Spider-Man star Tom Holland has responded to speculation that he is in the running to be the next actor to play James Bond.
The British actor, 29, is one of several names rumoured to play the famous spy in the next Bond film, alongside actors such as Jacob Elordi (Euphoria) and Aaron Pierre (Rebel Ridge).
Holland, best known for playing Peter Parker in several films within the Marvel Cinematic Universe, admitted he was conscious of the rumours during an interview with celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay.
“Listen, there’s speculation at the minute. We’ll keep it to a minimum for now,” he said, in a video posted on YouTube. “We’ll get there one day.”
Holland, who also played the popular video game character Nathan Drake in the 2022 blockbuster Uncharted, went on to discuss his feelings about the role of Bond, describing it as the “pinnacle” of a young actor’s career.
“Every young British actor, it’s the pinnacle of working in our industry,” he said. “I already consider myself to be the luckiest kid alive. I could never have dreamed to have the career that I’ve had.”
The next James Bond film, currently in the early stages of development, will be the first produced since the franchise’s long-serving producers, Michael G Wilson and Barbara Broccoli, ceded creative control to Amazon MGM Studios in a deal announced in February.
Denis Villeneuve, the acclaimed filmmaker behind Sicario, Arrival and the Dune franchise, is set to direct, but the film’s lead actor is yet to be cast.
The last actor to play the role of Bond was Daniel Craig, who portrayed the spy in five films between 2006 and 2021, beginning with Casino Royale and ending with No Time to Die.
In a statement announcing the deal with Amazon, Wilson said: “With my 007 career spanning nearly 60 incredible years, I am stepping back from producing the James Bond films to focus on art and charitable projects. Therefore, Barbara and I agree, it is time for our trusted partner, Amazon MGM Studios, to lead James Bond into the future.”
Wilson and Broccoli had inherited the franchise’s reins from the late Albert “Cubby” Broccoli, Barbara’s father and Wilson’s step-father.
“My life has been dedicated to maintaining and building upon the extraordinary legacy that was handed to Michael and me by our father, producer Cubby Broccoli,” said Barbara in a statement.
“I have had the honour of working closely with four of the tremendously talented actors who have played 007 and thousands of wonderful artists within the industry. With the conclusion of No Time to Die and Michael retiring from the films, I feel it is time to focus on my other projects.”
Holland can next be seen in the Marvel sequel Spider-Man: Brand New Day, which will be released in cinemas next July.
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