Sony’s Spider-Man universe is a cinematic laughing stock. Just when it seemed Kraven the Hunter was going to change all that, audience and critics’ reviews (somewhat inevitably) proved otherwise. So not even Aaron Taylor-Johnson could save the SSU.

Over the years, Sony’s extended universe of Spider-Man villain movies has been underperforming. The studio has made valiant attempts to capture the glory of the MCU before it, but it looks like Sony might be ready to throw in the towel, because even the CEO’s flabbergasted.

Kraven the Hunter’s box office flop

Starring Aaron Taylor-Johnson as Kraven, the movie set out to explore the his complex relationship with his father. However, despite the considerable star power Taylor-Johnson brought to the role, it was met with negative reviews and little audience interest.

Sony Pictures Entertainment CEO, Tony Vinciquerra spoke to the Los Angeles Times about his tenure as CEO, and his thoughts on the failed Sony Spider-Man universe, or SSU. Vinciquerra will be stepping down after seven years of service, and Sony COO Ravi Ahuja will take on the role. When asked about his thoughts on the performance of Sony’s recent movies, including Kraven and Madame Web, which were released earlier this year, Vinciquerra was pretty much lost for words. He said he doesn’t understand why Kraven didn’t do well, because “the film is not a bad film.” 

For Madame Web, he turned the blame to the press, saying, “Madame Web underperformed in the theaters because the press crucified it. It was not a bad film, and it did great on Netflix.” However, his thoughts on the movie are a huge contradiction to what audiences were saying about it. Madame Web, and Dakota Johnson’s portrayal of the titular character, were widely regarded as simply bad. 

Kraven on the other hand, had the dishonor of setting the record for the worst opening weekend of any movie in the SSU, earning only $26 million on a budget of $110-150 million. 

The SSU is on its last legs

Following Tobey Maguire’s iconic run as Spider-Man, and Andrew Garfield’s popular but critically panned time in the suit, Sony and Marvel Studios came to a deal for Spidey in the MCU. Tom Holland’s wild success in the role led Sony to try to ride on the MCU’s coattails and release a litany of movies centered around Spidey-related villains. 

The SSU began with Venom and its sequel Let There Be Carnage and includes six movies in total. The Venom movies are often regarded as the only decent movies in the Sony Spider-Man Universe, while Morbius marked the beginning of their laughing stock era. Venom’s trilogy ended with Venom: The Last Dance, and while all three of his movies performed moderately well, the same can’t be said for the rest of the SSU.

As of now, Kraven the Hunter is the final film in the SSU, and while many are happy to see it go, there will always be a lingering “what if” around these characters and what could have happened if they’d had better adaptations. 

If you’ve kept up with all the year’s big releases, this one likely tops your “worst” list. But Sony Pictures CEO could not fathom why — until s on X spelled it out for him.

As his seven-year tenure comes to an end coming January, Sony Pictures CEO Tony Vinciquerra spoke to the Los Angeles Times reflecting on the studio’s performance this year. In retrospection, most Sony comic book movies fairly disappointed fans — Madame Web, Venom: The Last Dance, Kraven the Hunter — you name it. But as Vinciquerra accepted that these features catastrophically underperformed in the theaters, he’s still not ready to call them “bad films.”

Taking specifically about Kraven the Hunter (yes, the movie nobody asked for), Vinciquerra revealed that it was “the worst launch” the studio had in seven and a half years. However, he added that he still doesn’t understand why that happened, because the film is “not a bad film,” in his eyes. Um, did you take the time to read the film’s reviews, Vinciquerra? Kraven the Hunter hangs with a mere 14% Rotten Tomatoes score and a mediocre 5.4/10 IMDb rating. In our words, it was “an offensively fangless film.“

But since the studio decided to be comfortably ignorant of all the critic reviews, s on X took it upon themselves to explain to Vinciquerra why Kraven the Hunter didn’t work. While most s reiterated that nobody asked for the film to be made in the first place, some wrote elaborate notes in hopes that Sony would learn something for its future projects.

One excellently summed it up:

“Filmmakers need to rid themselves of the attitude that ‘it’s a Marvel movie, we don’t have to make it good, it’ll make money regardless,’ when that’s clearly not the case. They should invest in the art of storytelling instead of milking the cash cow dry.”

