Ever since current 007, Daniel Craig, announced he's doing away with his tux and martini, fans of the franchise have been eagerly anticipating who will be next to take on the iconic role.
And now that No Time To Die is set to land in movie theaters in just under a week, everyone's been placing their bets — from firm fave, Tom Hardy, to Bridgeton star, Regé-Jean Page.
Here, we round up which stars are in the running...
1. Tom Hardy
Venom star Tom Hardy is currently is the best bet to be the new 007, with his odds at 13/8, per Paddy Power.
The actor has been tipped for the role for years, and given his action chops, he'd be a natural fit for the role. Hardy has previously starred in the Revenant and Mad Max: Fury Road.
He also has the backing of former Bond, Pierce Brosnan. In an interview with the Mail on Sunday — the actor who held the role from 1995 - 2002 — said that he thought Hardy "could be a good Bond."
"I’d be happy to see him do it. You need an actor who can put a bit of wiggle into it – that’s what makes Bond," he added.
2. Regé-Jean Page
Bridgeton star, Regé-Jean Page, has come in at 2/1.
The actor raised eyebrows when it was announced in April that he would not be returning for season two of the hit Netflix show. Some fans went so far as to pre-empt that he may have been given the role of Bond.
Speaking about the speculation, Page said: "If you’re a Brit and you do something of any kind of renown, that people regard well, then people start saying the 'B' word. It’s like a merit badge… I’m glad to have the badge, I’m glad to be in such wonderful company of people who have the badge, but it’s a badge."
3. Luke Evans
Luke Evans has clocked in at 11/4.
The Welsh actor, who has starred in the likes of Fast & Furious 6 and The Hobbit, has also been tipped for the prestigious part. His casting would mean that he would be the first openly gay actor to play Bond, which is a win-win in our eyes.
Outlander and The Spy Who Dumped Me star, Sam Heughan, has odds of 9/2.
He has previously been vocal about his desire to take on 007. "I have been up for Bond," the 41-year-old said recently, on the Just The Facts with Alex Zane podcast.
"I went up for it when they did ‘Bond 21’ [Casino Royale]. It was an amazing experience and I was completely out of my depth. But I think now I feel the right age for it. I feel capable enough to do it. I’d love the opportunity to throw my hat in the ring."
5. Idris Elba
Idris Elba has always ranked at the top of the list when it comes to Craig's replacement. However, after years of speculation, it may have just been a pipe dream with Elba's odds coming in at 7/1.
6. James Norton
Next up is television star, James Norton, who has starred in the likes of War & Peace, McMafia, Grantchester, and Happy Valley. Paddy Power puts him up at 10/3.
Speaking to The Metro about potentially playing Bond, he stressed that it would be cool to see 007 with a hidden disability. "I'm a type one diabetic. How cool would it be to have a diabetic Bond?" he told the Metro. "It would be wonderful for all those diabetic kids out there to think even a type one diabetic could be Bond!"
7. Paul Mescal
Paul Mescal — best known for playing Connell in Normal People — is also a contender, coming in at 20/1.
After being featured on a Digital Spy poll about the future Bond, he told the publication: "Would I play Bond? Yeah? I don't know. If it ever came my way, we'd have a discussion about it... I don't want to say yes or no. I am a massive fan, and will continue to be, regardless."
8. Tom Holland
Spiderman, Tom Holland, is also keen to throw his hat into the ring. However, his odds are looking unlikely with a meagre 50/1.
He seems keen, having told Variety: "as a young British lad who loves cinema, I’d love to be James Bond. So, you know, I’m just putting that out there. I look pretty good in a suit."
9. Lashana Lynch
Lashana Lynch already starred as Nomi in No Time to Die, and it has already been reported that she will take on the 007 field agent number - but what if she took over the lead role entirely?
Her odds are currently 6/1, so it's not impossible.
"It would depend on a lot of things," she told Vogue, when she was asked about the coveted role. "Nomi represents one thing in this movie, but if she was going to represent more down the line, I would want to talk about the black female experience to the high heavens, and I don’t know if people are ready for that."
Who do you think will be the next Bond? Let us know in the comments!
