Tom Felton is already recognizable around the world for his performance as Draco Malfoy in the Harry Potter movies, but he’s got his eye on checking off another iconic character from British literature – 007 himself, James Bond. Daniel Craig, of course, bows out of the role he’s held since 2006 with this April’s No Time To Die, so many stars are throwing their hat into the ring to be considered to replace him. Including Felton.
The actor – who’s appeared in a range of projects, such as Rise of the Planet of the Apes and The Flash, since saying goodbye to the Wizarding World – spoke with Closer Magazine about his desire to switch his wand for a Walther-PPK. When asked who his dream character is, he immediately jumped to Bond, making clear his lifelong love of the hero.
“James Bond would be the ultimate dream. The first film I had, when I was seven years old was James Bond. That’s all I had on my mind.’
Felton’s desire to don Bond’s tux might be surprising, considering that he’s usually viewed as a “villain actor” due to playing Harry’s Hogwarts nemesis for so many years. The star clarified that he does also like portraying good guys, though a character’s sense of right or wrong isn’t really the main hook for him when choosing a role.
‘I like playing the goodie, but I don’t really look to play a good guy or a bad guy. I like playing people who are different to me – the further away they are from home, the more fun it is to play.’
The odds keep changing on who’s in line to be the next 007, with the likes of Idris Elba, Tom Hiddleston, Tom Hardy and many, many more circulating around the gig. As for what direction producers will go in, all we know is that James Bond will definitely remain a man – though he may well be a person of color next time around.
Daniel Craig’s swansong as the super-spy arrives in theaters from April 8th in the US. And for you Harry Potter fans, Fantastic Beasts 3 will eventually drop in November 2021.