James Bond: 10 Iconic Actors Who Would Have Been Perfect As 007

James Bond has been played by some iconic actors, but there are plenty of other classic performers who could have easily been definitive in the role themselves. The early James Bond films established the tone and style of the series, which continues well into the 21st century. While discussions are still being held at the time of this writing over who will replace Daniel Craig in the upcoming James Bond 26 following his swan song in No Time to Die, those kinds of debates have been waged for decades.

Even looking back at the era of Sean Connery’s James Bond films, several classically trained actors of the stage and screen would have made fitting additions to the franchise. Many of them were even actively considered or offered the part, but all ultimately turned it down for various reasons. Still, it’s worth looking back at some of the most interesting classic actors who could have brought their own unique intensity and charm to the role of James Bond.

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10 Stanley Baker

Baker Would Have Brought His Trademark Intensity To Early Bond Films

Several actors would have made great James Bonds in the early era of the franchise, with figures like Stanley Baker highlighting the versions of Bonds that audiences missed out on. Born in Wales in 1928, Baker became one of the most compelling British actors of the 1950s thanks to his intense performance in films like Hell Divers and Yesterday’s Enemy. Films like The Guns of Navarone proved he was a good fit for the kind of action and adventure that are crucial to James Bond films.

Notable Stanley Baker Films	Role
Hell Below Zero	Erik Bland
Helen of Troy	Achilles
Yesterday’s Enemy	Captain Alan Langford

With a notable intense delivery, Baker could have embodied the cold exterior of Bond that actors like Daniel Craig would later lean into. Audiences almost saw it, too. According to his widow (via Western Mail), Baker was offered the role of Bond before Sean Connery but turned it down because he wasn’t interested in a multi-film contract. It’s fascinating to consider what Baker’s Bond would have been like, and how it would have impacted the direction of the series.

9 Jeremy Brett

An Iconic Sherlock Holmes Was Almost Bond

Jeremy Brett was another actor who could have played James Bond, and came close to it. Born in 1933, Brett was a stage actor who broke out when he appeared in 1956’s cinematic adaptation of War and Peace. His focus on stage work made him a strong dramatic actor, capable of bringing an underlying humanity to characters ranging from d’Artagnan in The Three Musketeers or Freddy Eysnford-Hill in My Fair Lady.

Notable Jeremy Brett Films	Role
War and Peace	Nikolai Rostov
My Fair Lady	Freddy Eysnford-Hill
Adventures of Sherlock Holmes	Sherlock Holmes

Brett was one of the candidates to replace Connery as Bond in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, but the role ultimately went to George Lazenby. Brett would have made an interesting Bond, especially in a more emotionally charged story about a character like On Her Majesty’s Secret Service. Brett still went on to play an iconic British hero though, eventually playing Sherlock Holmes in the Adventures of Sherlock Holmes series.

8 Michael Caine

Harry Palmer Would Have Been A Good James Bond

One of the most prolific actors of the 20th century, Michael Caine would have made a fun choice for James Bond. In his youth, the actor was full of the natural swagger and charm that would make for an ideal version of Bond. His performance in films like Alfie highlighted how he could bring a darker layer to that charm, however, suggesting he would have been able to infuse some darkness into the character.

Notable Michael Caine Films	Role
The Italian Job	Charlie Croker
Hannah and Her Sisters	Elliot
The Dark Knight Trilogy	Alfred Pennyworth

Caine even had the ideal experience of playing Bond, thanks to his time playing another British secret agent, Harry Palmer, in several films. However, as reported by the Daily Mail, Caine simply wasn’t interested in the role, even when he was suggested as a potential replacement for Connery when he departed the character. Audiences have gotten decades of varied Caine performances, but it’ll always be interesting to consider what his Bond could have been like.

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7 Michael Gambon

Dummbledore Could Have Been Bond

A winner of multiple Olivier Awards and several BAFTA awards, Michael Gambon would have been a potentially iconic version of James Bond if he’d taken on the role. Making his cinematic debut in 1965’s version of Othello, Gambon was a skilled actor who easily balanced drama and comedy depending on the role. He could bring gravitas and humanity to his characters simultaneously, a unique talent that made him an especially memorable performer.

Notable Michael Gambon Films	Role
The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover	Albert Spica
Sleepy Hollow	Baltus Van Tassel
Harry Potter series	Albus Dumbledore

He could also strike a delicate balance between charming and intense, as seen in his later work as Albus Dumbledore in the Harry Potter films. Gambon was sought out for the role of James Bond after George Lazenby left the franchise, and would have made a compelling choice for the role. However, he remained more focused on his theatrical work, for which he won many awards over the course of his career.

6 Julian Glover

An Iconic Villain Could Have Been An Interesting Bond

Julian Glover would have made an interesting James Bond, which could have utilized his villainous charms for a more morally ambiguous James Bond. Born in 1935, Glover got his start in the theatre and British TV of the 1960s and 1970s. Glover’s charms and darker edge were put to good use as a villain in multiple shows and films.

Notable Julian Glover Films	Role
Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back	General Veers
For Your Eyes Only	Aristotle “Aris” Kristatos
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade	Walter Donovan

This includes a memorable appearance as Scaroth in the Doctor Who serial “City of Death,” the General Veers in The Empire Strikes Back, and the ruthless Walter Donovan in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. His film work even includes a villainous turn in a James Bond film, 1981’s For Your Eyes Only, which highlighted how easily he fit into the franchise. His experience with franchises would have made Bond a natural fit. His dramatic skills and villainosu turns could potentially set up a charming but dangerous James Bond.

