Photos

Gerard Butler

Could have been Bond in: "Casino Royale" (2006)

Case file: Not exactly possessing a sparkling film resume, with "Dracula 2000" and the woeful screen version of Andrew Lloyd Webber's "Phantom of the Opera" under his belt, the Scottish Butler was nevertheless given... more serious consideration by the Bond organization in early 2005. Could they have been trying to channel fellow Scotsman Sean Connery for their series reboot? Butler did prove himself a considerable action hero in "300" two years later, so there's a very good chance he might have done as well in the tux as in a loincloth. (John Spellman/Retna Ltd.)

Who is your fave Bond guy? Write us at heymsn@microsoft.com

Sound off: Comment on this story | Also: Features archive 

Don Kaye covers movies and television for MSN.com, Fangoria and others. His first Bond movie was "Goldfinger" (on TV -- he's not that old).