While the paths are open for Hollywood A-listers to take up the British agent since Daniel Craig’s exit from the franchise, heartthrob Austin Butler made a promise to be the first-ever American James Bond long before.

Austin Butler Chose Tarantino Over 'Top: Gun Maverick ...

His Oscar-nominated performance as American legend Elvis Presley in his biopic by Baz Luhrmann fetched worldwide acclaim for the audience’s sweetheart, However, Butler had dreamt of himself as the 007 agent, over a decade ago.
Why Austin Butler still talks with Elvis' deep, sultry drawl : The Tribune  India

In a clip he shot for an international teen magazine back in 2012, a then-21-year-old Butler spoke about the aspirations that led him to this industry.

“I realised I wanted to be an actor when I was about 11 or 12,” he said adding that he wanted to be the first American-origin James Bond.

It is pertinent to mention that in over six decades of the iconic character, none of the American actors has ever been cast in the role.

Moreover, with the exit of Daniel Craig after his final outing in ‘No Time To Die’ (2021), names like Tom Hardy, Henry Cavill, Idris Elba and Rege-Jean Page surfaced to be the next British spy.

Tom Hanks Offered Austin Butler A New Movie Role After "Elvis" Health  Concerns

In other news, Austin Butler has joined the star-studded cast of ‘Dune’ for the upcoming sequel along with Florence Pugh and Christopher Walken to play the cruel, Feyd-Rautha.

Butler shaved his head and eyebrows completely to master the terrifying look of Feyd-Rautha, described as someone ‘Machiavellian, much more cruel, much more strategic and more narcissistic’ by the director Denis Villeneuve.