The hunt for a new James Bond is underway, but Amazon MGM Studios’ version of the franchise could be off to a bad start if they decide to go with Tom Holland.
Earlier this year, Amazon MGM Studios gained full creative control of the James Bond franchise from Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson. It has since been announced that Dune’s Denis Villeneuve will direct Amazon’s Bond movie that will likely arrive at some point in 2028.
No casting for the film has yet been revealed; however, it was recently reported that Holland, Jacob Elordi, and Harris Dickinson are all at the top of Amazon’s wishlist.
While these three picks seem a little obvious and like not the most creative casting choices in the world, I’m keeping an open mind about Elordi and Dickinson. Holland, on the other hand, can we just not do that? Please?
Why Tom Holland would be a horrible James Bond
In no way am I discounting Tom Holland’s acting abilities. I enjoy him as Peter Parker/Spider-Man. I’ve liked him in smaller projects like 2016’s The Lost City of Z or 2020’s The Devil All the Time. I’m excited to see what he does in Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey.
Maybe he does have some sort of quality that could make him a good James Bond that he just hasn’t shown us before. But the point is, he hasn’t shown it to us before. His Spider-Man is nerdy, fast-talking, adolescent, and cheeky. That works for that character, obviously, but it doesn’t exactly scream James Bond. And while that has more to do with the writing than it does Holland’s performance, do we know if he’s capable to flip a switch and play the complete opposite of Peter Parker?
The 2021 Chaos Walking movie is a good example of how Holland could have explored a different kind of character, but didn’t exactly rise to the challenge. Granted, there were a lot of other problems with that movie, too, but, outside of Spider-Man, none of Holland’s other projects have greatly flourished.
Betting on Holland to play 007 for who knows how many years would be more of a gamble than Amazon probably realizes; they seemingly are interested in Holland because he’s a big name who everyone recognizes. If he doesn’t have the chops, though? Then they’re going to have to quickly recast, and people’s interest will exponentially wane.
What makes a good 007
The number one quality needed out of James Bond is an actor who can really disappear into the role. It doesn’t matter if the tone is wild and goofy like some of the Pierce Brosnan movies or dark and serious like Daniel Craig’s outings — you need someone who is willing to commit to the material no matter what. Of course, being British and looking good in a suit doesn’t hurt, either, but those are negotiable.
The main point is that nobody wants a widely-recognizable actor as James Bond just because that might mean more box office dollars. We want a James Bond who actually feels like James Bond.
Personally, I’m all for the Aaron Pierre rumor that was going around. Yes, he’ll soon be playing a major superhero, too, but he’s also an actor who can capture the suave, confident nature of 007. Tom Holland’s Bond may very well feel like he’s just cosplaying as the character. Aaron Pierre is an incredibly versatile actor who could make Bond feel real.
I’d love to be proven wrong if Amazon decides to go with Holland — just because we haven’t seen him play this kind of character doesn’t mean he’s incapable of doing so. But if nothing is set in stone at this time, there’s no harm in thinking outside the box a little bit by imagining a Bond who could do a little bit more with the role.
