Austin Butler is ready to star in a James Bond film, but not as the protagonist, details explored

Austin Butler is taking himself out of the 007 sweepstakes, but not out of the franchise. In a Hits Radio chat, the Caught Stealing opened up on his desire to work in a James Bond film, but before you imagine him in a spy suit, there's a catch.

Butler said he wasn't interested in playing Bond but would like to be a villain in the project. Speaking on the show, the actor talked about if he has been approached to play Bond, as he said,

“I love that man but no calls as far as James Bond goes but I don’t think that would be a good idea [for me to play Bond], I’m an American, I can do an accent but that would be kind of sacrilegious."

He then adds,

“Villain? That would be alright! I’d do that."

That lane fits him scarily well. After all, he already turned heads as the predatory Feyd Rautha in Dune: Part Two, shaving his head, packing on muscle, and dialing the charm to creepy for a performance that screamed future franchise baddie. Also, the director of the Dune franchise, Denis Villeneuve, is the one who is helming the James Bond film, which gives Butler better chances at landing a role in the project.

So no, he is not angling for the tux. He is circling the shark tank. If Eon wants a modern Bond antagonist with movie star wattage and unapologetic menace, Butler just slid his calling card across the table.

More about Austin Butler's career in Hollywood

Austin Butler has gone from Nickelodeon golden boy to one of the most magnetic actors working today, and his career has been anything but predictable. Once the floppy-haired teen heartthrob popping up on Zoey 101 and Hannah Montana, Butler carved his way out of the “cute kid” box with patience and precision. He dabbled in family flicks, dived into teen dramas like The Carrie Diaries, and even battled demons in MTV’s The Shannara Chronicles. He even stepped onto Broadway opposite Denzel Washington, proving he wasn’t just another Hollywood guy.

Then came the transformation that rewrote his story: Elvis. Baz Luhrmann’s sprawling biopic turned Austin Butler into a phenomenon. He channeled Elvis from the trembling vulnerability of the young singer to the exhaustion of the Vegas years. Awards poured in: a Golden Globe, a BAFTA, an Oscar nomination. He quickly became one of the big names.

Recently, he starred in Apple TV+’s war epic Masters of the Air, and stunned audiences as the ruthless Feyd-Rautha in Denis Villeneuve’s Dune: Part Two. With projects alongside Joaquin Phoenix, Emma Stone, and Darren Aronofsky this year, Austin Butler's career is quickly shaping into one defined not by typecasting but by reinvention.

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Edited by Sohini Biswas