Jason Statham Wants to Play James Bond

Daniel Craig has announced that he will retire as 007 after the next two Bond films. Though the transition is years away, that hasn’t stopped action superstar Jason Statham from throwing his hat into the ring.

“Could I do it? Abso-f***ing-lutely,” Statham told the Guardian in an interview Monday. “Would I do it? Abso-f***ing-lutely.” The Spy star has plenty of experience with fast cars and hand-to-hand combat, thanks to a long resume that includes the Transporter films, the Expendables movies and Crank.

But his Bond, he says, would be a little different from the posh, tuxedoed 007 audiences have seen in the past. Statham’s characters tend to be blunt, indiscreet and aggressive. “Yeah, I’d make a decent Bond,” he says. “But it’d be very, very different if I did it.”

He added that despite playing the key villain in the most recent Fast & Furious movie, Furious 7, he’ll only consider playing the hero in the Bond franchise.

Statham is just one of many actors who dreams of playing 007. Rumored replacements for Daniel Craig have included Tom Hardy, Benedict Cumberbatch and Idris Elba (though the Luther actor recently said gossip about his joining the franchise has spoiled his chances at the role).

[The Guardian]

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