If “X-Men: First Class” fares well at the box office, actor Michael Fassbender may be further employed as once-and-future villain Magneto in the franchise series. But if the cards fall right, he may be playing another cinematic icon: James Bond.
The Hollywood echo chamber has suggested that the German-born actor could be a natural successor to Daniel Craig’s 007, and the 34-year-old is “flattered” at the thought.
“Daniel [Craig] is doing a great job. We’ll see what happens. I’m very flattered that people made that sort of link but, I don’t know, we’ll see,” he said during a “First Class” press conference in New York today (May 25).
He did not mention if he’d been approached in any sort of formal manner, and isn’t going to count on an offer either (even if there are Facebook groups devoted to the cause). The Bond franchise seems to be back on its feet, and Craig hasn’t outlined plans to retire from filling those black-shined shoes. “I don’t like to plan anything ever because it never seems to work,” he said, adding that he was going to “see how [x-men] does. And i’m sort of in the middle of another [film].”
Any one of those films could include David Cronenberg”s “A Dangerous Method,” Ridley Scott”s “Prometheus” and Steve McQueen’s “Shame,” all on Fassbender’s busy forthcoming slate.
Fassbender has been attached to several other action films, including “Inglorious Basterds” and “300.”