But Kraven the Hunter did not, in fact, make any money despite being a Marvel film. The movie made a pitiful $11 million when it debuted in theaters on Dec. 13 — which is the lowest opening total for a Marvel film produced by Sony to date. While the film has made $43 million worldwide, its current domestic box office total is only $18 million. And what was the budget? $110 –130 million.

So, the storytelling, the CGI, the action sequences — everything in Kraven the Hunter was clearly a mess for it to fail this miserably. But another pointed out the fatal flaw of how it was “a movie about a Spider-Man villain with no Spider-Man” in it. At this point, Sony’s Spider-Man Universe has become a rather ironic franchise, defined by the absence of its titular hero. Now how does that work, Vinciquerra?

One also pointed out the inherent awareness in Vinciquerra’s comments — “rather than saying it is a good film, he says it is not a bad film.” So, the studio is at least half aware that they didn’t do their best job. But then why did they release it? In a rather brutal reply, another wrote, “I would love to try whatever this dude is on because being so idiotically delusional seems like it must be bliss.” But this bliss is only taking the studio to its bottom. However, there might be some hope for the studio now that Vinciquerra will hand control of the CEO position to current Sony Pictures Chief Operating Officer Ravi Ahuja in a planned succession that was signaled for months. We’ll keep our fingers crossed.

Aaron Taylor-Johnson is long rumored to be the new James Bond, and while the film franchise’s producer Barbara Broccoli has yet to confirm his casting, the actor didn’t exactly say no when quizzed about the role in a recent interview.

Taylor-Johnson was subtle in his response to the question during one of his promotional interviews for Kraven the Hunter. In an appearance on Good Morning America, host Michael Strahan tricked him into confirming the speculations about being the new James Bond, when he asked the actor if he would want to slip on Agent 007’s tuxedo.

“There’s been a lot of speculation about the next 007. Would you slip on the tuxedo, if asked?” Strahan asked to which Taylor Johnson replied, “I love slipping on a tuxedo.” When prodded “to play 007?” the actor took a moment to respond. Then he cheekily smiled and said to the camera: “Do you know what… I wear a tuxedo in this [film, Kraven the Hunter]. You should come see this movie. Honestly, it’s got a ton of action and it’s a thrill ride honestly.”

It might not sound like much, but his response — and the way he appeared almost caught red-handed — was his most telling response to date.

Taylor-Johnson was also recently asked about the James Bond role during a red carpet interview with Entertainment Tonight at the New York premiere of Kraven the Hunter. The interviewer asked: “Another character everyone is dying to see you as is Bond. What do you make of that suggestion that fans have?“

Looking amused, the 34-year-old English actor refused to give a direct answer and said instead: “I would say come see Kraven because that’s what’s out this weekend and it’s not going to disappoint. I promise you that, guys.“

This has been a typical response from the Kick-Ass star who has been avoiding the question ever since becoming the bookies’ bet to take over the role from Daniel Craig. As early as August 2023, he said: “It’s not really for me to say anything. I’ve spent two years making Kraven. So all that hard work we put into trying to get that to where it is — that’s where I’m at right now.”

When asked if it’s exciting to even consider being James Bond, he replied: “I just focus on the things I can have in my hands right now. What’s in front of me right now.” Interestingly, during this exchange no one mentioned the word “James Bond” and the actor never shut down the speculations.

Then in March this year, rumors spread that he’s already booked the role after an impressive secret audition for Broccoli in 2022. A source claimed: “Bond is Aaron’s job, should he wish to accept it. The formal offer is on the table and they are waiting to hear back. As far as Eon (Productions) is concerned, Aaron is going to sign his contract in the coming days and they can start preparing for the big announcement.”

However, a production insider quickly shut down the claims saying there’s “no truth” in it. But Taylor-Johnson keeps getting asked the question because he hasn’t actually denied the speculations as he said: “I can only really talk about the things I’m going to show and tell.”

Broccoli said the new James Bond actor should be someone whose in his 30s, who isn’t necessarily white, and that he should be committed to at least a “decade’s worth of films.” Aside from Taylor-Johnson, other actors rumored to be in the running for the role include Richard Madden, 38 (Citadel) and Regé-Jean Page, 38 (Bridgerton).

There’s two ways of looking at Aaron Taylor-Johnson‘s newest movie, Kraven the Hunter. Here’s the positive way: Years after being killed off as Quicksilver, the Bullet Train star has finally got his very own Marvel film all to himself. On the other hand, said film is the last entry in the world-renowned rubbish tip that is Sony’s Spider-Man Universe, which arguably only rubs salt in the wound of the MCU disposing of him so swiftly.

