Next James Bond odds: Who is the favourite actor to replace Daniel Craig?

19 March 2024, 11:28

Who will be the new James Bond? From Idris Elba to James Norton, who is most likely to be the next 007 after Daniel Craig according to the odds?

It's a question James Bond fans have been pondering for a few years now. Since Daniel Craig announced his departure after his final turn as 007 in 2021's No Time To Die, the rumour mill went into overdrive.

Now that Craig has finally hung up his licence to kill, there's an illustrious list of actors jostling for place as to who will step into the iconic black tuxedo. But which actor could take on the mantle?

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Here are the latest bookmakers' odds, as of March 2024:

1. Aaron Taylor-Johnson

   

   Odds: 2/1

   Top of the pile as it stands is British actor Aaron Taylor-Johnson.

   So much so that news reports have claimed that the job is essentially his.

   He's best known for action movie roles in Kick-Ass, Godzilla, Bullet Train, and playing John Lennon in his breakthrough role in biopic Nowhere Boy.

   The 33-year-old star would bring a younger, more physical exuberance to Bond, which is possibly the direction the next film's producers are looking for having already held a secret audition with Barbara Broccoli.

2. Henry Cavill

   

   Odds: 7/2

   After stories emerged in September 2018 that Henry was stepping away from playing Superman in the DC Extended Universe series of films, fans were quickly speculating whether this meant he was swapping the cape for a Martini.

   The British actor couldn't look more like Bond if he tried, and recent turns in The Man from UNCLE and Mission: Impossible - Fallout could mean he could take on the role.

3. Damson Idris

   

   Odds: 9/2

   A newcomer to the list is Peckham-born actor Damson Idris.

   He is best known for starring in the crime drama Snowfall from 2017 to 2023, and has played one of the leads in Netflix's Outside the Wire.

4. James Norton

   

   Odds: 5/1

   Happy Valley actor James Norton has been steadily rising up the ranks of favourites to become the next James Bond since the release of No Time To Die.

   After he was seen chatting to Daniel Craig in a Royal Box at 2023's Wimbledon men's final, people seem to think he's already got the job.

   

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5. Rege-Jean Page

   

   Odds: 6/1

   British actor Rege-Jean Page has become one of the favourites in recent months.

   The relative-newcomer found fame and broke hearts when he appeared in Netflix's hit period drama Bridgerton. Could he be the next Bond?

6. Sope Dirisu

   

   Odds: 8/1

   Acclaimed actor Sope Dirisu's star has been on the rise in recent years, on both stage and screen.

   Since 2020, he has starred as Elliot Carter in the Sky Atlantic series Gangs of London, and in 2022, he starred as the main character in the period drama film Mr. Malcolm's List.

7. Tom Hardy

   

   Odds: 9/1

   If you'd prefer your Bond with a dash of rogue rough, then Hardy might be the best bet.

   He's best known for his many TV and movie roles, including Mad Max: Fury Road, The Revenant, The Dark Knight Rises and Legend.

   He fuelled Bond rumours after refusing to comment on whether he fancied taking over from Craig, in case it jinxed his chances.

   He was something of a real-life hero when he recently chased a motorbike thief through the streets of Richmond and made a citizen’s arrest.

8. Cillian Murphy

   

   Odds: 10/1

   Irish actor Cillian Murphy has been a regular on TV and film since he led the cast of horror movie 28 Days Later in 2002.

   In more recent times he's been best known for playing Tommy Shelby in the thriller-drama series Peaky Blinders, the pensive Birmingham gangster with a steely blue stare.

   After taking the lead role in Christopher Nolan's war-time biopic Oppenheimer, Cillian definitely has the chops to lead a major blockbuster.

9. Paapa Essiedu

   

   Odds: 14/1

   Paapa Essiedu made an instant impression after his turn in 2020 drama I May Destroy You which scored him Emmy and BAFTA nominations.

   Since then he's starred in high-budget thrillers like The Lazarus Project and Gangs Of London, but it's the actor's history in theatre which might give him an edge.

