Dwayne Johnson's recent comments prove once and for all that any predictions for the next James Bond actor are simply wrong. Johnson's recent comments in an interview with Esquire that he wants to be the new James Bond have arrived completely out of left-field, with the Red Notice star's admission arriving after being asked about his grandfather's villainous role in You Only Live Twice. Although previously not considered in the running for the vacant Bond job, the wrestler formerly known as "The Rock" has been given fairly generous odds as low as 90/1 from some outlets despite no concrete evidence linking him to the role.
Former leading man Daniel Craig stepped down following a wildly successful 15-year stint as 007 after his character's groundbreaking death in the aptly named No Time To Die. Accredited with rejuvenating the stuffy Bond franchise, Craig's departure has led to a slew of candidates being mentioned as his successor, with Venom star Tom Hardy being consistently touted as one of the early frontrunners. The favorites to be the next James Bond are part of an undoubtedly fluid list, with betting odds on the next 007 changing at a moment's notice as candidates rule themselves out or emerge.
Yet Dwayne Johnson has just proved that all James Bond predictions are wrong based on the ease with which he has shot up the odds ladder. While his historical family ties to the Bond franchise undoubtedly carry some weight, Johnson's lack of suitability for the role makes his recent "next Bond" standings all the more perplexing. The considerable shortening of his odds to succeed Craig based on a single interview highlight the futility of predicting the next James Bond and show the lack of inherent value behind any given news cycle's Bond predictions.
It must first be said that The Rock does have a more solid connection to the Bond franchise than other names currently in the frame to take over as 007. His grandfather Peter Maiva plays a supporting villain opposite Sean Connery's Bond in You Only Live Twice, granting Dwayne Johnson a small amount of familial pedigree for the role. However, this is where his suitability for Bond begins and ends, given Johnson's Nova-Scotian and Samoan heritage. While Barbara Broccoli and other Bond executives have stated James Bond can be played by an actor of any ethnicity; they have also categorically stated Bond must always be British - essentially ruling Johnson out from serious consideration.
Yet the mere mention of the idea that The Rock would consider playing 007 has prompted the odds of his casting to be slashed several times over in the last few days. Despite his lack of suitability for the role, and the fact that current Bond/007 casting director Debbie Williams has a propensity for obscure 007 candidate choices, bookmakers are offering ludicrous odds on Johnson becoming a member of MI6. What these sensational, fleeting reports (and odds) highlight, of course, is the intrinsic issues that come with trying to guess who the next Bond will be, with a single comment or interview seemingly holding complete sway over the entire process. There is very little chance that Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson will be the next James Bond, but his sudden affiliation with the role does prove the folly that accompanies all James Bond actor predictions in the modern age.