Tom Hardy. Idris Elba. Hugh Jackman. Damian Lewis. These are the names that are currently being bandied around as producers line up prospective replacements for Daniel Craig when he jumps ship post-Spectre. At least, that’s what we should probably assume at this point, considering Craig said in a recent interview that he’d rather slash his wrists than play Bond again.
Craig’s are large shoes to fill. After years of Pierce Brosnan rehashing the Connery model, Craig helped to reinvigorate the Bond franchise by making the character his distinctive own. Now, the actor has left 007 in unfamiliar territory – a land not just of absurd gadgets and rampant sexism, but a place of relative realism and grit.
James Bond – and the movies around him – has always changed according to who’s playing the part. So who producers pick now will help decide the path that Bond will take next. Putting aside the more obvious contenders for the moment, here are ten actors who could make great replacements for Bond and do something truly unique with the character.