John Boyega said he'd be game to play James Bond as long as Steve McQueen is directing. Boyega and McQueen both hail from London and have enjoyed immense Hollywood success over the last decade. Though his breakthrough came in the small but beloved sci-fi comedy Attack the Block, John Boyega is known to audiences worldwide as Finn in the Star Wars sequel trilogy. On the other hand, Steve McQueen is recognized less as a blockbuster director and more as a selective and weighty auteur, having made just four critically acclaimed dramas throughout his career. He came to prominence in 2013 for the biographical drama 12 Years a Slave, which won the Oscar for Best Picture and made McQueen the first Black director of British descent to win the award.
McQueen and Boyega recently teamed up to work on Small Axe, McQueen's period anthology series about the racism and discrimination endured by London's West Indian community from the '60s through the '80s. Co-starring Black Panther actress Letitia Wright among over two dozen British actors, Small Axe has already received enormous critical praise ahead of its U.S. premiere on November 20. Many of the early reviews raved about Boyega's episode, in particular, titled "Red, White, and Blue," as critics praised McQueen's direction and Boyega's performance, with some calling it his most nuanced and realized role yet. The two Brits work so well together that Boyega would be interested in collaborating on another iconic piece of British history.
John Boyega told MTV News that he'd love to be the next James Bond if Steve McQueen were on board to direct. He said they could provide a unique spin on the iconic secret agent while maintaining the suave sophistication that fans have come to know and love over the last 50 years. Small Axe actress Letitia Wright threw Boyega's name in the ring first, knowing that he would love taking on 007. Here's Boyega's quote as well as Wright and Boyega's interview below:
Ooh! Hey listen, Steve McQueen directing, let’s do this! We could show them something different. We still bring that sophistication. You know, James Bond has to be James Bond. But we could do something with that.
MTV News also pitched Daniel Kaluuya to Letitia Wright as the next Bond actor, as both he and Boyega are British actors young enough to endure the physical stunts required of playing Bond. Though she acknowledged Kaluuya would make an incredible 007, Wright said Kaluuya's low-key nature likely wouldn't mesh well with the enormous global publicity that comes with being cast as James Bond. But Boyega, she said, has the big personality that would be perfect for playing the iconic British spy.
Boyega has been highly critical of his past franchise work, which makes his willingness to jump into the James Bond franchise all the more surprising. That being said, he certainly gives his best performances when under the guidance of talented auteur directors, including in Kathryn Bigelow's Detroit and, of course, in his recent Small Axe episode. Someone like Steve McQueen, who always infuses his work with his personal background and beliefs, could be a risky choice for a franchise known to shuffle through directors. Still, it's easy to imagine cinephiles and Star Wars fans alike flocking in droves to see Boyega's progressive take on Bond.
Source: MTV News/Twitter
