Jon Hamm is clearly having quite a year and now, he just wants to keep things going. After starring in the box office hit Top Gun: Maverick, Hamm has now set his sights set on the James Bond franchise following Daniel Craig’s exit.Sure, several stars have been linked to the iconic role over the years, although nothing has ever been confirmed. And while Idris Elba is seemingly removing himself from contention, Hamm is openly saying he’d love to become the next 007.
Has Jon Hamm Ever Played A Spy?
Well, yes, in the comedy Keeping Up with Joneses, although the tone is very different from a James Bond film. More recently, though, Hamm played a detective who had to do a bit more spy work.
Of course, this is none other than the comedy Confess, Fletch which sees Hamm take over the titular role from comedian Chevy Chase.
For Hamm, the film has been a labor of love from the beginning for the Mad Men star, so much so that he even made financial sacrifices just to get it made since the original budget only allowed for 27 days of shooting.
“So, basically, what we did is Jon gave back 60 percent of his salary to the budget. I gave back some of my salary, not as much as Jon because he’s richer than me and I’ve got three kids,” Greg Mottola, the film’s director who also helmed Keeping Up with Joneses, said.
“And we bought three more days of shooting. We got it up to 30 days in Boston and one day in Rome.”
As it turns out too, Hamm has been a huge fan of the Fletch series ever since he can remember. “I started reading the books as a little kid,” the actor revealed.
“I mean, like a teenager, like a very young kid. So it’s an exciting opportunity to get the chance to really reintroduce a character to a brand new generation.”
Jon Hamm Says He’d ‘Love To Play James Bond’
Now, while tackling the role of Fletch, Hamm also couldn’t help but think about the similarities between his character and 007.
“There’s very much some shared DNA there, for sure. It’s a series of stories,” the actor pointed out. “He’s sort of placed in different environments and conundrums and finds himself constantly on the wrong side of the law sometimes and has to use his wits and his wilds to get out.”
At the same time, Hamm also added, “He doesn’t have the budget that maybe James Bond has for gadgets, but he does have his wits and his incredible ability to read a room.”
On that note, the actor also expressed his interest in becoming the next 007. “And while we’re at it, sure. I’d love to play James Bond. Thank you for asking,” Hamm remarked.
This 007 Suggested Jon Hamm To Play 007 Once
And while it’s unclear if James Bond producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael Wilson are even considering Hamm for the role, it seems one of their 007s already knows that the actor would portray the character quite well.
Back in 2009, Craig did an interview with Australia’s Herald Sun where he confessed to being a huge fan of Hamm’s former series, Mad Men. And, in fact, it’s Hamm’s portrayal of ad executive Don Draper that got Craig thinking that he can be Bond should the franchise decide to adapt the Bond novel Devil May Care, which is set in the 60s.
“Have you seen that terrific series Mad Men? It's great and I look at that guy [Hamm] and he's got such a great look,” Craig remarked. “If you're doing the film of [Devil May Care] that look would be perfect. If you were doing a one-off film I would say that's the way you would go.”
That said, Craig also said that adapting Devil May Care has become highly unlikely since the franchise tends to prefer to set its films closer to the present day. “That's not where we are,” the star said.
“The intention was always to make more than one of these so we have to move it forward because in two years' time, when hopefully we'll do another one, we'll still be pushing it forward.”
Meanwhile, since Confess, Fletch, Hamm has also been hard at work on other upcoming projects, including the film Maggie Moore(s), which is directed by his former Mad Men co-star John Slattery. In addition, the actor is also set to star in the third season of the Apple drama The Morning Show.
At the same time, it also seems that Mottola is already working on another Fletch installment, Fletch’s Fortune, which might see Hamm back in the titular role. “And Fletch’s Fortune all takes place at a journalism conference,” the director added. “So I’ve got lots of ideas how to bring that into all the insane worlds of today.”
As for playing James Bond, Broccoli and Wilson might just be listening.
