Latest news with #KravenTheHunter
CBC
29-05-2025
- Business
- CBC
Who is the next James Bond? It's anyone's guess. But a luxury watchmaker just shifted the odds
The rumour mill is both shaken and stirred at the prospect of the next James Bond star being inadvertently — maybe — leaked. Speculation has been swirling online in recent days that British actor Aaron Taylor-Johnson, the star of films like 2024's Kraven the Hunter and the 2022 hit Bullet Train, is poised to take on the role of the world's most beloved and admired spy after Swiss watchmaker Omega announced the 34-year-old is its new global brand ambassador. Both Taylor-Johnson and Omega shared images over the past week of him sporting its watches and touring its factory. Why is that a big deal you ask? The luxury brand has adorned Agent 007 for 30 years, worn in films and ads by recent Bond actors Pierce Brosnan and Daniel Craig, which is why fans and oddsmakers — yes, you can place your bets on the next Bond — took note of the Taylor-Johnson/Omega marriage. While Taylor-Johnson has been on several lists of potential actors who could portray the suave and sexy super spy in the franchise's 26th instalment, Bond is a fixture in popular culture like few others and predicting who and what's next for him is somewhat of a sport in its own right. And because it's the "off season" for fans right now, it's the perfect time to watch for any indication of a big announcement, says Lisa Funnell, a Hamilton-based scholar and author who has been researching Bond books, film and culture for more than 20 years. It's been nearly four years since the last film of the Craig era, No Time to Die, was released — which was delayed more than a year due to COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns. The longest period between Bond films was six years, after Roger Moore's last turn in 1989's Licence to Kill and Brosnan taking the torch in 1995's GoldenEye. "I think until we get a full announcement coming at us, we're not going to know. We're only going to be speculating, which is kind of fun," she said. The perfect Bond Taylor-Johnson has a lot going for him, says British writer and and Bond aficionado Mark O'Connell, adding that he has met the actor and is cheering for him. "He's definitely in my top three or five Bond contenders," he said. "He looks great on screen. The camera loves him. Maybe the box office doesn't yet, Kraven didn't do so well, but the box office and the magazine covers... really love him." But O'Connell isn't taking the Omega partnership as a sign of anything, pointing to the fact another contender, Academy Award-nominated Irish actor Barry Keoghan, is also affiliated with the brand. It may also be worth noting that Taylor-Johnson was sporting an Omega Speedmaster watch in the photos the company posted on social media, while Keoghan was sporting one of its Seamaster series, which is the line that Bond wore in the last nine films. But, moving on. O'Connell thinks Taylor-Johnson stands a solid chance not just because of his looks and acting chops but because he's not too big of a star yet. He says the franchise has typically casts actors who aren't household names. Both he and Funnell agree that a superstar like Superman franchise heartthrob Henry Cavill, whose name has been tossed around and who certainly has the look, is just too big for Bond. That's something that could also count out someone like Jonathan Bailey, whose star is soaring with the blockbuster Wicked and the upcoming Jurassic World: Rebirth. One thing O'Connell believes is a sure bet is that the next Bond will be British (sorry Canadian, American and Australian actors). Bond enters the Amazon era The Hollywood Reporter predicted in December that the next Bond would be Josh O'Connor, known for last year's Challengers and his Emmy-winning turn as Prince Charles in the Netflix series The Crown, suggesting longtime series producer Barbara Broccoli "has always led from the gut, not caved to popular opinion." But here's the thing: She's no longer has creative control of the franchise her family has helmed since its inception in the 1960s. Amazon and MGM Studios are now in charge (MGM owns the rights to the film franchise, Amazon now owns MGM), after striking a deal earlier this year and has already tapped Amy Pascal and David Heyman to produce the film known, for the moment, as Bond 26. That shift left a lot up in the air, says Funnell. "We're entering into brand-new territory," she said. The new producers, she says, could go in a new direction that might not necessarily "fall in step with all the rules that the Bond franchise has had up to this point." Funnell suggests Amazon has an advantage by having so much streaming data and information about what's being watched by which demographics, and that could help inform its decisions of both what kind of star it wants — possibly someone who will attract younger audiences — and the style of Bond movie it makes. She says Amazon also has to take into account the success of other Bond-esque films that have filled the void since the last feature, including two Mission: Impossible movies. She's personally keen to see a return to a more classic style; movies more about the missions and lots more of the gadgets. "I want things that explode, exploding pens, whatever," she said — rather than the more style-driven and and "deeply personal" storylines of the Craig era. O'Connell doesn't think Amazon will shake things up too much because it's "really keen to get it right." As for a big star reveal, he says it likely won't happen until the next writer and director are announced, noting many eyes have been on Oscar-winning Mexican director Alfonso Cuarón (Roma, Gravity). But that, too, is speculation. WATCH | Bond creator Ian Fleming speaks with CBC in 1964: Ian Fleming: a 1964 interview with the brain behind Bond 61 years ago Duration 27:16 Explorations airs an intimate chat with James Bond creator Ian Fleming in his Jamaican hideaway Aired on the CBC-TV program Explorations on Aug. 17, 1964.
