5. Christian Bale (38)
Probably too big a star to play the character now, Christian Bale should still remain a Bond candidate for when Daniel Craig hangs up his tux. Why? Well, when a man agrees to be dragged through streets by buffalo just because Werner Herzog asks him to or loses so much weight for a role he almost dies, you can pretty much guarantee hell do anything. As Bond, Bale would bring a dedication never seen in the franchise before. Like Hardy, Bale could mould himself into the Bond the producers want, arriving to auditions a blank canvas but embarking on filming as a new James Bond. He may be an Oscar-winner and popular audience draw now, but Bale still has the hunger to bring something interesting to the role of 007.