Robbie Pattinson, the nephew of Elizabeth Taylor, has been cast as the next James Bond! The British actor has been chosen to play the secret agent in the upcoming 25th Bond film, called Spectre. According to Variety, Warner Bros. had only one goal with their latest casting selection: to surpass Die Another Day in terms of revenue.
While the studio is still in the early stages of development, it’s already been proven that they made the right choice. The film, which was released on October 26, 2015, broke worldwide box office records and became the 10th highest-grossing film of all time, earning $549 million worldwide. It was also the 5th highest-grossing film of all time at the U.S. box office, not accounting for inflation.
Now that we’ve established that choosing Robbie Pattinson was definitely the right move, let’s get into the details of this amazing news story.
The Prodigal Son Returns
Before we begin, let’s take a moment to appreciate what a coup this is for WB. After the disappointing box office performance of both Quantum of Solace (2008) and Skyfall (2012), Bond producers decided to take a crack at casting a relative newcomer to the role. Naturally, they went for a younger version of James Bond, and chose 22-year-old Pattinson, who is the grandson of Marjorie Merriweather Post (commonly known as Marjorie Merriweather).
The decision to give the role to a younger actor is completely justified. Not only do you have an entire generation of Yanks waiting to embrace their heritage, but from a marketing standpoint, you’re going to open up a whole new audience. If you compare Pattinson’s IMDb page to that of Brosnan’s, a massive difference becomes clear.
Pattinson’s filmography is rather small at this point. Aside from James Bond, he’s mostly worked in TV, with a couple of minor appearances in Hollywood films, such as the thriller Eye in the Sky (2014). Still, after watching just a few of his TV appearances, it’s clear that he’s got the acting bug, and hopefully, the good ol’ British sense of humor as well. With just a few more roles behind him, he could really break out and become a major player in the industry.
An Industry Veteran In The Making
So how good is the young Mr. Pattinson at acting? Based on his TV work alone, we’re going to have to say, “very good.” In fact, the kid has landed some pretty big roles in his short career. In addition to playing James Bond, he also starred opposite Mila Kunis in the biopic Black Swan (2012), which premiered at the Venice Film Festival in 2011. A little indie called Salmon Fishing in the Yemen, directed by Gavin Hood and starring Christian Bale, Matt Damon, and Mark Wahlberg, premiered at the 2013 Toronto Film Festival, where it won the Audience Award.
The list of theaters that have screened the film in the past year alone is impressive: New York, Los Angeles, London, and Tokyo, to name a few. Furthermore, Hood, who previously directed the critically acclaimed The Proposition, has stated that he specifically chose Pattinson for the role because of his “British wit and charm.”
Bond Ambiance
While we’re on the subject of British wit and charm, let’s not forget about Daniel Craig, the current Bond, who was born and raised in England. Craig is famously blunt and unapologetic about his love for the English language, often using words and phrases such as “arrogant bastards,” “fucking hell,” and “wankers” in interviews. One interviewer even suggested that Craig’s Bond might not even be related to the British Empire.
While Craig is an amazing actor and definitely deserves his accolades, the fact that the producers decided to go for a completely new kind of Bond is something to marvel at. They wanted to give the role of Bond to a young actor, and they succeeded in finding the right man for the job: 21-year-old Robbie Pattinson.
A Rising Star
To learn more about Robbie Pattinson and his professional career, we must return to YouTube, where he has created a series of videos, called “Mystery Box”. In these videos, Robbie opens up a mysterious package and shows off all of the contents. The items range from candies to signed first editions of Sherlock Holmes books. If you’ve never heard of him or seen his work, here’s your chance to look him up.
The videos have gotten a decent amount of views, with the most recent one having nearly 11 million views as of this writing.
A Role That Needs No Introduction
Now that we’ve covered the good news, it’s time to get down to the bad. As great as the news that the next James Bond will be Robbie Pattinson is, we should actually begin by saying that not all is well with the 25th anniversary of the James Bond franchise. The bad news? This may not be the last news article you’ll ever read about the Bond franchise.
Bond 25, which will likely be the last film in the current Daniel Craig-fronted series, has been plagued by setbacks and delays. According to People, the film was originally planned to hit theaters in 2015, but was pushed back until October 26, 2015, due to script problems and the transition to 4K.
Furthermore, there was speculation that Craig would decline to reprise the role of 007 for a third film. Rumors began swirling that after completing Bond 25, the actor would then enter a self-imposed exile, putting an end to his four-film stint as the legendary British spy. Thankfully, that wasn’t the case. Craig announced that he would indeed return for a third film, titled No Time To Die.
While the script for No Time To Die is still being finalized, it’s already been confirmed that it will be set in the same universe as the other 24 films in the series. Furthermore, producer Barbara Broccoli revealed that while she and co-producer Michael G. Wilson decided to go for “a bit of a change,” they specifically chose Daniel Craig to continue in the role, despite widespread suggestions that he could be replaced.
No Time To Reflect
With Daniel Craig’s continued presence as James Bond, it seems unlikely that we will ever see another actor don the iconic brand. So what does this mean for Robbie Pattinson? Well, it means that Bond has been in the family for some time now, and it looks like the actor will continue to be associated with the legendary spy in some way for the foreseeable future.
While it’s still too early to tell what kind of role this may ultimately cast Robbie in, it’s clear that the next chapter of the Bond franchise is already written, and it’s a welcome addition to the long and storied history of James Bond.
Any other tidbits you want to add?