1 James Bond Actor Casting Is Now Impossible Thanks To Their New TV Spy Role

Summary Hiddleston's return to The Night Manager rules him out as James Bond, despite previous speculation he was still in the running for the part.

The Night Manager's darker and more complex character allows Hiddleston to showcase a different spy persona than 007.

Producers are seeking a slightly younger actor for the next Bond, making Hiddleston's age and commitments in other projects factors against his casting.

Tom Hiddleston can definitively be ruled out as the next James Bond, thanks to his return to one of his most acclaimed projects. Even during Daniel Craig's James Bond movie run, there was endless discourse surrounding who would take over the part when he left. Names like Tom Hardy, Henry Cavill (who came close to landing the role in Casino Royale) and Idris Elba were thrown around constantly, though Craig was in no rush to depart the franchise.

Tom Hiddleston was also commonly cited as a Bond contender, with the star possessing both the suaveness and experience starring in major blockbusters. Now the James Bond role is up for grabs again, the casting chatter has started afresh. Popular contenders like Hiddleston or Cavill still come up, though Aaron Taylor-Johnson appears to be a the Bond frontrunner, and has reportedly even been offered the part. These casting rumors must be taken with a generous dose of salt until an actual announcement is made.

Related James Bond: How Old Every 007 Actor Was In Each Movie Daniel Craig retired as Bond after No Time To Die at age 53, but how old was each James Bond actor when they played the super-spy?

Tom Hiddleston's The Night Manager Returning For Seasons 2 & 3 Rules Him Out As James Bond

Hiddleston is returning to his very own spy franchise

The Night Manager (2016) Jonathan Pine, a former British soldier turned night manager at a lavish Cairo hotel, is enlisted by Angela Burr, head of a Foreign Office unit probing illicit arms trade. Tasked with infiltrating the close-knit circle of arms dealer Richard Roper, Pine embarks on a perilous mission to gather intelligence from within Roper's ranks. Cast Tom Hiddleston , Hugh Laurie , Elizabeth Debicki , Olivia Colman Release Date February 21, 2016 Seasons 1 Network BBC One

One of the projects that highlighted Hiddleston's 007 credentials was The Night Manager, based on a novel by spy genre icon John le Carré (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy). This British thriller cast Hiddleston as Pine, the titular manager of a luxury hotel who becomes involved with a dangerous arms dealer and his mistress. The Night Manager was acclaimed when it aired in 2016, but talk of another season seemed to go nowhere. Almost a decade on from its initial run, The Night Manager season 2 and 3 has finally been confirmed (via Deadline), with Hiddleston reprising his role as Pine.

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In all likelihood, Hiddleston's chances of nabbing the 007 part were always slim. For the next outing, producers have already stated they're looking for an actor in their 30s who can front several movies as Bond; Hiddleston is currently 43.

Story details for the next two seasons are still under wraps. Looking at John le Carré's work offers no clues either since he didn't pen any sequel books. Still, The Night Manager seasons 2 and 3 almost certainly rule out Hiddleston's casting as Bond in the next entry. Not only will he be busy working on the next two series, but the Bond franchise producers wouldn't want an actor who is already fronting a competing British spy saga.

In all likelihood, Hiddleston's chances of nabbing the part were always slim. For the next outing, producers have already stated they're looking for an actor in their 30s who can front several movies as Bond; Hiddleston is currently 43. The actor already has some famous roles of his own, including the MCU's Loki. When the next 007 is announced, the role is far more likely to be filled by a lesser-known performer.

The Night Manager Will Show What Hiddleston As 007 Would Look Like

Hiddleston is smart to return to The Night Manager

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Just like Cavill with his turn in The Man from U.N.C.L.E., The Night Manager allowed Hiddleston to do his own take on 007. Of course, the TV series was darker and more intense than the average Bond adventure, while Pine was also a more complex character. The formula of the James Bond movies can be somewhat constraining, with its need for certain elements and characters to reappear.

Catching up with an older Pine years on from the events of The Night Manager season 1 is a more intriguing prospect than Hiddleston taking up Bond.

The Night Manager has none of those issues and frees Hiddleston and the showrunners to get more creative. If anything, catching up with older Pine years on from the events of the first season is a more intriguing prospect than Hiddleston taking up Bond. Pine offered the actor one of his most layered roles, and it's a part that suits him better than 007 ever would. Even so, fans of Tom Hiddleston who want to imagine his take on Bond can pretend Pine is a codename when The Night Manager season 2 arrives.

The Night Manager is currently streaming on Prime Video, Acorn TV, Spectrum On Demand and The Roku Channel.

Source: Deadline