 26.