We all know by now that Daniel Craig has holstered his Walther PPK for the final time following the release of the latest Bond movie. But who will be the next James Bond?
Craig played the famous British Spy for almost 15 years. In that time, he has starred in a total of five Bond films. Only Sean Connery (six) and Roger Moore (seven) played the MI6 agent more.
With the release of No Time To Die in 2021, and Daniel Craig moving on, the movie world is awash with rumours over who will be the next James Bond.
The lucrative acting role is one of the best-paid gigs in show business. The Chester born actor reportedly received $50 million for his latest outing in ‘No Time To Die‘.
Along with speculation in bookmakers are getting in on the action too.
However, the future of Bond 26 remains uncertain amid reported tensions between producer Barbara Broccoli and Amazon. The project currently has no script, no story, and no confirmed lead actor.
The conflict stems from Amazon’s desire to expand the franchise into an MCU-style universe with spin-offs, which has met resistance from Broccoli.
Despite this, Betfred are now offering odds on who will land the plum role. With that in mind, we take a look at the actors currently in the frame to play James Bond.
Odds On The Next James Bond – Betfred (30.01.2025)
| Name | Odds |
|---|---|
| Josh O’Connor | 1/1 |
| Theo James | 6/4 |
| Aaron Taylor-Johnson | 2/1 |
| Paul Mescal | 5/1 |
| James Norton | 8/1 |
| Jack Lowden | 8/1 |
| Callum Turner | 8/1 |
| Lucien Laviscount | 12/1 |
| Henry Cavill | 16/1 |
| Rege-Jean Page | 16/1 |
| Richard Madden | 20/1 |
| Damson Idris | 20/1 |
| Paapa Essiedu | 25/1 |
| Sope Dirisu | 25/1 |
| Aidan Turner | 25/1 |
| Cillian Murphy | 25/1 |
| Eddie Redmayne | 25/1 |
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Who Are The Favourites?
Josh O’Connor
Josh O’Connor has emerged as the leading candidate to become the next James Bond, overtaking previous frontrunner Aaron Taylor-Johnson.
The 34-year-old actor from Southampton has seen his odds dramatically rise to become favourite, largely due to a prediction from The Hollywood Reporter and reported interest from Bond producer Barbara Broccoli.
Broccoli reportedly “handpicked” O’Connor because he “has balanced the fine line between being recognizable, yet ambiguous” and possesses the necessary “charisma, charm, and ability to deliver sharp one-liners effortlessly”.
His rising star status, particularly following his acclaimed performance in Challengers which earned nearly $100 million at the box office, has strengthened his position.
Theo James
Theo James is another strong contender for James Bond, currently sitting as the second favourite behind Josh O’Connor.
James’s surge in popularity comes from his recent successful performances, particularly in The Gentleman, which caught the attention of Bond executives. His classic good looks and ability to wear a double-breasted suit with sophistication have made him a fan favourite for the role.
At 38 years old, James fits perfectly within Barbara Broccoli’s preferred age range for the next Bond, as the producers are specifically looking for an actor in their 30s who can commit to the franchise for at least a decade.
However, James himself has expressed interesting views on the role, suggesting that the franchise needs “a reinvention” rather than following traditional patterns.
Despite his own reservations, betting markets continue to favour him, with his odds dramatically improving in recent months, indicating strong industry confidence in his potential casting.
Aaron Taylor-Johnson
Aaron Taylor-Johnson is a British actor best known for his performance in the thriller film Nocturnal Animals (2016) for which he won the Golden Globe Award for Best ing Actor.
He has since starred in the action films Tenet (2020) and Bullet Train (2022).
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Henry Cavill
Henry Cavill is another actor who is no stranger to playing an iconic role. He is now best known for his portrayal of Superman in the DC Extended Universe as well as The Witcher on Netflix.
He does have the dubious honour of winning a Raspberry for Worst Screen Combo, an award he shared with Ben Affleck for their performances in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.
James Norton
Known for his work on Happy Valley, Little Women, McMafia and the Netflix hit – Things Seen and Heard, James Norton has been quietly flying under the radar for the Bond role.
Callum Turner
Callum Turner is a British actor and model. He is known for his roles as Theseus Scamander in Fantastic Beasts: BBC One TV series The Capture.
Paapa Essiedu
A star of stage and screen, most TV fans will recognise Essiedu from Emmy nominated performance in the miniseries I May Destroy You (2020).
He also won the 2016 Ian Charleson Award for his roles in the Royal Shakespeare Company productions of Hamlet and King Lear.
Richard Madden
The Scottish-born actor was nominated for numerous awards for his role in the first 3 series of Game of Thrones.
He also won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor because of his performance as David Budd in the series Bodyguard.
He is no stranger to playing important and iconic characters, back in 2016 he was Romeo in a Theatre performance of ‘Romeo and Juliet’.
Aidan Turner
A relatively new entry into the betting market, Aidan Turner is best known for his role as Poldark.
This Irish actor also stars in Leonardo and odds dropped when rumours starting gaining a bit of traction.
