With yesterday’s news that the next installment of James Bond is on hold indefinitely due to MGM’s money troubles, new candidates to replace Daniel Craig have been coming out of the woodwork — despite the fact that no one knows if Craig is staying or leaving. (I’m not an agent or anything, but as someone who sat through “The Invasion,” you should stick around, Daniel.)
Let’s take a look at some of the contenders:
Sam Worthington
According to oddsmakers, he’s the favorite to take up the 007 mantle.
Pros: He’s kind of rugged, plus he knows his way around a blockbuster.
Cons: He’s Aussie, not British. He’s also quite bland, with none of his performances thus far making much of an impact.
Christian Bale
Oddsmakers have him at 7/1.
Pros: Genius actor who would bring the right kind of intensity. As the “Batman” franchise proves, he’s capable of the physicality Bond requires.
Cons: He’s already in too many other franchises, including “Terminator” and “Batman.” Has anger issues.
Will Smith
He once mentioned a desire to play the character.
Pros: Would be a guaranteed box-office draw. Might make the Bond franchise interesting to a new audience. Is ripped.
Cons: He’s nothing like the character Ian Fleming created. Why not just build an entirely new spy franchise around him, instead of trying to slot him into an existing one? Also, no one needs to hear his take on an English accent.
Robert Pattinson
He’s a 33/1 longshot, according to oddsmakers.
Pros: Um, he’s British. And, well, he’d get tween girls into seats.
Cons: Too fey to be believable. Has one switch on his acting dial: brooding.
Ewan McGregor
He’s be my choice if I had to pick today.
Pros: Has great acting chops and lots of charm. Even in the dreadful “Star Wars” prequels, he didn’t seem silly.
Cons: Probably wouldn’t be allowed to get full-frontal naked, as he does in almost all of his other movies. Then again, what the hell. Go for it. Move that patented James Bond love scene into a new century.
Catherine Zeta-Jones
Her name is often mentioned in wild speculation.
Pros: She’s hot and Welsh. Can do action, as “Entrapment” and “The Mask of Zorro” showed.
Cons: James Bond does not have ovaries. As with Will Smith, if you’re going to radically transform the character, why not just write an entirely new character? This summer’s “Salt” features Angelina Jolie as a bad-ass secret agent.
