Published Feb 15, 2026, 7:00 PM EST
After joining Screen Rant in January 2025, Guy became a Senior Features Writer in March of the same year, and now specializes in features about classic TV shows. With several years' experience writing for and editing TV, film and music publications, his areas of expertise include a wide range of genres, from comedies, animated series, and crime dramas, to Westerns and political thrillers.
Tom Hiddleston’s return as Jonathan Pine in The Night Manager has predictably taken Prime Video by storm, demonstrating exactly why the actor was tipped to be the next James Bond after the show’s first season a decade ago. As effortlessly smooth as ever playing this undercover British government operative, Hiddleston has now elevated the series to new heights.
Given how good a spy thriller The Night Manager is, it’s only natural to question why it’s taken 10 years for the show to return to television. In the intervening period, Tom Hiddleston has gone from the favorite to succeed Daniel Craig as 007, to a lower profile star who appears to have missed his chance.
Because James Bond 26 is expected to be quite different from the recent movies starring Craig, the franchise’s next release also calls for a very different type of actor. As hard as it is to ignore Tom Hiddleston’s sublime performance as Jonathan Pine, it’s also unlikely that he ticks all the boxes for Denis Villeneuve’s James Bond at this stage.
Tom Hiddleston's Comeback In The Night Manager On Prime Video Is Almost Perfect
Still, if Hiddleston’s Prime Video success with The Night Manager is anything to go by, the actor remains a major draw for audiences with which few other 007 candidates could compete. Trading his hotel in Cairo for the sun-kissed beaches of Colombia, Hiddleston’s Jonathan Pine is even more beguiling in his attempt to thwart Richard Roper’s latest scheme.
As well as becoming a global streaming hit, The Night Manager season 2 has earned rave reviews, with the performances of Hiddleston and his fellow lead actor Camila Morrone coming in for special praise. 10 years ago from being the spy series everyone in Britain was obsessed with, it’s now the spy series everyone in the world is talking about.
Some have justifiably argued that this second season of the show leans more into style than the substance of its forerunner. Yet, when the plot is this gripping, and the production is this slick, it’s impossible to take your eyes off.
The Night Manager Made Hiddleston Favorite To Be The Next James Bond
It’s worth remembering that The Night Manager was the series that first propelled Tom Hiddleston to superstardom. Following his debut as Jonathan Pine back in 2016, millions were convinced that Hiddleston should be cast as James Bond.
The actor himself was evidently flattered by rumors linking him to the part, admitting he was a huge fan of the 007 franchise, and calling the chance to play Bond an “extraordinary opportunity”. If Hiddleston really was in line for his dream role, then his portrayal of a British intelligence agent in The Night Manager had certainly earned it.
As Jonathan Pine, he’s suave, obscenely stylish, but clinical in his approach to secret service work. His characterization of Pine also has the ambiguous edge and glint of darkness that made Daniel Craig’s Bond such a fresh and effective changeup from previous iterations of 007.
10 years later, though, while Hiddleston is still a Bond candidate in long lists drawn up by film journalists, he’s pretty much been discounted by Denis Villeneuve and Eon Productions. Not even The Night Manager’s belatedly triumphant return can put his name back in the reckoning.
The Night Manager Season 2 Has Come Too Late For Tom Hiddleston To Become 007
Apparently, Barbara Broccoli was never on board with Tom Hiddleston being James Bond. So the news in 2025 that Broccoli was relinquishing creative control of the 007 franchise to Amazon arguably increased Hiddleston’s chances of becoming the next Bond. Yet, it seems he’s left it too late to remind everyone just how brilliant he could be in the role.
If The Night Manager season 2 had arrived in 2017 or 2018, immediately following up the first season’s success, then Hiddleston could have built up a head of steam as the overwhelming favorite to play the next 007. But at this stage, it seems like his moment has well and truly passed.
Most of the casting favorites for James Bond 26 have been ruled out as too old. Tom Hiddleston unfortunately fits this description, since, at the age of 45, he doesn’t have the profile of a young, up-and-coming actor that Denis Villeneuve is supposedly looking for when it comes to the new James Bond.
Perhaps it was never meant to be, as 007 would likely have stolen some of the thunder that truly belongs to Jonathan Pine. Most actors never get to play one iconic secret agent, let alone two. In The Night Manager’s lead role, Hiddleston already has more than enough screen espionage to be proud of.
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Genres Action
Created by Ian Fleming, Albert R. Broccoli
First Film Dr. No
Latest Film No Time to Die
Upcoming Films James Bond 26
First TV Show Fleming: The Man Who Would be 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.
English (US) ·