Who is the next James Bond? Betting odds for Aaron Taylor-Johnson, James Norton and Damon Idris to play 007

Fewer people have played James Bond on screen than have set foot on the moon, making for a very exclusive club.

So far just seven actors have played British spy 007 - David Niven portrayed him in the spoof movie Casino Royale, whilst in the Eon film franchise, Bond has been played by Sean Connery, George Lazenby, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan and, most recently, Daniel Craig.

The latest Bond Movie, No Time to Die, was Craig’s swan song, and he hung up his holster in style, being blown to bits by a volley of missiles on a secret island after he defeated Russian supervillain Lyutsifer Safin.

But if anyone thought that would be the end of Bond, they were very wrong, and as soon as No Time to Die hit cinemas fans have been arguing about who should and could play the next James Bond.

In the last couple of years the odds on some actors have shortened whilst others who were almost a shoe-in have fallen further down the rankings. These are the top 10 actors most likely to play Bond next, according to Sky Bet, and a few of the least likely as well: 

What are the odds on the next James Bond actor?

James Norton 9/4

Best known for playing the sadistic Happy Valley villain Tommy Lee Royce, Norton’s performance in the final season of the crime drama saw his chances of playing Bond shoot up. He also played a spy before in the film Rogue Agent, though in that movie his character was pretending to be a spy as part of a long con.

Aaron Taylor-Johnson 5/2

Taylor-Johnson’s career has gone from strength to strength, from an early role in teen comedy Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging, to playing Quicksilver in the MCU, and now starring as an entirely different character as the titular role in upcoming Marvel film Kraven the Hunter. Bond could be the next big project on the star’s CV. 

Henry Cavill 3/1

Henry Caill is perhaps the most bankable name in the running for Bond, having played Superman in the DCEU, and the titular role in fantasy series The Witcher on Netflix. Like Norton, he also has some experience in the spy game, having starred as Solo in The Man from U.N.C.L.E. Cavill is also likely to have some free time in his shooting schedule after being fired by DC and quitting The Witcher after three seasons.

Rege-Jean Page 7/2

Rege-Jean Page set many hearts a-throbbing following his appearance as The Duke in period drama Bridgerton. He’s also played the part of a spy before, but for American intelligence, as he took on the role of Carmichael, a corrupt CIA official in Netflix film The Gray Man.

Damson Idris 11/2

Idris is best known for playing the lead role of Franklin Saint in Hulu crime drama Snowfall, but the star has pivoted to sci-fi projects in recent years. He has featured in Netflix dystopian film Outside the Wire, an episode of The Twilight Zone reboot, and one episode of Black Mirror. Playing 007 could therefore present a fresh challenge for the actor.

Tom Hardy 8/1

One of Britain’s most loved actors of the last decade, Hardy seems to have been in everything. He plays Venom in the Marvel supervillain movies, but has also featured as Batman antagonist Bane in DC’s The Dark Knight Rises. He played Jewish gangster Alfie Solomons in BBC crime drama Peaky Blinders, and the lead role in Mad Max: Fury Road. With more Venom and Mad Max sequels in the works, Hardy may be a little busy, but fans would love him to take on Bond.

Richard Madden 9/1

Madden became an obvious choice to play James Bond after his stellar performance as a government agent tasked with protecting the Home Secretary in BBC drama Bodyguard. In the five years since the series came out, his odds have dropped, but with a lead appearance is Prime thriller Citadel under his belt, he’s still very much in the running.

Callum Turner 11/1

Callum Turner may seem a rogue choice for Bond with only two credits to his name in the last three years, but with major roles in period dramas War & Peace, and Emma., an impressive performance in crime drama The Capture, and small parts in the Fantastic Beasts films, he’s a recognisable face to British viewers. And with an upcoming role in Band of Brothers sequel Masters of the Air, he’s likely to enter the American consciousness too.

Paapa Essiedu 11/1

Essiedu starred alongside Turner in The Capture, but is better known for his roles on Sky shows The Lazarus Project, and Gangs of London, as well as BBC drama I May Destroy You. Although not the biggest name on this list, many fans can see him as the man with a licence to kill. 

Kingsley Ben-Adir 12/1

Although he’s only been a screen actor for just over a decade, Ben-Adir’s career has been on a sudden upswing with roles in box office film of the year, Barbie, and recent Disney+ Marvel series Secret Invasion. The star has also appeared in Vera, Peaky Blinders, and MI6 series Deep State, so Bond makes sense as a next step.

Who is least likely to play James Bond next?

At the other end of the scale, the stars with the odds really stacked against them according to Sky Bet are former boxer Chris Eubank (1,500/1), TV presenter Rylan Clark (2,500/1), and comedian Romesh Ranganathan (3,000/1).

We can’t imagine Eubank boxing Jaws or Rylan getting involved in a high speed chase along some treacherous mountain pass - but Romesh could have some witty one-liners up his sleeve for when he dispatches the bad guys.