Fans of the iconic James Bond franchise are rallying behind the idea that Bridgerton star Regé-Jean Page should become the next 007. The search for a new Bond has been an ongoing topic ever since Daniel Craig announced that the upcoming No Time to Die would be his last outing as the British super spy.
For many Bond fans, the continuous roadblocks the twenty-fifth film in the series has experienced since first being announced have felt endless. In addition to the difficulties imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the franchise has failed to appoint a successor to Craig, despite several fan favorites consistently being considered. For quite some time, the arguable forerunner for the coveted title was Idris Elba. However, as the campaign to get Elba into the role is already several years old, it seems he’s now been surpassed by stronger candidates such as Tom Hardy and James Norton. There has also previously been unsubstantiated gossip that the next Bond would be female. But as the issue continues to draw attention and contemplation, another candidate appears to have joined the mix.
The latest 007 hopeful is newcomer Regé-Jean Page. Known for portraying Simon Basset in the Netflix series Bridgerton, Page posted a short but stylish clip of himself to social media, along with the statement “Regency, royalty shaken and stirred.” The response was quick, with Bond fans taking the post as a cue to consider the 31-year-old for the role of 007. As can be seen in some of the Tweets below, the idea that Page could be an excellent option for the highly coveted role is definitely gaining momentum:
Exactly who the next Bond should be has been a consistent debate ever since Elba began being considered as the new face of the character. For so many fans of the franchise, the time is way past due for 007 to be a Black man. Others, however, disagree, even though there’s no reason why the race of an actor should preclude them from being a legitimate contender. If there has been one consistent rule of thumb over the years in the Bond selection process, it’s that the chosen actor must exude a sort of stone-cold confidence in character and appearance. There’s no doubt that Page has a handle on this in his recent social media video and that he very well could be a serious challenge to the likes of Hardy or Norton.
At present, most James Bond fans are more likely to be concerned about whether or not No Time to Die will be released once and for all in April. The pandemic has consistently pushed the 007 film’s release date back, and there’s still no guarantee that a theatrical release will be possible. Still, who plays Bond after Craig is a very important issue and perhaps in some small way, the ongoing debate offers a pleasant distraction from the continuous woes that currently plague the franchise’s twenty-fifth release.
Source: Various (See Above)
