James Bond producer issued a 007 statement that may rule Henry Cavill out of playing role
He's one of the most popular choices to be Bond, but will he ever don the tuxedo?
Until we know who the next James Bond is going to be, all we can do is wait around and indulge in some speculation.
We're coming up on three years since No Time To Die was in cinemas and Daniel Craig's iteration of the character was blasted to bits to very clearly underlines the point that he's not coming back.
However, the franchise will soldier on with a new 007 as it has done so many times before and it's all about who will get the nod to become cinema's greatest spy.
Aaron Taylor-Johnson seems to be the bookies favourite and he's said it's 'flattering' to be linked with the role, but there's been no official announcement as of yet.
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Another hugely popular prospect to be Bond is Henry Cavill, who many 007 fans reckon looks very Bond-like in a suit.
You've got to get someone who can be suave, stylish and pull off the action scenes to boot, and Cavill would seem to tick those boxes.
The next Bond will be expected to appear in multiple movies over the course of a few years, so you want someone who'll be around for the long haul.
However, Cavill's chances of getting the role face the obstacle of what Bond bosses have in mind for their next iteration of the character.
A couple of years ago Bond boss Michael J Wilson laid out who they were looking for with their next casting.
He said: "Remember, Bond's already a veteran, he's had some experience. He's a person who has been through the wars, so to speak.
"He's probably been in the SAS or something, he isn't some kid out of high school that you can bring in and start off - that's why it works for a 30-something."
Back when he said it, Cavill was 39-years-old and could just about fit into that category, but the 41-year-old actor might now be just a bit outside what the producers are looking for.
Meanwhile, Aaron Taylor-Johnson just turned 34 a couple of months ago so you could get two or three movies out of him before he hits the big 40.
Cavill is certainly no stranger to appearing in spy flicks.
He's played secret agents in Argylle, The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare and The Man from U.N.C.L.E. with roles that wouldn't be too hard to see as demonstrations that he could play 007.
The man himself recently spoke about possible links to playing Bond, telling The Rich Eisen Show about playing one of the real life inspirations for 007 as Gus March-Phillipps in The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare.
"I have no idea, all I've got to go off is the rumours, the same information you have," he said when Eisen asked whether Bond might beckon in his future.
"Maybe I'm too old now, maybe I'm not. We'll see, it's up to Barbara Broccoli and Mike Wilson and we'll see what their plans are."
Cavill joked that 'it seems like a good first step' when Eisen pointed out that he was 'playing the guy Bond is based on'.
We'll just have to wait and see.
Topics: James Bond, Henry Cavill, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Celebrity, TV and Film
Joe Harker