It shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise that Dwayne Johnson would want to throw his name in the ring for the consideration of the next James Bond, but all the same, it does feel as though he might be an outlier, someone that could be a great supporting actor who might back up James Bond, but not the lead character. That sounds awkward doesn’t it, to even consider that Johnson would be a backup to anyone, but it’s a thought at the very least since while he is a great action star and has a lot of movies under his belt to prove it, this role feels like something that wouldn’t be the best fit since not only can Johnson not really pull off a convincing English accent, which would be kind of funky if he could but there’s the consideration that he has a very different look about him than has traditionally been seen for 007. But that could be part of what keeps him in consideration for the role since it does almost sound as though Bond is going to go through a change before the next movie is brought about.
Quite often though, it’s fair to say that Johnson is more effective when it comes to being the type of character that isn’t horrible at subterfuge and spycraft but is still the kind of guy that sticks out since he’s physically imposing and definitely intimidating when he wants to be, and even at times when he’s not trying to be. People might not want to hear it, but Johnson doesn’t feel like the type that would be best in suits and with hidden devices all over the place that might be useful in a pinch. Since his debut as The Scorpion King, he’s been the type of individual that has been more comfortable relying on brute force along with intelligence rather than charm and tactical strikes.
There’s nothing saying that it couldn’t work at all, but thinking that it would be the same old Bond if Johnson took on the role isn’t even close to true. But then, as was already mentioned, it’s fair to think that the coming Bond movies might be nothing like what people are used to since the technology has advanced, the storylines have started to evolve, and it’s easy to think that spreading outward instead of recycling one storyline after another might be the desire when it comes to Bond. Whether that will work or not is anyone’s guess since without sticking to actors such as those that have come before, meaning those that have exemplified James Bond in one way or another, it’s easy to think that the whole landscape is going to change. But that begs the question of why 007 has to be continued in this manner and not retired to allow someone to step up and take another number and try to make it just as great, with the idea that 007 is a legend and should remain that way, a gold standard for those that follow to look up to. It’s such a simple idea that one can’t help but wonder why it wouldn’t be put into place, but then again, Hollywood has made it clear that recycling and banking on ideas that have worked in the past are still making money, so why fix what’s not broken?
Seeing Johnson in Red Notice must have given a lot of people a bit of faith that he could make this happen and that he would be the perfect person for it. Personally, I’ll stick by the idea that he’s simply not quite the right person for this role, if only because Bond was able to blend in with his surroundings, while Johnson tends to stick out in a way that makes it clear that he’s not quite the same spy material that actors such as Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan, and Daniel Craig were during their tenure as the super spy. It’s not an insult to say so, but a look at the realism that the man once known as The Rock simply isn’t the suave and debonair individual that others have been upon taking on the role. He’s a battering ram that’s best used for heist movies and in the role of someone that’s basically the muscle.
Putting Johnson in a Bond movie would be an interesting development, but it would also be something that might backfire in a big way since it could possibly be the wrong role for this actor and something that would force too much change on the franchise. That could be said of a few people to be fair, but at this time it does feel as though Johnson would be better off not pursuing this role. Whatever happens will be interesting to see, but the hope is that someone else will be selected.
James Bond
