“Maybe I could be at the bar, swilling a martini, saying nothing.”
So Louis Partridge instructed Variety just last year whereas discussing potential methods to impress Steven Knight on the premiere for “House of Guinness.”
At the time, Knight — who created the boozy Netflix present starring the fast-rising Brit as an Irish brewery inheritor — had simply been unveiled as the author of the twenty sixth James Bond movie, being directed by Denis Villeneuve. It represents Amazon MGM Studio’s main reboot of the spy franchise after the corporate acquired artistic management from Eon. Partridge, like every actor together with his eyes on arguably cinema’s most coveted position, was understandably keen to indicate off his most interesting 007 strikes.
Six months on and, no matter Partridge — additionally recognized for “Enola Holmes,” “Disclaimer,” Netflix’s upcoming “Pride & Prejudice” and a latest relationship with Olivia Rodrigo — did on the bar in entrance of Knight, rumors would recommend it paid off. Speculation has now reached Variety that he’s in competition for the job (and past merely being placed on a bookmaker’s listing).
Of course, as with virtually something concerning Hollywood’s most well-known superspy that’s not come immediately out of the mouths of its key artistic group, it’s vital to notice that that is not more than hypothesis. Attempts to verify with Partridge’s reps or Amazon MGM Studios have been as predictably futile as any Bond villain’s wildly-complicated plans for international domination.
The Partridge rumor does, nevertheless, align with widespread chatter that the incoming 007 can be a lot youthful than earlier Bonds. Following a (speculative, after all) report in Deadline earlier this 12 months, the phrase “fresh-faced” has achieved the rounds, and lots of within the trade Variety has spoken to appear to be certain the age is being dialed down a couple of notches.
But simply how fresh-faced are they going for? At 23, Partridge’s face is significantly brisker than that of each different identify on the ever-evolving conveyor belt of probably candidates (a lineup presently led by Callum Turner, Jacob Elordi, Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Harris Dickinson). As many may observe, he’s barely sufficiently old to have developed a fussy choice over how his cocktails are blended, not to mention legally drink one.
Elordi, thought to have been a eager goal for Amazon for a while, would have already got been the youngest Bond at 28 years outdated. By distinction, Sean Connery was 32 when he began his tenure, Daniel Craig was 38, Pierce Brosnan was 42 and Roger Moore was 45 (and 57 when he signed off). Half a decade youthful than Elordi, Partridge would throw the common down significantly extra.
Turner — who lately shot to high of bookies’ lists following, sure, rumors — is 36, a great 13 years older. If the Bond group are contemplating somebody as younger as Partridge, is anybody of their mid-to-late 30s, and even of their 30s, off the menu? As one producer tells Variety: “Writing a film to be led by a 23-year-old is completely different to writing one for a 36-year-old — they’re just totally different.”
But an actor of Partridge’s age would provide producers some strong franchise longevity. Were he to do 5 to 6 Bond movies over the following 15 or so years, he’d nonetheless be underneath 40 by the point he handed in his Walther PPK. With his star energy nonetheless but to hit A-list ranges, he’d even be significantly cheaper than an Elordi or Taylor-Johnson.
If 23 is the tough age being thought-about, of recognized names, away from Partridge there’s a comparatively small pool of British expertise obtainable (and stories earlier this 12 months advised Bond could be British). “Heartstopper” breakouts Kit Conner (22) and Joe Locke (23) would match, as would Noah Jupe (21), driving a present wave because of the Oscar-winning “Hamnet” and the buzzy “Romeo and Juliet” West End stage manufacturing. But, except they’re going for somebody extra unknown (a definite risk), that’s about it.
Again, that is largely knowledgeable conjecture and nothing greater than that. Never has there been a cinematic subject so fueled by hypothesis than who will subsequent step into Craig’s blood-splattered 007 brogues (simply ask Idris Elba, who has been batting off rumors for what looks like a lifetime).
And who began this explicit little bit of hypothesis? Could it have been somebody in Partridge’s group or household? Riz Ahmed’s new semi-autobiographical satirical sequence “Bait” for Amazon sees him play a struggling actor who seeks to spice up his personal Bond possibilities by guaranteeing he’s snapped by paparazzi leaving a (awful) audition. Anything is feasible.
Just to underline the how little we actually learn about this, one other identify lately resurfaced in conversations as somebody being “considered.” This time, it was 40-year-old James Norton.
