For Producers Eye’s Only; what the bookies favourites have said when asked about becoming the next James Bond

The topic of who will take over the Bond… James Bond mantle with Daniel Craig stepping down for the role after his successful stint with the franchise, is a popular one. One of the more talked about names who fans hope to see becoming the next 007, Idris Elba, took a moment during the red carpet premiere of Luther: The Fallen Sun to speak about it.

When asked by radio host Amanda Holden about his name continuously being linked to the role, Elba responded “it is one of the biggest compliments I can ever get as an actor. You know, the role of Bond is such a coveted role and to be considered for it is amazing."

"But honestly, I always secretly felt that Luther is my answer to that. It’s not as espionage it’s not you know, suave, it’s you know, a relatable guy that’s going to catch bad guys that’s all I’m you know, wanting to do really" he concluded.

It’s not the first time this week that Elba has distanced himself from the role and showed his love of playing DCI John Luther once again, telling Magic Radio “The Bond series is an incredible staple to the UK and the world right, but Luther could take up some of that real estate.”

“It is not about espionage, but it is about how to catch them. I think Luther tends to be a little bit more relatable, you know grounded. You know guys that creep from under your bed".

Perhaps his recent comments have led to his drop in the betting odds on who will play the next James Bond, as the Luther star has dropped out of the top five favourites according to Oddschecker. But only just - he’s still sitting in sixth place.

So what of the other bookies’ favourites for the Bond role, and what have they said recently when posed with the question of if they will play the character, and who prefers his Martinis shaken, certainly not stirred?

Henry Cavill (5/2)

The bookies favourite, and one that has leapt back into the pole position as the next Bond after leaving Netflix series The Witcher to continue his role as Superman in the DC Extended Universe. We all know how that worked out - he was dropped from the role by new DCEW creative mind James Gunn.

But it was James Bond that gave Henry Cavill his big break - just not on the silver screen. Yet.

On a 2021 episode of The Graham Norton Show, when talking about almost giving up on his career, the former Superman actor said he was about to take the other path he thought he would follow in his life - joining the Armed Forces - when one screen test decided he should keep pursuing his acting career.

“I got the James Bond screen test, and that was the thing that put me in Variety, and then my name got out through Variety and that was the thing that… I wasn’t a name as such but my name was out there.”

Aaron Taylor-Johnson (3/1)

He was the favourite to take up the sharply tailored suit early this year - to the point we even wrote a piece on his odds to be the next 007. Though he’s fallen from the top of the bookies list, Taylor-Johnson is still viewed as a solid contender if justice is served and Henry Cavill becomes Superman again.

Speaking about the fervour surrounding his popularity at playing the next Bond, Taylor-Johnson told Vanity Fair earlier this year “It’s flattering. You can have something really positive [written about you], but you can also have something really negative that can circulate. You just want to stay in your lane, stay grounded, stay around the people that you love and love you back, and stay in that world.

"Because the moment you start believing the s*** people say about you, you’ve lost your f***ing mind. You’ve lost it.”

James Norton (7/2)

There is one thing in particular that James Norton thanks for the change in career trajectory, that landed him as a serious name in the contention to play James Bond; critically and commercially acclaimed BBC drama Happy Valley.

“My agent was punching the air. It’s a perfect part, a hand of aces, and you don’t get many of those throughout your career” he told Vera Magazine, though remained tight-lipped when discussions about the Bond role came up - only offering up that he was “flattered” by being among the shortlist of names.

Rege-Jean Page (8/1)

A household name in the US and UK through his appearance on Netflix’s period-drama Bridgerton, Rege-Jean Page has been a recent addition to the James Bond shortlist, but it’s a mantle that he understands comes with great responsibility - and a fanbase that holds even more scrutiny.

Perhaps that’s why, when the topic of playing Bond came up, Page was quite keen to play down the noise surrounding his potential casting. Speaking about the matter in the most recent issue of Vanity Fair, Page said “It’s a conversation people are having, and it’s terribly flattering that they’re having it. I leave them to it,’ he told the publication of his candidacy for the role.

‘It’s not a thing that is fully occupying my thoughts. I’ve got enough on my plate at the moment. I worry about the work I have, not other people’s jobs.”