Taylor-Johnson’s press tour for Kraven is unsurprisingly a lot more polite and British than that undertaken by Dakota Johnson for this year’s earlier Sony effort, Madame Web, during which Johnson’s distaste for her own movie became abundantly clear. The Kick-Ass veteran may well be proud (somehow) of his involvement with Kraven, then, but even so, it’s obvious that he still holds a bit of a grudge that he was never asked back to play Marvel’s Pietro Maximoff.

Aaron Taylor-Johnson has something to ask Elizabeth Olsen about why he never came back to the MCU

And, apparently, his on-screen sister (and, weirdly, wife) Elizabeth Olsen shoulders some of the blame. While reflecting on his career in a video interview with IMDb, the topic of Taylor-Johnson’s two-time working relationship with the fan-favorite actress came up. The 34-year-old Englishman gushed about his Age of Ultron co-star, even if he does have one big question for Scarlet Witch.

“Lizzie Olsen, phenomenal actor. Absolute star. And a wonderful person, wonderful human being, and I’n not just saying that. She’s really lovely,” Taylor-Johnson praised. “I was very fortunate. We played husband and wife in Godzilla and brother and sister in Avengers… I don’t know why she didn’t resurrect me, though.”

Aaron, you’re not alone in wondering that, although perhaps that’s a question best directed at Marvel Studios execs rather than Olsen herself. Wanda Maximoff’s powers are now at the point where she can cross the multiverse and even create twin sons from scratch, so there’s really no in-universe reason why his Quicksilver variant has never returned. The wildest thing is that Taylor-Johnson’s X-Men franchise counterpart, Evan Peters, has now made more MCU appearances than he has.

The good news is that there’s still an opportunity for Taylor-Johnson to at long last make an MCU comeback before the Multiverse Saga ends. Most notably in 2027’s Avengers: Secret Wars, perhaps even for a team-up scene with Peters’ version. That certainly seems more likely to happen than a reprisal of Sergei Kravinoff, anyway, as Kraven the Hunter‘s poor box office projections and dismal reviews seem to have killed off the SSU for good.

Again, there’s a positive and negative side here. Being the face of such a major flop may damage his rumored James Bond chances… But at least that would give him lots of free time to return as Quicksilver whenever Marvel wanted him. Come on, Kevin Feige, do the guy a solid. You owe him big for exiling him to Sony Land in the first place.

Somehow 28 Days Later came out two decades ago but the good news is, that means it’s time for a new iteration. Entitled 28 Years Later, the third film in the franchise is the continuation of the iconic zombie world.

28 Years Later follows the formula of the franchise, picking up decades after the original outbreak. The new film stars Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Jodie Comer in a world where zombies are still a real concern. But as exciting as a new entry into the universe is, the new trailer is missing something significant.

The footage opens with a group of children watching the Teletubbies, which would have been contemporary to the time of the original film. The kids’ quiet reprieve is broken when they are sequestered in a room to spare them from the violence of the outside world. As the images fly by, the trailer gets more and more chaotic, all to the soundtrack of Boots, a poem by Ripyard Kipling that imagines the repetitive thoughts of a British Army soldier. All elements come together to invite viewers into a compelling world, but still, one thing remains missing.

After Cillian Murphy’s substantial and warranted attention for Oppenheimer, it was almost a given that he would return to the franchise that gave him his cult status. Upon inspection of the trailer, however, there is no Murphy to be found. For the most part, the trailer follows Johnson’s character, who travels with a young boy to an encampment. The visuals are further interspersed with terrifying imagery of humans still trying their best to survive. It certainly isn’t a requirement to see Murphy return, but fans are still holding out hope. Rumors about his appearance in the film have been stoked, particularly after viewers think they spotted Murphy in the trailer. Officially he is credited as an executive producer, but his status as a fan-favorite alum has made viewers take a second look.

Cillian Murphy’s Jim was instrumental in setting up 28 Days Later

Before Robert Kirkman even had a chance to introduce viewers to Rick Grimes’ disorienting wake-up call in The Walking Dead, 28 Days Later beat him to it. In the 2002 film, Cillian Murphy plays Jim, a bike messenger who wakes up from a coma after almost a month. The world he wakes up in is unrecognizable as he walks around a vacant London city center. He is disturbed by the amount of missing person posters, and the empty streets. Quickly, he gets introduced to a world of angry monsters out for the taste of human flesh. 28 Days Later tells a socially conscious tale that isn’t just about zombies, but what would happen to the world if society fell apart. Humans are just as vicious as anyone, a theme that continues to be told in other horror tales like The Walking Dead and It Comes At Night.

