Henry Cavill’s name has been all over since it was announced that his believed return as Superman to DC Films wasn’t going to happen. This followed a cameo as the character at the end of Black Adam and then his exit from The Witcher series on Netflix. All of this was believed to have been so that he could focus on going back to being Superman.
With James Gunn and Peter Safran taking over as the head of DC Films, they have decided to focus more on a younger version of Superman. This means that Cavill’s return as the character has been put off once again. While this is devastating to fans, it does free him up to take over another franchise that his name has been linked to recently. James Bond!
That’s right, he could be trading his cape in for a well-tailored suit, possibly filled with gadgets. The British actor’s name has been thrown around in the same conversations with other stars like Idris Elba, Tom Hardy, and even Spider-Man himself, Tom Holland. Now that his schedule has opened up, it looks like the conversation has begun again about Cavill possibly taking over the 007 codename. What could we expect from a Henry Cavill James Bond?
The Daniel Craig era of James Bond saw the character climb to new heights in the Bond franchise. The series made a soft reboot from the Pierce Brosnan slate of films. They kept some of the items that would work in a new tone, like Dame Judy Dench as M, and lost some of the things that wouldn’t translate to the new modern direction of the franchise. Now that the Craig era is over and a complete reboot will be needed, could we see more fun put back into the series?
The Daniel Craig films succeeded by incorporating modern ideas for how action films worked into the tried and true spy stories Bond is known for. The Bourne Identity brought a fresh take on spy stories while adding a quick flash of intense action. This new style, for better or worse, amped up the fighting styles, editing, and camera work into something that made the audience feel like they were in the middle of the action themselves.
As with any new approach, Hollywood will take the wrong lessons from this and pump out as many copies as possible. The new Bond films added similar styles while making them much more coherent to watch rather than disorienting. Now we would see Bond taking on big stunt set pieces in every film. This is why with just about every film, we would hear about Daniel Craig getting injured on set and production having to shut down while he recuperated.
Along with this, the new films were a lot darker and grittier than they had been in the past. The past Bonds were suave and knew how to approach any situation confidently. This Bond had a troubled past that haunted him through every movie he appeared in. Whether it was watching the woman, he loved drowning as she was caught in an elevator, or finding out that James was present when his family was killed. These past traumas stay with him throughout the series. So what could we do in a new Henry Cavill James Bond?
Bring back the fun. While the Craig Bond films have some great action set pieces, this is a chance to get back to the Bond that enjoys his job. Craig’s version tried to retire multiple times throughout his series. Every time he was dragged back into the fold, kicking and screaming. We could now see a Bond who is sure of himself and once again actually enjoys himself. Bonds of the past were proficient at their job but also looked like they were having fun. Yes, saving the world can be serious business, but it doesn’t have to be.
When Sean Connery was Bond, he could throw down with the best of them and get a drink afterward with a smile on his face. This is the Bond that would be great to see come back. Cavill can pull off dark and dour when asked, but let’s not ask him. The Misson: Impossible series can be an example of how you can achieve both tense action and fun times.
The events in the films are world-ending, but the tone of the films is not always so dark and dreary. Some films are darker than others, but usually, the series tries to have some fun. Even if it’s the darkly comedic idea of Ethan Hunt not being quite his usual graceful self as he tries to jump over the hood of a car and falls flat after being brought back to life minutes earlier.
Cavill himself is no stranger to the series either. He provided some great action scenes with Cruise during Mission: Impossible Fallout. Yes, the film that caused the horribly CGIed face of Superman in the Whedon-released version of Justice League. Paramount wouldn’t let him shave for reshoots on Justice League.
Fallout is an example of having fun action scenes, great fights, and a tone that doesn’t make you depressed afterward. Don’t get me wrong, I loved Craig’s run as Bond and enjoyed the gritty take on the character for something different. Now maybe we can go back to a slightly more fun version. Notice I didn’t say campy because that’s not the same thing. We could have more fun gadgets and a lighter tone without sacrificing story.
If they took inspiration from his fighting style in Fallout, they could set themselves apart from the series that just came before them. In that film, he is more like a heavyweight boxer that can put some power behind his punches. The Bourne Identity style of fight choreography would transition into something more akin to what we see in the John Wick films. Quick martial arts fights intercut with gunplay and even swords. Maybe go back to a more tried and true style for a Henry Cavill James Bond.
I’m not saying a judo chop to the neck from the early Bond films is what they should aim for, but if you watch the fight between Connery and Robert Shaw in From Russia With Love, it would be great to go back to something that is a modern version of that. Having Bond methodical about his punches could slow the action down. Showing that he knows where to hit you for maximum impact.
Let’s bring back the fun gadgets. They never truly went away, but they did get toned down from past films. We don’t have to go the full Austin Powers route, but we could bring back some fun items. Where is our laser wristwatches and exploding toothpaste?
It doesn’t have to stop there. Modern technology has made it, so we would be able to believe you could have an explosive inside an ink pen. With cellphones, we could easily believe that signals could be scrambled with the use of an app. Bluetooth has made spying easier as a bug could easily be connected to a phone. There are practical uses that don’t have to travel into the world of the absurd. Although, seeing a submarine car in a Bond film again would make me happy.
Maybe the best argument for a fun Cavill Bond film lies in a movie he’s already made. In 2015 Cavill would star as the lead in Guy Richie’s The Man From U.N.C.L.E. This film takes place in the 1960s and has all the fun of old Bond films. Cavill seems at home as a top-tier spy who thrives in intense situations.
The film didn’t set the box office on fire. Audiences and critics alike seemed to enjoy the film and had a lot of fun. What could have held the film back was people not enjoying director Guy Ritchie’s usual filmmaking style. Cavill is great in the film, but stylistic changes turned some critics off. Having to share the story’s focus with pre-cannibal fantasies, Armie Hammer could have also been part of it. Bond usually works better solo rather than being relegated to a buddy film status.
What do you think? What kind of Henry Cavill James Bond do you want to see? Let us know in the comments.