Following Daniel Craig’s exit, Henry Cavill has been repeatedly fancast in the titular role of James Bond in the billion-dollar franchise. But this is not the first time Cavill has been associated with the spy thriller, for he has long been in contention for the role of 007, since the early 2000s. Unfortunately, every time he proved to lack the qualities to land the role.
Yet again, following the release of Matthew Vaughn’s spy parody Argylle on February 2, Henry Cavill proved why he isn’t fit for the spy thriller franchise James Bond. According to ScreenRant reports, it seems Cavill is best suited as a spy in parody films like the $934M Kingsman franchise.
Argylle Almost Certainly Ruled Out Henry Cavill from James Bond
Hollywood actor Henry Cavill has always had his eyes on the James Bond franchise. Ever since the early 2000s he has been trying to make his way into the billion-dollar spy franchise. But unfortunately, every time he proved to lack the qualities to appear as the titular 007. Thus, after losing the opportunity to play the role of Bond several times, Cavill ventured into the DCEU as Superman in Man of Steel (2013).
Thereafter, several great opportunities came his way and the doors to play a large variety of roles opened up for Henry Cavill. In 2015, the actor was cast as a spy in The Man From U.N.C.L.E. and yet again returned to the spy genre with his recent movie Argylle (2024). But unfortunately, following his appearance in Matthew Vaughn‘s spy parody, it almost certainly ruled out Cavill from the James Bond franchise.
Considering the fact that despite fans wanting to witness Henry Cavill as a serious spy, almost all of his spy movies have faced catastrophic box office collections. Previously, Cavill’s spy thrillers The Cold Light of Day (2012) earned $16M, and The Man from U.N.C.L.E. only managed to earn $110M against its $75M budget. And now, even Argylle seems to bomb at the box office with a disastrous $35M global debut.
Henry Cavill’s only spy film so far that managed to earn success was Tom Cruise’s Mission: Impossible Fallout, where he played the antagonist. So it seems, the movie simply earned success because of its already established reputation, and Cavill had nothing to do with it. Therefore according to ScreenRant reports, the Superman actor seems to have witnessed less success in the spy genre than in other films.
Henry Cavill is Best Suited for the $934M Spy Franchise
This carefully skimmed report from ScreenRant perhaps hints at how Henry Cavill is best suited for spy parodies over serious spy roles like James Bond. Considering that neither of his dark and broody spy films managed to bag box office success, it seems, fans prefer watching Cavill in parodies. Finally, it seems unlikely that the actor will ever go from parodying superspy movies to starring in the most popular spy franchise of all time – James Bond.
Therefore, given that Argylle almost certainly ruled out Cavill from James Bond, it seems to open the door of opportunity for the actor to another renowned franchise. Well, it’s none other than the $934M Kingsman film series that got hailed by fans for its storyline, cast, and filmmaking. Given that Argylle fits well with the style of humor and plot setup of the Kingsman franchise, it seems to be a good opportunity to explore for Cavill.
Following Argylle, if Henry Cavill appears in the Kingsman universe, it might turn out to be a better opportunity for him, than playing James Bond. This way, Cavill will get to explore a new character and also be a part of a larger cinematic universe, which comes without the stressful expectations associated with the iconic Bond role.