28 Days Later was directed by Danny Boyle and written by Alex Garland who would go on to have impressive careers. The two return for the third film, and fans can only hope that Murphy will them in some capacity. While he wasn’t in the follow-up, 28 Weeks Later, his appearance would be a good bookend for the series. Zombies are more popular today than they ever have been, perhaps a response to anxieties of the real world. Hopefully, Murphy’s appearance in the film isn’t just conjecture.

You might have forgotten, but there’s a new Marvel film set in Sony’s universe headed to theaters before 2024 is over, and that’s Kraven the Hunter. With the titular character being an iconic Spider-Man rogue, it’s only natural that the conversation has turned to the web-slinger before the film has even arrived.

Kraven the Hunter is one of the most unique villains Spider-Man has faced, boasting enhanced attributes like speed, strength, and sense that allow him to stalk and take out his prey, including Peter Parker. In the film, the character will be played by Aaron Taylor-Johnson in his second Marvel role to date following his brief stint in Avengers: Age of Ultron as Pietro Maximoff/Quicksilver. Taylor-Johnson also played the title character in both Kick-Ass and Kick-Ass 2, technically making Kraven his fourth superhero outing and his first real turn as a supervillain.

When speaking to Screen Rant, Johnson mused about the possibility of Kraven going toe-to-toe with Spider-Man on screen, and while there was no concrete answer as to whether or not this would happen in the near future, the star didn’t waste any time expressing his desire for it to reach fruition.

“I mean, it’s very much the question to everyone else really, right? Because I think what we’ve done, what we’ve set up in this story is a really rich character that definitely has the legs to go on and do more damage. I think he should go toe-to-toe with some superheroes that we know. One of my favorite stories is Kraven’s Last Hunt. It was one of the source materials I used to go back from. 

He’s got some dark demons there and we are basically showing the birth of that and how he becomes a villain that we then come to know. So really come see this movie, man. Come see this movie. I promise you it won’t disappoint. It’s got all the beats that you want and more. I think it could be an audience’s sort of villain favorite, definitely go toe-to-toe with some other people down the line, man.”

As you might expect, there are no set plans for a Spidey/Kraven face-off anytime soon, and the likelihood of it happening at all will rely on how fans receive the film. Of course, we expect to see Venom face Spider-Man on screen long before a new character like Kraven does, but who knows ⏤ perhaps the new movie will blow the lid off of Sony’s expectations and convince the studio to pivot all other plans. If it’s better than Madame Web and Morbius (not that it’s hard to be), then the chances of us seeing Taylor-Johnson in the role again significantly increase.

Taylor-Johnson is not the only familiar face we’ll be seeing in Kraven. The film also stars Oscar winner Russell Crowe as Nikolai Kravinoff, Oscar winner Ariana DeBose as Calypso, and Wolf Man’s Christopher Abbott as The Foreigner. Early reactions have been largely positive thus far, but Sony has become known for throwing us unwanted curveballs. If you’re eager to see whether or not the studio succeeds with its latest endeavor, Kraven the Hunter releases in theaters on Dec. 13, and if you can’t wait until then, you can watch the first eight minutes of the movie online for free now.

You’re going to get some attention when your wife is 23 years older than you, no matter who you are. Such is the case with heartthrob actor Aaron Taylor-Johnson, 34, and his wife Sam, 57. The two recently shared some photos from a tropical getaway, with Taylor-Johnson showing of his rock-hard abs and people online slinging shade at his much-older wife.

In Sept., Taylor-Johnson shared some bathing suit pics with Sam in what looked like a pretty chill vacation for the two lovebirds, who’ve been married for 12 years and have two daughters together: Wylda Rae, 14, and Romy Hero, 12.

Look at those abs! You could count money on those things. The happy couple got engaged after they met on the 2009 movie Nowhere Boy, when he was 18 and Sam was 42. Alright, look. We all know the comment section of any social media site is not going to be pretty, so this went about how you expected it to go.

People pretty much voiced the opinions that all of us feel on the inside about this situation, except much worse. There’s of course the consternation that one of the most sculpted, good looking men on the planet is married to someone, well, much older.

