Next Bond Could Be Australian – and He Wouldn’t Be the First

It’s been 18 months since the much-delayed No Time to Die was released and the world finally saw how Daniel Craig’s story arc as Bond reached its conclusion. There might still be a handful of people on the planet who have yet to see it, so you’ll find no spoilers here. Suffice it to say that, like every Bond movie before it, the closing credits left us with the assurance that James Bond will be back.

We were also told by Barbara Broccoli and the rest of the 007 Brains Trust that we would be given time to fully digest Craig’s swansong before any thought was given as to who would be next to take custody of the Walther PPK and the Aston Martin.

Of course, that hasn’t prevented plenty of speculation, and the likes of Idris Elba, James Norton, and Henry Cavill have all been mooted. More on those in a moment, perhaps, but the latest speculation that has bookmakers furiously adjusting their odds are that the new 007 might hail from The Land Down Under. What’s more, he has the backing of a fellow Australian who has been there before him.

An Australian at the casino? Surely not!

One theme that has pervaded every Bond film from the Sean Connery days to the present times is casino gaming. It has formed a backdrop to a dozen or more memorable scenes, and whatever the producers might change when Bond returns, it is almost certain the baccarat table and roulette wheel will still play at least some role.

In that respect, an Australian in the role of Bond could not be more appropriate. Australians, after all, spend more per capita than any other nationality, and even in this era when anyone can find the best online casino sites for real money on a smartphone, there is nothing quite like the atmosphere of a real casino.

So who is the Australian who is being tipped for the Bond role – and can you remember which Australian actor has been there before him? To answer the second question first, Australia-born George Lazenby’s single outing as 007 was in the sixth Bond film, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service. At the time, viewers struggled with the idea of a new actor playing Bond, and the movie had a mixed reception, primarily because Lazenby was not Sean Connery. Ultimately, Connery was persuaded to return for the next Bond film and Lazenby’s time had passed.

Now 84, Lazenby continues to take a keen interest in Bond, and told TMZ he believes the time is right for the role to fall to a “good-looking Aussie dude.” He says Liam Hemsworth is just the man. At 32, he could play Bond for the next 20 years, but he also has the gravitas, experience, and screen presence to do the role justice.

Who is Liam Hemsworth?

Liam is from acting stock. He and his brothers Chris and Luke all have impressive resumes, having started the hard way in the Aussie soap scene. Liam achieved wider fame as Gale Hawthorne in the Hunger Games series, and most recently impressed in the starring role of Russel Crowe’s gambling thriller Poker Face – evidence that he can hold his own in the casino, too!

From rank outsider to dark horse

Speaking of gambling, bookmakers have been taking bets on the next Bond for years. A couple of months ago, Liam Hemsworth was a rank outsider at 50-1. George Lazenby’s public endorsement has seen those odds slashed to 20-1.

That still places him some way behind the bookie’s favorite. Aaron Taylor-Johnson is also 32 and his starring role in Kick Ass proved he can do just that. Henry Cavill, rejected as too young when he screen-tested alongside Craig for Casino Royale is a 4-1 shot. He has long been seen as the heir apparent but recently turned 40, so would not be as good a long-term prospect as the other candidates.