Next James Bond: The Brutalist star "throws hat in the ring" to replace Daniel Craig as 007

After Amazon MGM Studios gained total creative control of the franchise - which has sparked concern from fans - rumours have ramped back up about who could be the next actor to don the tuxedo.

Plenty of names have been thrown around, and many more have rejected the speculation. ITV star James Norton rubbished the idea and Bullet Train actor Aaron Taylor-Johnson remaining tight-lipped in interviews.

Now, a new name has entered the fray - and while he’s never been on the bookies’ radar, he would be a solid choice for the role.

Joe Alwyn, best known for his part in The Brutalist, was asked about the possibility of playing 007 in the future during his appearance at the Oscars last night (March 2) and admitted he would love to take over the role from Daniel Craig, who stepped down after the release of his fifth Bond film No Time to Die in 2021.

When asked if he would like to play 007, Alwyn said: “Oh, wow. Who wouldn't throw their hat in the ring? You know? If you’re offering!”

After the Amazon MGM announcement was made last month, an insider told Deadline that the deal might not have happened if Bond bosses had found the perfect actor to take over from Craig.

They said: “Perhaps, I do think that it’s possible that if God had sent us a totally no-brainer Bond in the last couple of years, then it might be a different situation."

A another insider told the publication the producers had taken meetings with several actors about the role - with reports suggesting Taylor-Johnson was among them - but there was never a clear frontrunner for the coveted part.

They said: “[The meetings were] just as kind of an ongoing, keeping your eye out on who’s around, but keeping in touch. I definitely don’t think that there was any frontrunner. They wanted to know what they wanted to do next before they thought of the right person for it.

“It’s sort of chicken and egg, isn’t it? If there was a blindingly obvious new guy, it might be a different situation.”