The James Bond franchise is currently at a crossroads, but one actor from the past could be the ideal candidate to set up the future. While details about the next James Bond movie remain hard to come by, most fans are focused on who will follow Daniel Craig as the new 007. However, after such a long gap between movies, and Amazon’s takeover creating plenty of unanswered questions, the franchise is under a lot of pressure to hit the ground running for the next era of Bond. This means that the next movie will have to be a hit. Otherwise, there could be some virulent backlash from the fan base.

Choosing the right villain will be an important step in shaping the next Bond movie. The history of the franchise has proven that the best James Bond villains can elevate their movies. Naturally, great actors with a flair for playing bad guys are vital, which is something the Daniel Craig era clearly understood. There are many high-profile actors who have the potential to become the next iconic Bond villain, with one possible contender standing out because he already crossed paths with 007 36 years ago, just as his career was taking off.

Benicio Del Toro Had A Role In The James Bond Franchise 36 Years Ago

The Puerto Rican Actor Played A Violent Henchman In Licence To Kill

Benicio del Toro would make a fantastic Bond villain, but he already joined the franchise in Licence to Kill, the second movie to star Timothy Dalton. This shouldn’t be too much of an issue, since the Bond franchise has recycled actors on multiple occasions. Joe Don Baker played an unhinged arms dealer in The Living Daylights before becoming one of Bond’s CIA allies in GoldenEye, and Charles Gray played one of Bond’s informants in You Only Live Twice before taking on the role of Blofeld in Diamonds are Forever four years later. Compared to these examples, a 36-year gap should be more than enough for del Toro.

Licence to Kill was del Toro’s second feature-length movie role, released when he was just 22 years old. After playing various thugs and crooks on American crime shows like Miami Vice, del Toro was clearly well-prepared for the spotlight, and he brings a lot of menace to the role of Dario. Although Dario is only one of Sanchez’s many henchmen, appearing in a handful of scenes, del Toro’s menacing presence leaves a lasting impression. He brings a hint of sadism to the role, which makes it all the more satisfying when Bond ultimately kills him by dropping him into an industrial shredding machine.

It would take a few more years after Licence to Kill for del Toro to start gaining more interest. His breakout role in 1995’s The Usual Suspects introduced him to a new level of success in Hollywood, and his career soon took off with subsequent roles in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Snatch and Traffic. Since winning an Oscar for Traffic, del Toro has worked in a variety of genres, but he’s often returned to playing villains and morally questionable characters. Returning to the Bond franchise in a larger role would be a poetic move, and it would start 007’s next chapter in style.

Licence To Kill Is Still An Underrated Bond Movie

Dalton’s Second Bond Film Is An Unusual Offering

Licence to Kill deserves more love as one of the best James Bond movies, but it might not be as popular because of how different it is from the rest of the franchise. It’s less of a spy thriller and more of a generic ’80s action movie, with Bond going rogue and seeking revenge for the death of his friend. Over the years, Bond has often been tasked with saving the entire world from destruction, but Licence to Kill‘s more personal stakes are just as compelling. Dalton’s second and final Bond movie is one of the franchise’s more emotional, and it works brilliantly.

There are enough familiar touches to make Licence to Kill feel like a proper Bond movie, even if 007’s rogue mission is an anomaly. Along with Q’s gadgets and a dash of romance, Licence to Kill has a great Bond villain. Robert Davi’s chilling performance as Franz Sanchez proves yet again that most Bond movies are only as good as their villains. It would be interesting to see Benicio del Toro playing a similarly slimy business type if he were ever to return to the franchise, especially one with Sanchez’s love of theatrics and violence.