Of course, never ones to miss an opportunity, the bookies jumped on board, making Turner a close favourite to win the role.
Idris Elba
Idris Elba has constantly denied the rumours that he wants the role, but they just will not go away.
It would be an iconic moment for the series if he eventually accepted the role.
Jack Lowden
An Olivier Award-winning stage actor, Jack Lowden is also well known for his big-screen roles in Dunkirk, and his portrayal of Morrissey in the biopic of the singer titled England Is Mine.
He followed them up with another great performance in Fighting with My Family. He can currently be seen in the Apple TV+ original Slow Horses alongside Gary Oldman.
Outsiders For The Bond Role
Luke Evans
The battle of the potential Bonds with Welsh actor Luke Evans.
From his starring roles in the 2017 Beauty and the Beast, to The Alienist on Netflix and, more recently ITV’s The Pembrokeshire Murders, Evans is more than capable of taking on the role of 007.
Cillian Murphy
Mister Peaky Blinders himself, Cillian Murphy seems an unlikely choice for James Bond, but then again, so was Daniel Craig.
With the hit show now coming to an end, and Oppenheimer a huge success, Murphy’s calendar has freed up, so maybe we will see the Irish man don the famous tux and grab a martini.
Sam Heughan
Sam Heughan is best known for his starring role as Jamie Fraser in the historical drama series Outlander. He has won several awards for this, including the People’s Choice Award for Best Actor in 2016.
Heughan auditioned to play Bond in Casino Royale, but he lost out at the final stage to Daniel Craig. Will the second time be luckier for him?
Jamie Dornan
Belfast-born Jamie Dornan first came to prominence opposite Gillian Anderson in The Fall (2013). On the back of that, he was quickly cast as Christian Grey in the Fifty Shades movie franchise.
More recently, he was in Kenneth Brannagh’s acclaimed Belfast and, of course the hit BBC show, The Tourist (2022).
Lashana Lynch
This one will throw the critics for a loop. Lashana Lynch is one of only two female contenders on the list of odds to be the next James Bond. But, she may also be the most qualified.
Lynch stars in No Time To Die, as Nomi, the secret agent who inherits the 007 title while Bond himself is in exile.
So she actually IS 007, albeit temporarily – but could that mean a historic casting is in the making?
WHO DOES THE PUBLIC WANT?
A recent poll on IMDB asked 6,750 of its readers who they think should be the next James Bond. 1,393 of the votes cast went for Tom Hardy, with 1,062 going for Idris Elba. 558 went for Henry Cavill, who finished the poll in 3rd place.
In a Radio Times poll that attracted almost 80,000 votes from across the globe, Outlander actor Sam Heughan was the clear winner with 30% of the total vote.
Tom Hardy came in at 2nd for this poll, he pulled in a still-impressive 14% of the vote.
PREVIOUS BOND ACTORS
There is 57 years’ worth of James Bond, and here is a list of all the actors who took on the role.
Sean Connery (1962–1967, 1971)
James Bond was Sean Connery’s breakthrough role. He was the first Bond and appeared in Dr. No (1962), From Russia with Love (1963), Goldfinger (1964), Thunderball (1965), You Only Live Twice (1967) and Diamonds are Forever (1971). In a Radio Times poll, Connery was voted as the best James Bond.
David Niven (1967)
David Niven appeared as ‘Sir James Bond 007’ in the unofficial 1967 spoof James Bond film Casino Royale.
George Lazenby (1969)
James Bond was actually George Lazenby’s first serious acting role. He was Bond in the 1969 film ‘On Her Majesty’s Secret Service’.
Roger Moore (1973–1985)
Nobody appeared as James Bond more than Roger Moore. His debut as Bond came in Live and Let Die (1973). After Live and Let Die, Moore also played the agent in: The Man with the Golden Gun (1974), The Spy Who Loved Me (1977), Moonraker (1979), For Your Eyes Only (1981), Octopussy (1983) and A View to a Kill (1985).
Timothy Dalton (1987–1989)
Timothy Dalton portrayed Bond in The Living Daylights (1987) and Licence To Kill (1989). This was seen as a much grittier and darker version of the iconic character.
Pierce Brosnan (1995–2002)
Pierce Brosnan appeared in GoldenEye (1995), Tomorrow Never Dies (1997), The World Is Not Enough (1999) and Die Another Day (2002). He was also the voice in the Video Game adaption of Golden Eye, widely considered to be one of the best games of the Nintendo 64 era.
Daniel Craig (2006–2020)
Daniel Craig appeared in Casino Royale (2006), Quantum of Solace (2008), Skyfall (2012), Spectre (2015), and the No Time to Die (2021).
WHEN IS THE NEXT JAMES BOND ANNOUNCED?
The short answer to this is that nobody really knows. There was a gap of four years between Pierce Brosnan’s last appearance and Daniel Craig’s first.
You would expect a similar period between the release of No Time To Die and the next film featuring the new Bond.
However, we would find out the new bond well before then.
BET ON BOND WITH BETFRED
Head to Betfred and look for the page marked ‘Specials’ – that’s where you’ll find the latest odds on the next James Bond.