Newsweek
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Newsweek
Aaron Taylor-Johnson Omega Visit Sparks James Bond Speculation
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Aaron Taylor-Johnson fans think the actor is the next James Bond, thanks to a subtle hint posted to social media on Thursday. Newsweek reached out to Johnson's representative via email for comment. The Context It's been nearly four years since Daniel Craig's portrayal of Bond in No Time to Die, and the franchise has yet to find a successor. In February, Amazon MGM announced creative control of the hit films after reaching a deal with Bond custodians Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson, the Associated Press reported. Over the years, various actors have been rumored for the role, including Johnson, Theo James, Idris Elba, Henry Cavill and more. Past Bonds include Sean Connery, Roger Moore, Pierce Brosnan and Craig. Speculation surrounding Johnson once got so strong that the Bullet Train star addressed the hearsay during an interview with Rolling Stone UK in March 2024. "I can only really talk about the things I'm going to show and tell," he said. "So, The Fall Guy, Nosferatu, Kraven the Hunter. I'm here to promote those." The 34-year-old added: "I don't feel like I need to have a future drawn out for me. I feel like whatever's drawn out for me, I can f***in' do better." Aaron Taylor-Johnson attends the "Kraven The Hunter" New York premiere at the AMC Lincoln Square Theater on December 10, 2024, in New York City. Inset: Daniel Craig attends the world premiere of "No Time to... Aaron Taylor-Johnson attends the "Kraven The Hunter" New York premiere at the AMC Lincoln Square Theater on December 10, 2024, in New York City. Inset: Daniel Craig attends the world premiere of "No Time to Die" at the Royal Albert Hall on September 28, 2021, in London. More Jamie McCarthy/WireImage;for EON Productions, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios, and Universal Pictures What To Know On Thursday, luxury watch company Omega announced a collaboration with Johnson via Instagram, adding fuel to the Bond rumors. "OMEGA welcomes Aaron Taylor-Johnson to our watchmaking home in Bienne," the post read. "The actor and Golden Globe winner stepped into our watchmaking home for an exclusive tour, meeting the watchmakers behind our timepieces. #OMEGA #OMEGAMyChoice" Omega has had a long-standing partnership with the Bond films. According to the company's website, "Since 1995, James Bond has worn an OMEGA Seamaster in every film. Over the years, we have also created special tribute timepieces with features that honor 007 and his legacy of genre-defining movies." At the time of publication, the Instagram post had received more than 100,000 likes in 5 hours and had more than 540 comments. What People Are Saying Instagram user @julianheusschen, in a message with 664 likes: "Bro has to be the new James Bond at this point." @watchbie, in a comment with 312 likes: "Do I hear the 007 theme?" @hi_thisisace asked in a note with 215 likes: "is this a hint ?????" @thatonebondguy: "Hello Mr. Bond, we have been expecting you." @rocco_soranno added: "New James Bond?" @jordysanz07 shared: "New James Bond !!!!" @eefjedg posted: "JAMES BOND." @chipgobbler voiced: "Bond Confirmation." @charliesansom replied: "The biggest clue yet that he's going to be James Bond." Bond experts previously told Newsweek why Johnson would be ideal to play the character. Pop culture historian Roy Schwartz said: "He's got the right look to play Bond. He's pretty but rugged, and if you've seen Bullet Train, you know he looks good in a suit." Film and TV critic Tim Stevens said Johnson is the right age: "Taylor-Johnson wouldn't be the youngest 007. George Lazenby holds that record at 29. If he's Bond for 12 years, he'll still only be as old as Roger Moore was in his first go-round as 007." What Happens Next It's unclear when the next Bond will be announced.