   Given the discussion around whether or not the next Bond could be black or female, Essiedu would definitely revolutionise the film series if he was cast.

10. Theo James

    

    Odds: 14/1

    Throwing his hat into the ring at this late stage is Theo James, best known for roles in The Inbetweeners Movie, Divergent and The White Lotus.

    He most recently led the cast of the TV version of Guy Ritchie's The Gentlemen to great acclaim.

11. Jack Lowden

    

    Odds: 14/1

    Scottish actor Jack Lowden is an actor who would give Bond a youthful makeover, but possesses the requisite amount of grit and suave.

    After his turn in spy thriller series Slow Horses alongside Gary Oldman, he may very well be the first Scottish bond after Sean Connery.

12. Richard Madden

    

    Odds: 14/1

    The former Game of Thrones actor became a new favourite among Bond fans after his performance in the TV thriller series Bodyguard.

    Could this be something of an audition for the Scottish actor? 

13. Aidan Turner

    

    Odds: 14/1

    Aidan Turner has built up a strong fanbase after roles in The Hobbit trilogy and leading the cast of the remake of period drama Poldark.

    He was the bookies' favourite back in summer 2017, but has refused to comment on the rumours in recent years.

14. Idris Elba

    

    Odds: 16/1

    Idris has previously ruled himself out of the role by saying that he doesn’t think there should be a black Bond, but he is still one of the favourites to take the role.

    In fact, in August 2018 he became the new outright favourite, despite being just five years younger than Daniel Craig.

    He has become a Hollywood star in recent years thanks to the Marvel movies, Pacific Rim and many others, and he has also proved that he can portray a suave yet damaged character with Luther.

15. Tom Hiddleston

    

    Odds: 33/1

    He was easily the favourite after his kickass role in The Night Manager, but Tom's odds have dipped in recent years.

    He's still something of a frontrunner for the role, and has proved his abilities in the urbane Brit department.

16. Tom Hopper

    

    Odds: 40/1

    British actor Tom Hopper has emerged as a favourite after his various turns in several TV shows in recent years.

    These have included as Sir Percival in Merlin, Billy Bones in Black Sails, Dickon Tarly in Game of Thrones, and Luther Hargreeves in The Umbrella Academy.

17. Jamie Dornan

    

    Odds: 40/1

    Northern Irish actor Jamie Dornan first found international fame as Christian Grey in the 50 Shades of Grey films, and has worked as a model for over 20 years.

    He's recently won acclaim for his performances in the comedy film Belfast and the thriller TV series The Tourist.

18. Sam Heughan

    

    Odds: 40/1

    Scottish actor Sam Heughan has become a new favourite in recent times, after a Radio Times poll put him top of the pile.

    Outlander actor Sam would be a potentially great Bond, having seen him play Jamie Frazer in the drama series for several years, and previously showcasing his 007 credentials in the spoof The Spy Who Dumped Me.

19. Henry Golding

    

    Odds: 50/1

    British-Malaysian actor Henry Golding started off as a TV presenter and model before suddenly switching to acting.

    Since his appearance in comedy Crazy Rich Asians, he has built up an impressive resumé, including Last Christmas, The Gentlemen and Snake Eyes.

20. Michael Fassbender

    

    Odds: 66/1

    German-born Irish actor Michael Fassbender has been an incredibly busy actor over the last 20 years, and we could totally see him as Bond.

    His many film and TV roles have included the X-Men series, Quentin Tarantino's Inglourious Basterds, Jane Eyre, Alien: Covenant, Steve Jobs and 12 Years a Slave.

    Academy Award and BAFTA-nominated actor Fassbender would be an intense seriousness, aggression, and seductive quality to 007, which could mark a new era for the spy.

21. Harry Styles

    

    Odds: 66/1

    It'd be a rogue choice casting pop star Harry Styles as 007, but it'd certainly help the film series appeal to a new generation of Bond fans.

    The former One Direction boyband member already has a handful of acting credits under his belt in Dunkirk, Don't Worry Darling, and My Policeman, so maybe it's not as farfetched as it seems.