The multiverse of James Bond just got more intriguing. Recently surfaced footage appears to show both Henry Cavill and The Boys’ Antony Starr auditioning for the role that ultimately went to Daniel Craig. The screen tests, posted by YouTube user Ron South who claims to have discovered them “in a recycling bin at a movie studio,” offer a fascinating glimpse into the 2005 casting process that would shape the next 15 years of the iconic franchise. All four audition tapes, including those of Avatar’s Sam Worthington and Homeland’s Rupert Friend, show the talented actors performing the same scene from GoldenEye. You can watch Cavill and Starr’s audition tapes below.
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Cavill’s audition received high praise from Casino Royale director Martin Campbell, who called his performance “tremendous” in a 2003 interview with GamesRadar.
“He looked great in the audition. His acting was tremendous,” Campbell stated. “And look, if Daniel didn’t exist, Henry would have made an excellent Bond. He looked terrific, he was in great physical shape… very handsome, very chiseled. He just looked a little young at that time back then.”
Viewers noticed in the seven-minute screen test that Cavill demonstrated his acting prowess through carefully controlled facial expressions.
For Starr, the timing reveals an interesting career crossroads. The New Zealand actor was then relatively unknown, with credits including Xena: Warrior Princess and Without a Paddle. Twenty years later, he’s achieved worldwide recognition as the psychopathic Homelander in The Boys, with G20 and another season of Gen V on the horizon. Social media reactions to his audition have been particularly entertaining, with fans noting, “Bro already had the Homelander thing going back then” and “just standing there he already has the Homelander posture.”
The revelation of these tapes raises intriguing “what-if” scenarios. Landing the Bond role could have prevented Cavill’s casting as Superman, potentially opening the door for actors like Charlie Cox to don the cape. Playing Bond might have also steered Cavill away from the endearing nerd persona he’s developed through his open enthusiasm for The Witcher and Warhammer.
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But did either actor have a real shot? The evidence suggests Cavill came closest. His youth worked against him, but Campbell’s endorsement indicates serious consideration. Starr, while displaying the intensity that would later serve him well as Homelander, might have been too unknown at the time for such a high-profile role. As one YouTube commenter noted, “He seems too nice to be Bond. Bond is a ruthless secret agent. This guy looks/acts like a pleasant school teacher” – an ironic observation given Starr’s later portrayal of television’s most ruthless superhero.
As the franchise again seeks its next 007, the timing of these leaks feels particularly relevant. Starr will soon wrap his run as Homelander when The Boys concludes with its fifth season in 2026, while Cavill, free from his Superman duties, could theoretically enter the conversation again. However, it’s worth pointing out that Craig’s casting obviously served the franchise very well, suggesting that sometimes the best choice isn’t always the most obvious one.
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Image courtesy of Walt Disney Animation