5 Trevor Howard

The Third Man Could Have Teased An Interesting Bond

Trevor Howard would have been a perfect James Bond, especially given his work in gritty films like The Third Man. Born in 1913, Howard made his big break in 1945 with Brief Encounter. The actor became a consistent box office draw, especially in films like The Third Man and Golden Salamander. His experience in thrillers of the era would have likely easily translated over to James Bond, making him a natural fit to try and escape the nefarious plans of villains like Goldfinger or Dr. No.

Trevor Howard Films	Role
Brief Encounter	Alec Harvey
The Third Man	Maj. Calloway
Golden Salamander	David Redfern

Howard could have brought the right amount of intensity to the role without losing sight of the inherent swagger and charm inherent to the role. His experience across genres suggests that Howard would have been able to adjust to the ever-evolving tone of the James Bond series. Howard could have easily fit into James Bond’s shoes, but never got the chance to.

4 Richard Johnson

Richard Johnson Was Almost James Bond Before Sean Connery

Described by critics as a “calm and compelling” figure on stage, Richard Johnson could have been a fitting actor to take on the role of James Bond. Born in 1927 and becoming a consistent member of the Royal Shakespeare Company, Johnson eventually developed a cinematic resume full of urbane and sophisticated characters that feel right at home alongside Bond. His experience playing high society characters would have fit well into the world of luxury and espionage seen in early James Bond movies.

Rihard Johnson Films	Roles
The Amorous Adventures of Moll Flanders	Jemmy
Emma Hamilton	Horatio Nelson
Aces High	Major Lyle

In fact, during an interview with Cinema Retro, Johnson revealed he’d been offered the role of Bond before Sean Connery. Dr. No Director Terence Young had initially wanted Johnson for the part, but the actor’s contract with MGM kept him from accepting it. While Connery brought a level of charm to the role that Johnson hadn’t, he would have likely been an ideal figure to bring Bond’s romantic charm and dramatic commitment to the big screen.

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3 Patrick McGoohan

The Prisoner Could Have Led To A Fascinating Bond

The Prisoner creator and star Patrick McGoohan would have been a fantastic choice for James Bond, but never played the character. Born in 1928, McGoohan’s break-out role was playing secret agent John Drake in the series Danger Man. The performer’s experience playing secret agents would have made him ideal to play James Bond. His time playing Number Six in The Prisoner proved he would have been an ideal actor to bounce against the more absurd elements of the franchise.

Notable Patrick McGoohan Film & TV	Role
Danger Man	John Drake
The Prisoner	Number Six
Ice Station Zebra	David Jones

McGoohan could have brought a grounded edge to the over-the-top battles Bond often finds himself in. He played spies in other films like Ice Station Zebra as well, proving he had the star power to headline a franchise like the James Bond series. Although he was offered the role of James Bond, the National Catholic Register reported that he turned down the role due to his deeply devout Catholic beliefs conflicted with the sex and violence inherent to the character.

2 Terence Stamp

Terence Stamp’s Bond Could Have Been A Unique Addition To The Canon

A globally-renowned film actor whose film debut in Bully Budd earned him an Oscar nomination, Terence Stamp would have been an interesting but compelling choice for James Bond. Perhaps most famous for his villainous roles (like General Zod in Superman II), Stamp’s ability to shift from sophisticated to charming to intense with reliable ease would have made him ideal for the role of Bond.

Notable Terence Stamp Films	Role
Billy Budd	Billy Budd
Superman II	General Zod
The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert	Bernadette Bassenger

James Bond producer Harry Saltzman apparently agreed, with Stamp recalling to the Belfast Telegraph that he was one of the actors approached to replace Sean Connery. However, after his ideas for the character “put the frighters” on the producer, he was dropped as a choice. It’s a shame because Stamp would have been an interesting choice for the part. He could have brought an edge to the character who increasingly felt like a character in Connery’s later films, and would have been a strong choice for the role.

1 Richard Todd

Ian Fleming’s Pick For James Bond Would Have Been A Good One

Born in Dublin in 1919, Richard Todd could have been a great James Bond if he’d been given the chance. A cinematic leading man in the 1950s, Todd’s performances in films like The Hasty Heart, Stage Fright, and The Virgin Queen helped cement him as a major star in the era of the original James Bond films. Most of his most famous roles came in films based on war stories and military exploits, which could have translated easily to the espionage of James Bond films.

Notable Richard Todd Films	Role
The Story of Robin Hood and His Merrie Men	Robin Hodd
The Dam Busters	Guy Gibson
The Virgin Queen	Sir Walter Raleigh

His skill in thrillers like Chase a Crooked Shadow and Intent to Kill. These films highlight Todd’s strong balance of likable charm and authentic intensity. As noted in his obituary from the Los Angeles Times, that aspect of the performer actually caught the attention of James Bond creator Ian Fleming, who’d chosen Todd as his first choice for the role. While audiences may have been deprived of the iconic Sean Connery performance as James Bond if that came to pass, it’s still worth considering how Richard Todd’s skills could have created a more accurate recreation of the original character.

Sources: Western Mail, Daily Mail, Cinema Retro, National Catholic Register, Belfast Telegraph, Los Angeles Times

James Bond

The James Bond franchise follows the adventures of British secret agent 007 as he combats global threats. With a license to kill, Bond faces off against various villains and criminal organizations, employing high-tech gadgets, espionage, and charm. The series spans multiple films, featuring exotic locations, thrilling action sequences, and memorable characters. Bond’s mission to protect the world and uphold justice remains central, making the franchise an enduring icon in the spy genre.

Created by Ian Fleming , Albert R. Broccoli First Film Dr. No Latest Film No Time to Die Upcoming Films James Bond 26 Cast Sean Connery , George Lazenby , Roger Moore , Timothy Dalton , Pierce Brosnan , Daniel Craig