The James Bond rumour mill continues, as Paul Mescal appears to be the candidate of choice for the minute.
We’re still clearly some time away from the new James Bond film, and from the identity of the next 007. Given that it’s been two years since the release of No Time To Die, and around four years since a James Bond film was actually shooting, nobody could accuse Barbara Broccoli and the team at Eon of not taking their time.
Just as they promised they would, in fairness. And it hasn’t stopped the rumour mill continuing to turn in the absence of actual news.
The latest example comes from The Sun, the newspaper that showed its true colours in its reporting of the Hillsborough disaster.
In this instance, its source reckons that James Bond will be played two actors in whatever James Bond 26 turns out to be. That sounds like utter hokum really, the idea of a younger and older 007 in the same movie. What does sound more plausible is the idea that Paul Mescal is being considered for the role.
Mescal is currently filming Gladiator 2 and there’s no doubt his star is on the rise at some point. Early next year we get the stunning All Of Us Strangers, in which he co-stars with Andrew Scott, the pair both giving superb performances. And Scott too has been answering the question about Mescal’s suitability for 007, telling Variety “he’d probably be a great James Bond”.
You can read Variety’s report here.
Gladiator 2 will be filming until early next year, and it’s currently on location in Malta.
In terms of James Bond, Eon Productions has given its usual response about not commenting on speculation, which is unsurprising and not the kind of thing to read too much into.
Still, it does feel like it’s coming to the time when Eon’s plans for James Bond 26 will start to become clearer.
In the meantime, we have a policy of linking to our sources, so here’s The Sun report. But perhaps give the click to the Big Issue instead? They could use it more.
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