Hollywood bigwigs are questioning if Aaron Taylor-Johnson has the ‘credentials’ to play James Bond after they were left shaken by the dismal response to his new action blockbuster.
The actor, 34, who has long had his name in the mix to replace Daniel Craig as the titular British spy, failed to grip audiences as the lead in Kraven the Hunter – a superhero spin-off about Spider-Man’s enemy.
The film, which launched with a glitzy premiere, has had a disastrous run since its release on December 13, banking a measly £49million ($60million) globally, according to the latest figures, despite costing around £87million to produce.
It earned a lacklustre £9million ($11million) in the US on its first weekend, despite playing in over 3,200 cinemas, and only managed to make £12million ($15million) internationally across 60 markets.
The abysmal figures helped the J. C. Chandor-directed flop to take the title of the worst debut for Sony’s Universe of Marvel Characters, just 10 months on from Madame Webb, starring Dakota Johnson, which only earned £80million.
The box office figures have left many Hollywood honchos feeling ‘nervous’ about whether Taylor-Johnson has the ‘mainstream appeal’ to take on the lead in a franchise like Bond.
Hollywood bigwigs are questioning if Aaron Taylor-Johnson has the ‘credentials’ to play James Bond after they were left shaken by the dismal response to his new action blockbuster
The actor, 34, who has long had his name in the mix to replace Daniel Craig as the British spy, has failed to grip audiences as the lead in Spider-Man spin-off Kraven the Hunter (pictured)
‘Kraven has been a real disaster for Sony and a really tough break for Aaron,’ a producer, who has worked with Bond actresses, told DailyMail.com.
‘It is not that he was bad in the film or had no screen presence, but the script just didn’t appeal to fans.
‘The bigger question is how this impacts how producers in town, and especially Bond executives, view him.’
They continued: ‘It was his big lead role. With well-known A-listers there is a sense that not every film is a win, but when it’s someone of Aaron’s stature questions are asked.
‘People will ask whether Aaron has that mainstream appeal or if this was just a blip.
‘And if those questions are being raised by studios in Hollywood, the same concerns will no doubt be held at MGM Amazon who are overseeing the new Bond film with Eon.’
But with the physical demands of his latest role, the insider insisted it’s not game over for the actor when it comes to Bond.
‘There are pluses for Aaron,’ they continued.
Craig, 56, had five outings as Bond, with 2021 hit No Time to Die marking his swansong (pictured in Spectre)
A source told Daily Mail.com: ‘People will ask whether Aaron has that mainstream appeal or if this was just a blip’ (pictured with his wife Sam Taylor-Johnson in 2022)
‘Aaron showed with Kraven he could adopt the physicality of Bond and lead a media promotional campaign. All these factors matter when becoming Bond.
‘However the casting decision is not 100 percent locked in and there are still actors being looked at to take on the most iconic role in British cinema.’
Pierce Brosnan previously threw his support behind the BAFTA-nominated star, whose breakout role was playing John Lennon in 2008 film Nowhere Boy – which was directed by his now-wife Sam Taylor-Johnson.
Brosnan, 71, who played the intelligence agent in GoldenEye, Tomorrow Never Dies, The World Is Not Enough and Die Another Day, said he believes his former co-star has the ‘chops’ to take on the mantel.
‘I would definitely tip my hat to the fellow,’ he said last year. ‘I think the man has the chops and the talent and the charisma to play Bond, very much so.’
George Lazenby, 85, who enjoyed one stint as the 007 agent in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, also endorsed Taylor-Johnson, as well as former Bond villain Jonathan Pryce.
The actor, 77, who starred opposite Brosnan in Tomorrow Never Dies, previously told Good Morning Britain: ‘He’s grown into a wonderful actor and when he was a little younger, he did this extraordinary sort of action film where he played a superhero.
‘And he’s great, look at him now, he’s black tie, handsome and yeah, he’d be a great Bond.’
But they added: ‘Aaron showed with Kraven he could adopt the physicality of Bond and lead a media promotional campaign. All these factors matter when becoming Bond’
Bond bosses are prepping a script for the 26th film and have secretly auditioned a raft of faces for roles.
Taylor-Johnson was said to have completed a screen test at Pinewood Studios with Bond boss Barbara Broccoli in March 2022.
They will not simply choose one man, but ‘look at several candidates and decide who is the best man for the job,’ a source said, adding: ‘This is the biggest role in British cinema up for grabs.’
Johnson, who has offered cryptic responses to interviewers desperate for clues about Bond, was the long-time front-runner to replace Craig, but was recently overtaken by The Crown’s Josh O’Connor.
It came after the Hollywood Reporter predicted that the star, who played Prince Charles in the Netflix royal re-telling, will be announced by Barbara Broccoli this year, describing him as an ‘English actor poised on the cusp of superstardom – familiar to audiences but not familiar, with a seductive smile, ease with a tossed-off one-liner and charisma to spare.’
Other names reportedly in the mix include Callum Turner, James Norton and Paul Mescal.
Craig had five outings as Bond with 2021 hit No Time to Die marking his swansong.