It’s not like she’s some scarved babushka waiting in line for bread. This is a vibrant, healthy woman! Just look at some more of these thirst traps:

Here’s what they looked like back when they first met:

Okay not for nothing, but look at the way these two look at each other. If that’s not relationship goals, then relationship goals don’t exist. In the following clip, listen to him gush about how his wife is “one of [his] favorite directors of all time” and an “innate storyteller.”

A couple this high profile have had their fair share of rumors over the years. From divorce rumors to cheating allegations, which gave women everywhere genuine glee.

Oh, there’s also the contingent that refers to Sam as a “groomer.” The internet, isn’t it so lovely? That’s gets into a whole other argument where people are defending Sam. However, one X made a very valid point about gender norms and double standards:

“Idk who these people are but looked into it. They look great together. He looks much older than he is so it evens it out. Many men do this with younger women. Always interesting to see it done this way. good for them for being happy.”

Sounds like some people out there are just jealous of Sam, who saw something she liked and went after it. You know who else has a huge age-gap in their relationship and no one is yelling “groomer” about? Former New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick.

He’s 72 and dating a 23-year-old. That’s a 49 year age gap. That’s about one fifth as old as the United States of America itself! They do seem happy though.

Regardless, as Taylor-Johnson’s star continues to rise, the rumor mill is going to keep on churning. If he does end up snagging the coveted role of James Bond, it’ll probably reach a fever pitch.

After the last couple of years the Sony Spider-Man Universe has had I think it’s fair to say nobody is expecting much from the Kraven the Hunter movie but perhaps we’re being too harsh on the film – is it possible that it just might be good?

Everything we’ve seen thus far has failed to impress, but the film’s opening scene was recently showcased to attendees at the New York Comic-Con and reactions have been surprising to say the least. Fans were treated to a whole eight minutes of gory, violent footage, (the film is R-rated in case you were unaware) and it seems like most who were there to witness it seemed to really like what they saw. The general opinion shared by those in attendance is that this film might not be a rancid pile of nonsense like Madame Web, or Morbius, or Let There Be Carnage, (honestly pretty much every SSU film is trash).

It's completely understandable if you disagree but I genuinely believe that KRAVEN THE HUNTER will deliver not only a fun time but a solid movie. pic.twitter.com/ZLEZLMHA00

— TomMCJL (@TomMCJL) October 19, 2024

It’s drawn comparisons to John Wick which is high praise, I’ll believe it when I see it.

Others were more tempered with their reactions, predicting it would be a “decent movie based on the intro.” That’s not exactly the highest of praise, but honestly? A decent movie would shine like gold compared to everything else Sony has put out thus far.

Regardless, this is certainly promising news. I’m pretty sure most of the world had already written the SSU off at this point, perhaps it has finally found its flow, it only took 5 years! 

Let’s hold our horses for a second

But let’s not get ahead of ourselves here, don’t get me wrong, it’s not like I want this movie to suck, but we shouldn’t be celebrating this as a win just yet. Let’s that this is only the opening eight minutes and of course Sony is going to showcase something that makes the film look enticing. I being excited for Morbius back in 2022 based on the clips I saw – look how that turned out.

Has Sony changed?

I suppose the biggest question is has the SSU learned from its mistakes? So far I would say no, but then again, Kraven the Hunter has already set itself apart from its predecessors by being the first R-rated movie in Sony’s universe. Perhaps people just got a little excited over all the violence and mayhem that they didn’t notice the film was just as trash as the rest, like a cheap paint job on a broken car, it won’t hide the flaws forever. 

Or maybe I’m just being pessimistic and this movie has taken the criticisms levied at the others and made something new and exciting. The footage isn’t available online yet so it’s difficult to come to a solid conclusion, but part of me is worried we’re just going to get another Morbius, this time with blood, guts, and swearing.

X-Men ’97 is everything we could’ve hoped from Marvel‘s first attempt at tackling the mutant team and more. No joke, I just wanted to make that clear from the off. It’s authentic to both the original ’90s animation and the spirit of the beloved brand in general.

