‘Outlander’ Star Sam Heughan Says He ‘Obviously’ Wants to Be the Next James Bond
Outlander star Sam Heughan is no stranger to James Bond rumors. The actor has been thrown into the mix of potential replacements for Daniel Craig, who will bow out of the iconic role this year. Nothing official has been announced — Craig’s final Bond movie, No Time To Die, hits theaters in November — yet Heughan recently admitted that he “obviously” wants to be the next 007.
Fans speculate who might be the next James Bond
Craig has played Bond since the 2006 film, Casino Royale. The actor has reprised the role in four additional movies, including Quantum of Solace, Skyfall, Spectre, and No Time to Die.
Craig has expressed an interest in retiring from the role in previous years, though it sounds like No Time to Die will really be his final film as the iconic spy. If he truly does retire, there are quite a few potential replacements.
So far, the top names on the list of candidates to be the next James Bond include Heughan, Henry Cavill, Tom Hiddleston, James Norton, Sam Worthington, Idris Elba, and Richard Madden.
Producers have yet to say anything about the casting process for the next Bond film. With No Time to Die hitting theaters this year, it might be a long time before the next movie in the popular franchise goes into development.
That said, Heughan is definitely eager for the chance to prove he is the right man for the part.
Sam Heughan admits that he ‘obviously’ wants to be James Bond
Heughan recently opened up about the Bond rumors during an interview on This Morning with Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby.
According to Daily Mail, the hosts asked what Heughan thought about playing 007 on the big screens and he admitted that it is a “dream” role.
“Obviously it’s a dream for every actor,” he shared.
The Outlander star went on to say that he actually auditioned for the role right before producers cast Craig for Casino Royale, so he has been wanting to snag the gig for quite some time. He also believes that the timing is perfect to bring back a Scottish Bond and thinks that fans would be completely in favor of the idea.
“Of course it would be a dream role and a Scottish Bond, who doesn’t want to see another Scottish Bond!” he added.
While the verdict is still out on who will get the part, Heughan’s chances are just as good as anyone else.
What are the chances that Heughan lands the role?
There are quite a few factors that go into casting an actor to play an iconic role like James Bond. There is no telling which direction the franchise wants to take the character, but fans are totally on board with the idea of Heughan leading the way.
According to Express, betting agencies in the United Kingdom have witnessed a surge in fans thinking that Heughan will land the part. As things currently stand, James Norton is in the lead with the best odds followed closely by Heughan.
After Heughan, Madden is third in line followed by Hiddleston. If things continue as they have for the past few weeks, it will only be a matter of time before Heughan takes the top spot.
Heughan, of course, has been very open about his desire to land the part. Apart from his most recent comments, the Outlander star admitted that he wants to play Bond in an interview last year with STV.
Although Heughan is plenty busy with Outlander, he still has time in his schedule for another movie project. And if producers offer him the 007 role, there is little doubt that he will make time for the film.
Sam Heughan opens up about being bullied online
While fans wait to see how things pan out for Heughan, the actor recently addressed his struggles with online bullying.
Heughan took a lot of heat a few months ago for flying to Hawaii to spend the lockdown in the vacation hotspot. Amid the backlash, Heughan posted a long note on social media regarding the “constant bullying” he has faced for years.
“After the past 6 years of constant bullying, harassment, stalking, and false narrative I am at a loss, upset, hurt, and have to speak out,” he shared.
Heughan, who stars opposite Caitriona Balfe in Outlander, added that the bullying has affected his “mental state” and some of his co-stars on the show. He also assured fans that he traveled to Hawaii before the travel bans were put in place and that he has put “no one at risk” of catching the virus.
