Highlights
- Brian Cox thought he was signing up for a James Bond film, but it turned out to be a reality competition show called 007: Road to a Million.
- Despite the initial disappointment, Cox enjoyed working on the show and had fun bossing people around as "The Controller".
- While Cox didn't get to play a James Bond villain, he still ended up on a project he felt passionate about and encouraged fans to watch the show.
Brian Cox, best known for his role in HBO's Succession, hosts 007: Road to a Million. However, how he ended up in the position is an intriguing story.
007: Road to a Million is a James Bond-themed reality competition show by Amazon Prime. The show features nine pairs of contestants who are regular everyday people traveling the world and competing in James Bond-esque challenges. As the title suggests, the winners get a cash prize of a million dollars. Cox plays “The Controller,” the mastermind sending the contestants on their quests.
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In an interview with Jimmy Fallon on The Tonight Show, Cox revealed that he didn’t realize what he was signing up for. Cox told Fallon that he thought he was signing up to be in the new James Bond film. “So I said, ‘Oh, finally they’re getting me in a James Bond movie,” he continued. “I thought, ‘Yes, of course!’, ‘Don’t even show me a script.’” It didn’t take long for Cox to realize that it was not a James Bond movie. “There was no script, no it was a reality show.”
Cox also stated that he has always wanted to be in a Bond film. “For years, I thought, ‘Yeah, I’d love to be a James Bond villain’. It would be really interesting. And I thought this was my moment, but it wasn’t.” Although it wasn’t what he thought it was, Cox said he still enjoyed working on the show. “It was fun,” Cox said. “You know, I love bossing people around, so that’s what I did.” Cox also said there were some touching moments in the show, saying that one couple “found a new relationship in their marriage because suddenly they were able to trust one another after so many years.”
Although Cox didn’t get to play the James Bond villain role that he wanted, he still ended up on a project that he felt passionate about. In the interview, Cox said, “It's a really good show,” and urged people to watch it.
Hopefully, fans enjoy the show as much as Cox did because the next James Bond film could take a long time to be produced. Producer Barbara Broccoli said they are not close to naming a successor to Daniel Craig's portrayal of 007.
007: Road to a Million is now streaming on Amazon Prime Video.