Luke Evans, who is frequently mentioned as a potential candidate to play the role of 007, applauds the James Bond franchise's development in recent years. Sean Connery, George Lazenby, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan, and, most recently, Daniel Craig have all played the renowned British superspy 007 since the Bond franchise debuted in 1962 with Dr. No. Craig took over the role in 2006's Casino Royale, the follow-up to Brosnan's final Bond movie, Die Another Day, playing the character for a total of five movies.
The Bond films of the Craig era are distinguished by a far more grim and ruthless treatment of the character, with Casino Royale primarily drawing inspiration from the Jason Bourne series. With the release of No Time To Die last year, which saw 007 sacrifice himself to save Madeleine Swann (Léa Seydoux), their kid, and the rest of the world from a nanobot virus, Craig's term as Bond came to an end. Idris Elba, Tom Hardy, Tom Hiddleston, Henry Cavill, and Evans are frequently at the top of the list when it comes to preferred fan contenders for James Bond 26. However, with Craig's Bond having officially come to an end, it's unknown which actor may take on the role in the future.
Luke Evans, a potential candidate for 007, lauds the Daniel Craig era for advancing the James Bond series in a recent interview with The Independent. The actor notably cites the portrayal of women and female characters in recent films as an illustration of how the franchise has evolved. See Evans' response below:
We're no longer in the Roger Moore era where he slept with five different ladies for each movie; that's not exactly what he's about these days. I believe that the spectacle and the narrative have more appeal to people.
Has 007 outgrown the Bond Girl at last?
James Bond is notorious for being a womaniser in addition to using a Walther PPK, operating an Aston Martin, and consuming shaken, not stirred, martinis. Since the character's debut on the big screen in 1962, he has frequently taken a small number of "Bond Girls" in each movie, often treating them as disposable and not having them return in later sequels. The Craig era reversed this, though, with Bond recovering from Vesper Lynd's (Eva Green) death in Casino Royale for the length of Quantum of Solace before beginning a committed relationship and giving birth to Madeleine in later instalments.
It's unknown what the Bond franchise will look like beyond No Time To Die, but it would feel like a step backward at this point if 007 were to start casually sleeping with a few ladies who are then never seen again. Although not every Bond movie starring Craig was a fan favourite, they all rather clearly demonstrate that the series' customary handling of women is not necessary to create a gripping story. Although it is uncertain whether Evans will take over as James Bond, the actor's most recent remarks seem to indicate that he hopes the series develops further.
