As speculation continues as to who will be the next actor to take up the mantle of James Bond, The Hobbit star Richard Armitage has given his own thoughts regarding the iconic role.
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Armitage was speaking with this week's issue of Radio Times magazine, and he was quick to dispel any rumours that he has been approached to take on the tuxedo.
"Oh, every three weeks there’s a newspaper story about that," Armitage said. "My nephew still asks if I’m going to be James Bond, and I say, 'No. You just read it in a paper.'"
Armitage did add that Bond is an "amazing role", but said he would probably be "more likely to be tempted towards playing the villain".
He explained: "I feel it is beyond me at this junction. It’s beyond me. You know, it’s not a question of, 'Should I?', 'Do I?', 'Will I?'. It is what the will of the nation dictates, sometimes.
"I’m not that guy, but in everyone’s world I might be. And that – job done. Because the truth is, you know, a lot of people are really seeing Idris playing Bond as the 'alternative Bond'. And as long as that alternative is existing, that’s great for the growth of f**king casting."
Meanwhile, another actor who has expressed interest in playing a Bond villain is Ant-Man and Oppenheimer star David Dastmalchian, who said he could "bring something to an enemy of 007, whether he or she or they be played in a way that no one has ever seen Bond brought to life before".
He explained: "I think there's no one to push Bond to the limits of their capabilities the way that I could, and I would love to do it."
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James Hibbs is a Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering programmes across both streaming platforms and linear channels. He previously worked in PR, first for a B2B agency and subsequently for international TV production company Fremantle. He possesses a BA in English and Theatre Studies and an NCTJ Level 5 Diploma in Journalism.
