David Tennant was in the running to play James Bond in Casino Royale instead of Daniel Craig, it's been revealed.
The hugely popular star has enjoyed a great career, playing the Tenth Doctor and starring in popular dramas like Broadchurch, but he could've stepped into the shoes of a very famous spy.
When it comes to an iconic role like James Bond, you need the perfect fit, and it was revealed that there was a list of names considered to play the suave spy, and Doctor Who legend David Tennant was apparently on that shortlist.
Speaking on the Acting For Others podcast, David Tennant said: "I never believed I had, until I worked with a director recently who had worked with the Broccolis who said, “Yeah, you were on the list that time.”
"I was like, 'What time? What are you talking about?' He went, 'Yeah, the last time.' I suppose it must have been Daniel Craig, before that I would have been a child."
He added: "I think it was quite a long list and I don’t think I was ever very near the top of it. But apparently so."
After considering the names on the James Bond list, they decided to hire Daniel Craig in 2006 when he made his Bond debut in Casino Royale, and he played the role for 15 years before concluding with No Time to Die in 2021.
Taking on the British spy is a huge commitment and even producer Barbara Broccoli has revealed they'd be looking for someone to step into his shoes long-term, so it's not an easy task to undertake.
We still don't know who the next James Bond is, but Idris Elba is in the running, who producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson have revealed they "love".
Barbara told Variety we've got a long wait to find out who Bond is though, adding: "The thing is, it’s going to be a couple of years off.
"And when we cast Bond, it’s a 10-12-year commitment. So he’s probably thinking, 'Do I really want that thing?' Not everybody wants to do that. It was hard enough getting [Daniel Craig to do it]."
No Time to Die is available to stream on Prime Video, and David Tennant will soon be joining the Doctor Who anniversary celebrations. Most recently, he starred in BBC's mini-series Inside Man.
