While Henry Cavill has a diverse set of roles under his belt, he has interestingly played five spy roles on the big screens. Despite having a long and diverse line of work, Henry Cavill is still held synonymous with his fantasy roles, like the Witcher and Superman. Interestingly, though, in an alternate reality, Cavill might have been associated with a completely different role if things had gone in a different direction.

Before he donned Superman‘s cape and wielded Geralt of Rivia’s sword, Henry Cavill was one of the top prospects to play James Bond. As reports reveal, he even nearly landed the part before it went to Daniel Craig. Perhaps, if Cavill had played James Bond, his acting career would have gone in a completely different direction, and he may not have even played Superman or the Witcher.

Cavill’s chances of becoming the new James Bond seem significantly low since a relatively younger actor is now being eyed for the role. However, viewers who wish to see Cavill play a spy character have quite a few movies to choose from. While not all of these characters are similar to James Bond, all of them have their own unique quirks that Henry Cavill captures brilliantly.

5

Argylle In Argylle

The marketing surrounding Matthew Vaughn’s Argyllle made it incredibly exciting. The movie’s star-studded cast, including big names like Henry Cavill, John Cena, Dua Lipa, and Bryce Howard, further added to the hype surrounding its release. Unfortunately, the movie struggled to leave its mark among critics and landed an underwhelming Rotten Tomatoes score of 32%.

Even its box office numbers were no less disappointing, where it earned only $96.2 million against a budget of $200–250 million​​​​​​​. Still, Henry Cavill was fairly memorable in the film as Agent Argylle​​​​​​​. The character is portrayed as a hyper-idealized, slightly ridiculous cartoon of a spy. The non-seriousness of the role allows Cavill to put his comedy chops on display while diversifying his acting portfolio.

While Argylle does not exactly give a glimpse of what Henry Cavill would have been like as James Bond, it sheds a fun, satirical light on the spy thriller genre.

4

Sid In In The Grey

Guy Ritchie’s In the Grey features two powerhouses, Henry Cavill and Jake Gyllenhaal, as its leads. In the film, Cavill plays Sid, an elite covert fixer​​​​​​​ who partners with Jake Gyllenhaal’s Bronco and operates in the morally ambiguous area of global finance and asset recovery. One of the most defining aspects of In The Grey is Cavill’s on-screen chemistry with Jake Gyllenhaal.

While In The Grey struggles to rank among Guy Ritchie’s best creations and even failed to leave a mark at the global box office, Cavill and Gyllenhaal’s dynamic remains one of its strongest assets. Unlike Argylle, In The Grey also takes itself rather seriously, allowing Henry Cavill to be in his true element as a stoic, highly capable operative whose charisma stems from quiet confidence.

3

Gus March-Phillipps In The Ministry Of Ungentlemanly Warfare

Before Cavill was featured as the lead in In The Grey, Guy Ritchie also cast him in The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare. Given how he is the only director who has given Cavill the opportunity to play three spy-esque characters, he probably would have had him as James Bond if he were given the opportunity to make a 007 movie.

The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare features Cavill as Major Gus March-Phillipps​​​​​​​, the real-life historical figure who led Operation Postmaster during WWII. Interestingly, Major Gus is perhaps the closest we will get to seeing Henry Cavill as James Bond, given how the real-life figure was one of Ian Fleming’s direct inspirations for James Bond.

2

Napoleon Solo In The Man From U.N.C.L.E.

The Man From U.N.C.L.E. marked the inception of Henry Cavill’s spy career and long-term collaboration with Guy Ritchie. While The Man From U.N.C.L.E., too, was far from being a box office hit, the movie is often remembered as one of Cavill’s most underrated flicks. In the film, Cavill is portrayed as Napoleon Solo​​​​​​​, a smooth-talking WWII thief turned CIA operative.

Throughout the movie, Cavill carries himself with an effortless perfection that even makes his conventional spy character seem incredibly appealing. Even the way his character is portrayed in his sharp three-piece suits perfectly gives a glimpse of what Cavill would have been like as James Bond.

1

August Walker In Mission: Impossible – Fallout

Even though Henry Cavill is not the leading man in Mission: Impossible – Fallout and does not show up in any other movies of the action franchise, his role as August Walker remains iconic. It is arguably one of Henry Cavill’s best roles to date because it makes incredible use of his physicality and even gives him the opportunity to play a more morally ambiguous character.

The movie also features several slam-bang action sequences in which Henry Cavill truly shines as an action star. Since the movie’s release, his “arm reload” scene has gained immense popularity, allowing it to become one of the most memorable action-movie moments.

While only time will tell whether Henry Cavill will get to play another spy character on the big screen. Given how his odds of playing James Bond are still not down to zero, he might even get a second shot at the iconic role. Till then, however, August Walker will remain his best spy role on the screen.