Unique: Downton Abbey star Hugh Bonneville says he’d take into account a return to the James Bond franchise after briefly showing in Tomorrow By no means Dies.
Downton Abbey‘s Hugh Bonneville displays on his time within the James Bond franchise and the presumably of returning to it. Bonneville is finest identified for his starring position of Robert Crawley, Earl of Grantham, within the British historic drama collection Downton Abbey. The hit collection started in 2010 and ran for six seasons, earlier than persevering with on in two function movies. The newest movie within the franchise, Downton Abbey: A New Period, was launched in Might of 2022.
Whereas Bonneville grew to become a family title due to Downton Abbey, the collection was removed from Bonneville’s first declare to fame. In 1997, Bonneville appeared within the James Bond movie Tomorrow By no means Dies, portraying an Air Warfare Officer on the HMS Bedford. The movie, which starred Pierce Brosnan as the long-lasting 007 and Judi Dench as M, acquired combined critiques from critics on the time. Nonetheless, it is likely one of the best-known Bond movies within the franchise’s decades-long historical past.
In an unique interview with Display screen Rant, Bonneville mentioned the potential of returning to the Bond franchise for the primary time in additional than 20 years. When requested if he would have any curiosity in presumably portraying M in James Bond 26 or different future movies following his Tomorrow By no means Dies position, Bonneville responded that regardless of Ralph Fiennes at present taking part in the position, he could be desperate to step in if the chance arose. Learn Bonneville’s full remark beneath:
Unique: “I assume Ralph [Fiennes]’s acquired that position, hasn’t he? I believe I’ve gone from air warfare officer to go of MI6. That might be fairly cool.”
Although Tomorrow By no means Dies was one of many first main movies Bonneville ever appeared in, his position in it was minimal. Nonetheless, along with his rise to fame on the worldwide stage after spending greater than a decade engaged on Downton Abbey and the beloved Paddington movies, Bonneville may probably convey some star-power to the subsequent period of Bond movies. With James Bond producer Barbara Broccoli stating that there are at present no actors within the working to fill the position of 007, the workforce across the titular spy (specifically M, Q and Moneypenny) may additionally be getting a revamp. Maybe bringing in different main British actors like Bonneville in supporting roles can assist to offer the franchise a recent enhance alongside the brand new Bond.
Whereas Bonneville would unlikely have been introduced again to the Bond franchise after such a small position in a single movie 25 years in the past, his Downton Abbey fame has definitely modified issues. Although the position of M is at present already crammed by Fiennes, there are nonetheless many alternatives for Bonneville to have a position in James Bond 26 or in any other case. The Bond collection is not any stranger to cameos, with celebrities from Madonna to Minnie Driver showing in previous movies. And with Bonneville having already appeared within the franchise as soon as earlier than, there’s each risk that followers can see Robert Crawley himself within the subsequent James Bond period.
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