Surprise front runner could be next James Bond

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Actor has 'secret' meeting with 007 producers

We've got some great next Bond gossip here at The Exploding Pen with rumours that Aaron Taylor-Johnson is a top contender to suit up and become the next 007.

Taylor-Johnson is best known for being the star of the popular Kick-Ass movies and is now widely tipped to be the next Bond after reportedly taking part in a highly confidential screen test at Pinewood Studios and impressing Bond producer Barbara Broccoli.

The British actor has recently been filming the action movie The Fall Guy and was pictured on set in Sydney last week. Could Bond now be in his future filming schedule?

At 32 he is the right age for the role as Bond producers have recently said they are looking for a younger Bond, preferably someone in their 30s, like Aaron.

Do you think Aaron Taylor-Johnson would be a good Bond? Email us your thoughts.

Who is Aaron Taylor-Johnson?

Why Cary Grant turned down playing 007

In the six decades and 25 movies that Bond has graced the big screen, there have been many contenders for the most sought after role in cinema.

Many actors have come close to playing 007 including one of the most famous Hollywood stars of all time – Cary Grant.

Grant is best known for To Catch a Thief (1955), North By Northwest (1959) and Notorious (1946). His irresistable charm and good looks made him an obvious choice to play the British spy.

The actor had been asked to play 007 in Dr No (the first Bond film) by producer Cubby Broccoli who had the actor as his best man at his wedding.

Broccoli had a vision for the James Bond character and thought that Grant - with his talent and versility - could be a perfect match.

So what happened? Why didn't Cary Grant become the first on-screen James Bond? Find out here

Daniel Craig's Glass Onion is a hit with critics

The cast of Glass Onion at a film festival panel

Former 007 Daniel Craig is enjoying huge success with Glass Onion, his second film in the Netflix Knives Out franchise. Craig, 54, joined the murder mystery series after signing off his 15-year-long stint as James Bond - and it's proved to be a great movie decision so far.

Craig stole fans' hearts as the dashing Kentucky-accented detective Benoit Blanc in the first Knives Out film in 2019. The detective is a vastly different character from his serious MI6 agent.

The follow-up Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery brings Benoit Blanc back for a new Rian Johnson whodunit set in Greece.

The film had a limited release in cinemas and grossed an estimated $13.3 million over the long Thanksgiving weekend in the US. Solid numbers considering how small the theatrical release was.

In the UK, the film had a seven-day release from November 23-29 and will be available for streaming on Netflix on December 23. Many critics have argued that the film should have stayed in cinemas longer given the huge interest in the film and box office potential.

The film has also been a huge critical success, scoring an overall rating of 93% on Rotten Tomatoes. Undoubtedly great news for Netflix who acquired the rights to Knives Out 2 and Knives Out 3 in a $450 million deal in March 2021.

Have you watched Glass Onion in the cinema? What did you think? Email us your thoughts.

Surprise front runner could be next James Bond

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