With Daniel Craig all but assured to leave the James Bond franchise behind him, the hunt for a new 007 is officially on.
Obvious, star-studded names have been thrown out in connection to the coveted gig. Names like Tom Hiddleston, Idris Elba, Tom Hardy, Michael Fassbender and Damian Lewis have been popping up for almost a year now. Then there are the more under-the-radar actors such as Jamie Bell, who isn't a household name but has been around Hollywood for some time.
But what if the studio is looking for something completely new? What if Sam Mendes, who directed "Skyfall" and "Spectre," is right when he said the next choice will be wholly unexpected?
It's possible, even likely, that longtime Bond producer Barbara Broccoli opts to go with a complete unknown as the series gets set to retool once again. At least, that's what HNGN is hearing.
According to a source familiar with the Bond production company EON, 39-year-old actor Wayne Devlin has been spotted meeting with Broccoli twice in recent weeks. Devlin is a "method actor from Manchester who has been described as not too dissimilar to the original Bond, Sean Connery, which they really like."
Devlin is the epitome of an unknown, with just a handful of uncredited roles to his name on his IMDB page. He would be an interesting choice for Bond given his lack of experience and the different physical look he would bring to the table.
Of course, this all remains unconfirmed at this point. It's possible he's met with Broccoli but that the long-time Bond producer opts to go in a different direction. It's just too early to tell anything for sure. With the casting process just beginning (assuming Craig is officially done), all possibilities remain on the table.
We'll be sure to keep you updated as more details emerge.
