Next James Bond Odds*

After No Time To Die, Daniel Craig has stepped down from playing James Bond, and there is now lots of speculation regarding who the 55-year-old’s successor will be. Craig followed in a long line of famous actors to take this globally-renowned role, with Sean Connery, Roger Moore and Pierce Brosnan among those to have had a license to kill.

There are plenty of bookmakers are offering customers the chance to bet on the identity of the next James Bond actor, with an announcement being made at some point in the coming months. Aaron Taylor-Johnson is among the front-runners although there are plenty of names in the hat to keep an eye on.

There has been money for former Superman Henry Cavill and also rumours concerning James Norton, who actually played a villain in the hugely popular BBC hit Happy Valley, so it would be interesting to see a role reversal on that front. It’s clear that the speculation will only increase, although the Bond film makers remain tight-lipped on the new Bond’s identity. After all, he is a secret agent!

Aaron Taylor-Johnson Set to Be Next Bond?

Betting sites currently have Taylor-Johnson as the front-runner to be named the next James Bond, and it’s easy to see why that link is being made. The actor has already enjoyed a number of big roles in action films, including the title character in Kick-Ass and Pietro Maximoff in Avengers: Age of Ultron in 2015.

Some of Taylor-Johnson’s more recent performances include his portrayal of Ray Marcus in 2016 movie Nocturnal Animals that earned the actor a Golden Globe. More recently, we’ve seen him appear in Tenet and Bullet Train, with plenty of speculation suggesting that he’s held talks to become the new James Bond, although his odds suggest there’s no done deal just yet.

Could Henry Cavill Have 007 Credentials?

The name’s Cavill, Henry Cavill. Perhaps the James Bond film makers are looking for an actor who is a little older than favourite Taylor-Johnson, and that certainly befits Henry Cavill, who is also trading at a short price on some betting apps to take on this illustrious role. At the age of 39, this could be the right time to launch himself into another world-famous part.

Cavill is best known for playing the part of Superman in 2013 film Man Of Steel, with the actor then reprising his role for 2016 movie Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. The 2017 Justice League movie was another notable success, with Cavill also showing his range when playing Sherlock Holmes in Enola Holmes.

He has the chiselled build to be playing Bond, and that’s a fact not lost on the bookmakers, which have made him one of the short-priced favourites to take this role.

James Norton Could Go From Villain to Bond

In the eyes of many, James Norton would make the perfect James Bond. Tall, good-looking and plenty of acting experience. The majority of the British public will associate him closely with playing Tommy Lee Royce in Happy Valley in a role where he was trying to escape the authorities at every turn.

Royce made a very convincing bad guy, although perhaps he can now successfully make the switch to Bond and continue the tradition after Daniel Craig. He has a wealth of experience from the likes of Grantchester, War & Peace and McMafia, with the Englishman likely to be a popular choice.

Norton’s odds on new betting sites suggest he’s not without a chance of landing the role, although much depends on whether he wants his career to go in this particular direction, while there will be plenty of competition from other sources.

Paapa Essiedu Could Be First Black James Bond

Paapa Essiedu is among the betting favourites to replace Daniel Craig. The 32-year-old has received a host of awards including a Primetime Emmy and British Academy Television award for his performance in I May Destroy You in 2020.

Essiedu has limited film experience considering his first bow was in 2017’s Murder On The Orient Express, which was a Kenneth Branagh remake of the Agatha Christie novel, while he appeared as James in Men in 2022. However, it would appear that there’s a growing clamour for someone who appeared between 2020-22 in Gangs Of London, and he could the first black James Bond in the franchise.

Tom Hardy a Bigger Household Name in the Frame

There’s little doubt that Tom Hardy would make an intriguing James Bond, with many knowing the actor best for his role as Alfie Solomons in Peaky Blinders. For that part, he was a Jewish gang leader who largely helped Tommy Shelby achieve his aim and build out an empire, although the role of 007 would be a completely different change of direction.

Hardy is an experienced actor who has appeared in a huge number of movies and TV shows. He was recently seen acting as Eddie Brock and Venom in the latter-named film, while he has previously been in blockbusters including Inception, The Dark Knight Rises, Legend and Mad Max: Fury Road. While potentially an outsider, the odds on the best betting sites suggest he has a chance.