It’s even authentic to the spirit of some things about the X-Men comics universe that we never thought would be made canon by the MCU. Another thing we never thought would be made canon by the MCU? Chris Evans’ return as Captain America. Well, that one might actually still be the case…

X-Men ’97 dares to canonize the single weirdest romance in mutant history

X-Men ’97 doesn’t shrimp on the jaw-dropping twists in its two-part premiere — even if one of them, that Magneto now leads the X-Men after Professor X’s death, was spoiled in the trailer. Here’s one that Marvel definitely kept under its hat, though — the series sure seems to be suggesting that Rogue and Magneto had a past affair, one that may soon be rekindled. This bizarre May-December romance is actually a thing in the comics — which, for the uninitiated, are full of crazy soap opera developments like this — even if those familiar with the films have never once shipped the characters played by Anna Paquin and Ian McKellen.

Classic Captain America may be returning, but Chris Evans isn’t

Rejoice, Marvel gamers, because this week brought us a first-look reveal trailer for Marvel 1943: Rise of HYDRA. Returning to the kind of wartime Captain America vibe of The First Avenger, the game sees Steve Rogers team up with Black Panther — specifically, Azzuri, T’Challa’s grandfather. Honestly, going by the storyline and the character designs, the game could practically be considered MCU canon. So many were getting their hopes up that Chris Evans could reprise his role as the Sentinel of Liberty. Unfortunately, this is not the case — as any of Evans’ recent comments on his reluctance to return to Marvel could’ve told us. Hey, at least there’s always Secret Wars!

Is Aaron Taylor-Johnson going from Quicksilver to Kraven to 007?

Killing Quicksilver off after a single movie back in 2015’s Avengers: Age of Ultron seemed like a dumb move at the time, and a big snub for Kick-Ass star Aaron Taylor-Johnson, but in the long run maybe it’s worked out the best for him. On top of returning to the Marvel multiverse for Kraven the Hunter, Taylor-Johnson might also be free enough to secure himself the most coveted of all roles for a British actor — James Bond himself. This is what widespread rumors are saying, anyhoo, but don’t take the casting as fact just yet as it’s yet to be reliably confirmed. Although ATJ looking to jump ship from the Sonyverse ASAP, after the mauling of Madame Web, would be a very smart career move. Let’s just hope Evan Peters doesn’t steal his role again like last time.

It’s been a long wait for James Bond fans, as there hasn’t been any firm news regarding the iconic British spy since Daniel Craig’s final mission in No Time to Die ended in a fiery explosion.

We all knew it was only a matter of time before the British super spy would be returning with a different face, but nobody expected the wait to be two and a half years! During this Bondless period, the internet was filled with speculation as to who could fill Craig’s shoes. Names that frequently popped up included Tom Hardy, Idris Elba, and many more.

Lots of fans were hopeful that Henry Cavill would take the role considering he’s been in practically every other spy franchise as of late. Anyway, it doesn’t matter now as that wait appears to finally be over.

According to The Sun, Aaron Taylor-Johnson will be receiving his license to kill, with many major outlets reporting that the Kick-Ass star has been offered the role and could be g the contract this week. Whilst he will no doubt make a great Bond some were disappointed with the choice, many were still holding out hope that Henry Cavill would be offered the role. We wanted him in a Bond film and instead we got Argylle, what a cruel world we live in. Although, then again, Cavill is off doing bigger and better things anyway, he doesn’t need Bond.

Has the new Bond actor been officially announced?

Whilst it has yet to be 100% confirmed it’s looking pretty likely judging by the amount of outlets claiming the Avengers: Age of Ultron star has been offered the role. The Sun claimed that a “source” had confirmed that “Aaron is going to sign the contract in the coming days.” Of course, it’s possible that this could still turn out to be wrong as neither Taylor-Johnson, nor the production company have made an official announcement confirming whether he’s been offered the role or not.

Whilst it’s certainly looking like a foregone conclusion at this point, it’s worth waiting for an announcement of some sort, either from EON Productions, MGM, or the actor himself. Even if he has been offered the role it doesn’t sound like he’s signed anything yet, so things could change.

It’s likely there won’t be any official confirmation of the role going to Taylor-Johnson until after he’s signed that dotted line. Our advice, wait and see.

Ever since Daniel Craig ended his run as James Bond in No Time to Die, the question on everyone’s lips has been, “Who’s going to play the role next?”

The role of Bond has long been a coveted one in Hollywood. After Craig’s stellar tenure, it’s pretty evident that whoever’s suiting up for the role has enormous shoes to fill. After all, the agent is one of the most iconic movie characters of all time and the film series remains one of the longest-running movie franchises ever.