Screen Geek
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Screen Geek
One Of The Worst Marvel Movies Ever Now Streaming On Netflix
The Marvel comic book brand has been treated to numerous adaptations over the years. Many of these adaptations have been considered modern classics by today's critics and audiences. However, not all films have been so well-received, and now a title that's considered to be one of the worst Marvel movies ever is now streaming on Netflix. While there are so many great Marvel movies as mentioned, one could easily create a competition to see which title should be called the worst. Quite a few of the films that fans would expect to see would no doubt be the titles released by Sony, or more specifically, some of their recent attempts to build a shared universe with flops that include Morbius and Madame Web . One flop is bad enough, but the fact that Marvel fans can recite several under Sony is definitely something else. Now the most recent of these flops is currently available to stream on Netflix. For subscribers that might want to give the Marvel film a chance to see if it really is the worst or simply have something to criticize, they can now do so with their Netflix subscription. The film, titled Kraven the Hunter , was first released on December 13, 2024. In less than a year, however, and as quickly as it's initial release – the Spider-Man spin-off was almost immediately slammed by viewers. It received three nominations at the 45th Golden Raspberry Awards, and it only made $62 million worldwide on a $110-130 million production budget. The film stars Aaron Taylor-Johnson as the titular Spider-Man villain, though in a case similar to their other spin-off films, the movie doesn't feature any direct reference to Spider-Man . This makes for a complicated viewing and one that isn't particularly faithful to the comics. This makes it easy to see how things went downhill – though there are many other problems with Kraven the Hunter that don't make it surprising to see how hard it failed. On the bright side, it could mean that Sony will be more careful when creating such spin-offs and adaptations based on the Spider-Man brand. Stay tuned to ScreenGeek for any additional news regarding the newest titles available to stream on platforms including Netflix, with Kraven the Hunter now available for viewing.
Forbes
21-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
The Best Action Movie Of 2025 Just Hit Netflix's Top 10 List
Den of Thieves 2 Lionsgate Netflix's $320 million The Electric State is currently plummeting down its Top 10 movie list, now at #5 and dropping, passed up by a number of licensed movies from Despicable Me 4 to Kraven The Hunter to now, a new action movie that so far, is the best of the year. That would be Den of Thieves 2: Pantera, which may sound like a cheesy straight to DVD offering (well, straight to streaming now), it's a surprisingly good sequel to a surprisingly good original which was clearly successful enough to warrant this second movie. Though yes, kind of cheesy. The concept of the original Den of Thieves was Gerard Butler as a rule-breaking LA Sheriff attempting to stop a heist crew, led by Pablo Schreiber's Ray Merrimen, who would go on to star in the awful Halo show, but despite that, he's excellent here. Since his breakout role in 300, Gerard Butler has been carving out these somewhat schlocky but solid action movies, including the 'Has Fallen' series, but now, simultaneously, Den of Thieves. Den of Thieves 2 Netflix The first film was good, better than its 43% critic score indicated back in 2018, but now both its critic and audience score have improved since the original, a fresh 63% and a 79% respectively. Seven years later, they've refined the concept. The movie brings back Butler, of course, but also the first film's O'Shea Jackson Jr. In what may be something of a cost-saving measure, they are the two biggest names in the cast, and the series didn't feel the need to add a bunch of A-listers to attract more attention. The highest profile new addition would be Salvatore Esposito, known best for nearly a decade of the series Gomorrah. Here's the official synopsis of Den of Thieves 2: One problem Netflix has is that no, you cannot watch the original Den of Thieves on the service right now, and would have to head over to Peacock or Amazon for that. Licensing! So much fun. Given that we're only a quarter of the way through the year, no, I would not expect Den of Thieves 2 to stay the best action movie of the year, even if yes, I would say it beats out Captain America: Brave New World so far. My guess is it won't be better than Thunderbolts, for one. But it's a great, Heat-channeling movie that a lot of people will probably enjoy, as is the first, if you haven't checked it out yet. Follow me on Twitter, YouTube, Bluesky and Instagram. Pick up my sci-fi novels the Herokiller series and The Earthborn Trilogy.
