It seems almost every week there is a new rumor swirling regarding the next actor to play the iconic role of James Bond. Since Daniel Craig stepped down from the role, names like Henry Cavill, Regé-Jean Page, and Tom Hardy have been among the top mentioned (per Vogue) — that is, until recently. Aaron Taylor-Johnson, whose most recent role was alongside Brad Pitt in Bullet Train, had a promising meeting with producers regarding his candidacy as the next 007.

While nothing official has been released on who will take on the role, fans can get behind why Taylor-Johnson should be the next Bond, thanks to his rising Hollywood star background, his rugged good looks that fit the part, and a memorizing accent. Perhaps most importantly, Taylor-Johnson has no shortage of movies in his filmography that point to why he would be a capable James Bond. Until the official announcement is made, fans can speculate where the English actor would fall in ranks compared to the past James Bond actors, and we can take a look at his best roles for research into why the actor is a great fit for the franchise.

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10 Kraven the Hunter (Releasing October 2023)

     Sony Pictures

Pushed back from January 2023 to October 2023, per Collider, Taylor-Johnson will be playing the titular character in the upcoming film, Kraven the Hunter. Kraven the Hunter, also known as Sergei Kravinoff, is a Russian immigrant who is obsessed with Spider-Man and proving that he is the greatest hunter in the world. The action film will certainly feature some intense fight scenes, something that is also in every James Bond film. Coming directly off a role that features these kinds of action sequences would be the perfect segue for Taylor-Johnson to jump right into filming the next Bond.

MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY

MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY

MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY

9 Savages

     Relativity Media

Savages is an action crime-drama surrounding pot growers Ben and Chon, played by Taylor-Johnson and Taylor Kitsch, respectively. When their shared girlfriend is kidnapped, the two find themselves facing off against the Mexican drug cartel. Despite the main characters being pot growers, this film is non-stop action, filled with perhaps more flash than substance, though this works when arguing for Taylor-Johnson to take on the non-stop fighting that makes up a Bond film.

8 Avengers: Age of Ultron

     Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

In Avengers: Age of Ultron, Taylor-Johnson plays Quicksilver, aka Pietro Maximoff, a genetically-altered orphan twin who, at first, fights against the Avengers, and then alongside them as they try to save the world against Ultron. The film helps demonstrate Taylor-Johnson’s ability to stand out against a star-studded cast and how to help save the world, the latter being something James Bond is no stranger to. Quicksilver is also cocky, a characteristic 007 often exudes.

7 Tenet

     Warner Bros. Pictures

Alongside many big names, we see Taylor-Johnson in another supporting role where, though his part is small, his character and acting abilities make it a memorable role for the actor. Tenet is an action-meets-sci-fi thriller that involves a group called Tenet, who recruits an unnamed CIA operative known as The Protagonist (John David Washington). The mission is to prevent World War III. Taylor-Johnson plays Ives, a military operation leader and someone that plays a big role in helping to understand the confusing nature of the film’s different timelines and the completion of the final mission.

6 Outlaw King

     Netflix

In this Netflix original film Outlaw King, Taylor-Johnson plays James Douglas, Lord of Douglas. Once again, this is a supporting role for the actor, and another action film to add to his resume. The film is based on the true story of the 14th Century Scottish Outlaw King, Robert the Bruce, who is played by Chris Pine, and his army of Scottish fighters in for the rebellion. While he is not a main character, Taylor-Johnson’s role in this film helps solidify the different kinds of action films he can portray.

5 The Wall

     Big Indie Pictures

The Wall is a war action film where Taylor-Johnson makes up one-third of the cast, meaning he is only one of three people credited for the film. In the film, two American soldiers are trapped by a sniper with only a wall separating them. With him is a fellow American soldier named Matthews, played by John Cena. This is perhaps one of the top films that showcases Taylor-Johnson’s acting ability to hold the attention of viewers in a tricky situation. The film, which received decent reviews, is shot mostly in one location with a small cast, but was still compelling enough to elicit a good movie review.

4 Godzilla (2014)

Alongside his twin sister from Avengers: Age of Ultron, Elizabeth Olsen, Taylor-Johnson plays Ford Brody in the 2014 remake of Godzilla. Years after an incident in Japan, Ford must go to Japan to help his estranged father uncover the truth about the 1999 incident. They accidentally awaken the MUTO and Gozilla, who fight one another to ultimately save the world from one another. Godzilla is another action film where we see Taylor-Johnson’s skill put to the test, further adding to his resume as a good candidate for the role of James Bond.

3 The King’s Man

     Marv Studios

Taylor-Johnson played a small role in the film, The King’s Man, which is a prequel film to the Kingsman franchise. Taylor-Johnson plays the character of Archie Reid, who was a Scottish soldier from the Black Watch, who meets Conrad (Harris Dickinson) on the front lines. The two switch places, taking Conrad to fight in the war and Archie to a desk job in London under the codename Lancelot. Archie, as Lancelot, ends up being one of the original Kingsman. In this film, we see Taylor-Johnson embracing the spy role, which is in part who the Kingsman are. This type of practice, even in a supporting role, is good preparation to play the iconic spy in the Bond franchise.

2 Kick-Ass

     Lionsgate

Back in 2010, fans got to see a young Taylor-Johnson play the nerdy Dave Lizewski in the action-comedy film, Kick-Ass. Dave is a comic book fan who decides to become a superhero even though he is powerless, uncoordinated, and has no real reason to become a superhero. Even though this film is over 10 years old, it is one of Taylor-Johnson’s defining roles. In the rated-R film, we see the trifecta from the actor through his ability to portray an un-super superhero who happens to save the day. Yes, James Bond isn’t a superhero and, unlike Kick-Ass, he is trained; both characters show heart and the desire to do what it is that needs to be done.

1 Bullet Train

     Sony Pictures Releasing

Taylor-Johnson’s most recent film to hit the big screens, he plays an assassin nicknamed Tangerine, in the film, Bullet Train. Tangerine is one of five assassins who are all on the same bullet train. Along with his “twin” brother, Lemon, played by Brian Tyree Henry, the pair are a sloppy, comedic version of an assassin. They fight against Brad Pitt’s Ladybug, Joey King’s Prince, and Michael Shannon’s The White Death. The film displays Taylor-Johnson’s ability to add comic relief to jammed-packed action. While James Bond isn’t known for comedy, it would be an interesting take to modernizing the character even more.