Since the dust has settled on the final entry in the Daniel Craig era of 007, No Time to Die (2021), buzz has been rampant about who will step into the shoes of legendary superspy James Bond. While many famous names have been batted around, such as Jacob Elordi, Tom Holland, Regé-Jean Page, Henry Cavill, Tom Hardy, Sam Heughan, Jamie Dornan, and Idris Elba, the word has come that the producers, Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson, will likely go with an unknown actor.

This is a crucial idea for the series going forward as it would be best to start fresh with a baggage-less Bond, and one that is younger than the last few 007s have been when they started out.

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Producer Wilson told Deadline:

Bond From the Beginning

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Looking back at the history of Bond on the big screen, going back to 1962, the first actor cast in the role, the late, great Sean Connery, had been in a lot of films and TV productions since he began his career in 1954, but was still relatively unknown when he made his debut making his classic introduction, “Bond, James, Bond,” at a poker table while lighting a cigarette in Dr. No.

Connery, who passed away in 2020 at age 90, was only 32 years old when he began his tenor as 007. After six entries following his first foray – From Russia with Love (1963), Goldfinger (1964), Thunderball (1965), You Only Live Twice (1967), Diamonds are Forever (1971), and Never Say Never Again (1983) – Connery left the franchise at 52 years of age.

Funnily enough, Roger Moore was older than Connery, who was 41 in Diamonds Are Forever, when Moore began his reign in the role as he was 45 when he starred in Live and Let Die (1973). Moore was also fairly recognizable as he starred as Simon Templar in the British TV series, The Saint for six seasons. He also had notable roles on the popular programs, Ivanoe, Maverick, and The Alaskans. Moore went on to portray Bond in The Man with the Golden Gun (1974), The Spy Who Loved Me (1977), Moonraker (1979), For Your Eyes Only (1981), Octopussy (1983), and A View to a Kill (1985), ending his time as 007 at age 57.

The odd Bond out is George Lazenby, whose one turn in the role was between the Connery installments, You Only Live Twice and Diamonds Are Forever, in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969). He was the definitive unknown who scored the part of the international super spy as a model at age 29 as he had never acted before in any TV or movies.

While Lazenby’s single entry wasn’t as successful as any of Connery’s turns as the secret agent, it was still one of the highest-grossing films of 1969, and it proved that a solid story, a powerful production, and a well-directed cast can provide the packaging for an unknown to take over and establish themselves as Bond.

Despite many roles in TV and film, Timothy Dalton was also little known when he was cast as 007 at age 41 in The Living Daylights in 1987. Dalton only played the part in one following entry, License to Kill (1989). The series went on its longest break for over five years when Pierce Brosnan took over at age 42. for four films – GoldenEye (1995), Tomorrow Never Dies (1997), The World is Not Enough (1999), and Die Another Day (2002).

This brings us to Craig, also not a known name until his casting, who entered the series at 38 with Casino Royale (2005). He followed that with Quantum of Solace (2008), Skyfall (2012), Spectre (2015), and No Time to Die (2021) and made his exit at age 54.

Craig’s tenure ought to set the standard for future Bond casting. He went from a respectable working actor’s career in over 20 films, only achieving A-list stardom when landing the role of a lifetime as the world’s greatest superspy. Being in his late 30s, then ending right before hitting his mid-50s, was also ideal as he was neither too young nor too old in either direction.

Back to the Basics with a Fresh Face as 007

An unknown actor in their mid-to-late 30s is who Broccoli and Wilson should set their sights on with the sharp targeting of Bond’s gun barrel opening shot. An established star like Hardy, Cavill, or even Elba would be wrong as Bond as they are both too old and too famous for a true rebirth of the character after Craig’s climatic swansong. A real reboot should go back to basics with a fresh face and vision. The curiosity surrounding a newbie would be huge, igniting yet another resurgence in popularity in the long-running, incredibly profitable franchise.

Connery, Lazenby, Dalton, and Craig were arguably unknown when they first strapped on Bond’s Walther PPK, first drank a shaken, not stirred vodka martini, and saved the world. Moore and Brosnan were established stars when they first donned a tuxedo for their debuts. When it comes to being Bond best, the success rate of the unknowns speaks for itself.