Although a few names have been floating around in recent days (Idris Elba, Regé-Jean Page, and Dev Patel among them), the latest name to make headlines is Aaron Taylor-Johnson. In fact, some fans believe it’s all but confirmed that he’s gearing up for the role. In the meantime, however, it’s as good a time as any to dive back into the world of espionage, gorgeous bombshells, and a good ol’ Martini (shaken, not stirred) and revisit the films that precede the next phase of the Bond dynasty.

All James Bond movies listed in chronological order 

There are 27 James Bond movies so far, and the best way to categorize them is by the actors who have played him over the years. 25 of the movies were produced by Eon Productions, the company that holds the rights to Ian Fleming’s characters, and many consider those produced by Eon to be the official “James Bond franchise.” Here are all the movies produced by Eon:

Sean Connery era

• Dr. No (1962)
• From Russia with Love (1963)
• Goldfinger (1964)
• Thunderball (1965)
• You Only Live Twice (1967)
• Diamonds Are Forever (1971)

George Lazenby era

• On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969)

Roger Moore era

• Live and Let Die (1973)
• The Man with the Golden Gun (1974)
• The Spy Who Loved Me (1977)
• Moonraker (1979)
• For Your Eyes Only (1981)
• Octopussy (1983)
• A View to a Kill (1985)

Timothy Dalton era

• The Living Daylights (1987)
• License to Kill (1989)

Pierce Brosnan era

• GoldenEye (1995)
• Tomorrow Never Dies (1997)
• The World is not Enough (1999)
• Die Another Day (2002)

Daniel Craig era

• Casino Royale (2006)
• Quantum of a Solace (2008)
• Skyfall (2012)
• Spectre (2015)
• No Time to Die (2021)

Which James Bond movies weren’t produced by Eon Productions, you ask? There are only two: 1967’s Casino Royale and 1983’s Never Say Never Again. Casino Royale starred David Niven was more of a parody comedy than a serious spy thriller. It was produced by Charles Fledman, who held the rights to the Casino Royale adaptation at the time and decided to make the movie after failing to come to an agreement with Eon. The result is an over-the-top but hilarious spy parody. Never Say Never Again happened to feature the first Bond actor, Sean Connery, and marked his first time playing Bond in 12 years and also the last time he would ever play the part. Only time will tell which lucky actor will inherit the iconic role next.

If there is one certainty in this life, it is that the James Bond franchise will keep on churning. When one 007 retires, it is only a matter of time before the next picks up his Walther PPK.

After premiering his version in the 2006 film, Casino Royale, Daniel Craig has officially gone on his last mission. His final movie was in the 2021 venture, No Time to Die, where Bond seems to have made the ultimate sacrifice to save his family. No one thought this would be the end of the franchise, so, of course, many names are being tossed around for who will pick up the mantle next. For a time, The Witcher star Henry Cavill seemed like an obvious choice to portray the suave secret agent. But with his adventures in Guy Ritchie films and his rumored Warhammer 40K project, Bond creatives may be looking in another direction. 

Who is going to be the next James Bond?

The newest addition to the rumor mill has been a consideration for Aaron Taylor-Johnson. Though unsubstantiated, some outlets have reported that he has been offered the role as the next 007.

Sometimes, rumors happen to be true. Vanessa Kirby had been a fan favorite for the new iteration of Sue Storm before casting for Fantastic Four became official. Taylor-Johnson could very well be in the running for this particular role. However, his selection may be a divisive one. 

The actor has an eclectic filmography, to say at the very least. Though he has appeared in proper period films such as Anna Karenina, he is also known for his many comic book movies, including his breakout in Kick-Ass. That isn’t to say that actors can’t have range, but Taylor-Johnson seems to excel in these humorous roles. He demonstrated his wit as the sadly short-lived Quicksilver in Avengers: Age of Ultron and applied similar comedy stylings in the action-packed film, Bullet Train. Fans at large are also waiting to see how his Sony picture, Kraven the Hunter pans out. Historically Sony has not done spectacularly with Spider-Man villains who never encounter Spider-Man. 

But if there is one thing to be said for the actor, he knows how to do action sequences. Kraven the Hunter is a physically demanding role that requires a lot of stunt work. Similarly, Bullet Train features Taylor-Johnson in a spy-adjacent role as Tangerine, an assassin coming after a coveted briefcase. The question is less if he is capable of bringing Bond to the big screen and more if he decides to.

Early reports indicate that the actor has only been offered the role. There is no telling if he will accept it or if the search is ongoing. Taylor-Johnson is only one name among many English actors who could wield the iconic pistol.