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AARON TAYLOR-JOHNSON

IS THE TALK OF THE TOWN.

Idon’t necessarily want this to be my brand, doing one action movie after another,’ Aaron Taylor-Johnson told Rolling Stone at the end of March. He’s of course referring to his recent turns in David Leitch movies Bullet Train and The Fall Guy, and also the upcoming Kraven the Hunter. But that assertion is also, possibly, Taylor-Johnson’s way of skirting around speculation that has since reached fever pitch – that the actor has been offered the role of James Bond following Daniel Craig’s departure in 2021.

The Sun first reported the casting on 18 March, with the publication claiming that ‘insiders’ had confirmed that the actor would sign a contract that very week. The fact that no one attached to the franchise (or close to Taylor-Johnson) has been willing to confirm or deny the report means that it’s still merely a rumour at the time of going to press.

Either way, the 33-year-old’s profile has certainly been raised by the persistent speculation. He’d be a great choice for the part, proving during his career that he’s a charismatic leading man, a skilled dramatic actor and a bit of an action star, too.

Playing John Lennon in Nowhere Boy was his breakout role, but before then he’d already starred alongside Hollywood heavyweights - one of them being Jackie Chan in Shanghai Knights. It seems he learned a lot from watching them, with his leading role as Dave Lizewski in the irreverent superhero comedy Kick-Ass catapulting him into the mainstream.

For much of his career, he’s kept a relatively low profile, but so far the 2020s seem to be his decade. Playing sweary assassin Tangerine in Bullet Train, Taylor-Johnson proved he can hold his own against the likes of Brad Pitt. Kraven the Hunter places him back in a leading role and back into franchise filmmaking for the first time since playing Pietro Maximoff in Avengers: Age of Ultron. With all the skills and experience to play Bond in his arsenal, it’s no wonder Taylor-Johnson remains the front runner in this particular race.

KRAVEN THE HUNTER OPENS IN CINEMAS ON 30 AUGUST.