Spoiler Alert, No Time To Die, the last James Bond film, has come and gone. Daniel Craig’s final appearance in the Bond series was the eagerly anticipated picture, but conjecture about who would succeed him is already prevalent. The odds and free bets available from freebets.ltd.uk were correct at the time of publication
Idris Elba
The first on our shortlist is another actor who has been linked to the Bond role for a long time. Stringer Bell in The Wire catapulted Idris Elba to stardom in 2002. From Baltimore drug dealer to double O? Although it may appear to be a stretch, there have been countless cries for a black Bond, and Elba’s success as Luther in the BBC series Luther, in which he portrays a disturbed investigator, seemed to fit the bill.
Luther, on the other hand, was last seen in 2019, and by the time the next Bond film is released, Elba will be the oldest Bond ever, having turned 50. At 7/1, I believe he’s an easy one to overlook in the betting.
Tom Hiddleston
Tom Hiddleston was the bookie’s favorite to next play Bond after starring as Jonathan Pine in The Night Manager in 2016. After viewing this fantastic miniseries, many people may imagine him dressed up and waving a Walther-PPK around on a tropical beach or one of the new casinos at casinosites.ltd.uk in the UK.
I’d be wary of backing him while his Hollywood celebrity increases as Loki starring in Thor, the Viking hero played by Chris Hemsworth. Loki is the furthest thing from James Bond, which may be too much for both the writers and the public.
Rene-Jean Page
Because I was unfamiliar with Rene-Jean Page’s art, I had to seek it up on the internet with my hands raised. When he debuted as Simon Basset in Netflix’s raucous Bridgerton in 2020, the 31-year-old sent tongues wagging, catapulting him near the top of the betting at 2/1 second-favorite with Paddy Power. He’s inexperienced, which may be a disadvantage as he’s the only other newcomer in the cast besides Sean Connery and George Lazenby.
Of course, Sean Connery would become the most famous James Bond and have a long and successful career, but Lazenby, who had previously worked in modeling, only flopped once as Bond. Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan, and Craig were all well-known actors before they were cast in the role. It’s possible that Page getting the nod is a reach.
James Noton
Englishman James Norton James Norton has been at the top of the betting odds for numerous years. The 36-year-old appears to fit the bill and has a good profile. In 2016, Norton created a name for himself as madman Tommy Lee Royce in the highly acclaimed Happy Valley, but his role as Alex Godman in McMafia sealed his status as the next James Bond.
Norton appears to be the best value among the market leaders, with odds of 10/3 with Paddy Power.
Tom Hardy
Tom Hardy is the favorite to play the next James Bond, with William Hill giving him a 5/2 probability. Hardy has 59 movies under his credit, including Inception, The Dark Knight Rises, and Mad Max. While many of his roles don’t exactly lend themselves to the suave, sophisticated MI6 agent, we know he cleans up well and is an excellent actor.
In 2011, the 44-year-old actor played spy Ricky Tarr in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, but his role as Eames in Inception showed his Bond potential. I’m not sure I’d bet on Hardy at 5/2 odds because he’s extremely popular with ladies, which you’d think would sway the producers; he even famously set hearts racing during a stint on CBeebies’ ‘Bedtime Stories’ (sort of a modern-day Jackanory). He’s six years older than Daniel Craig was when the role was initially introduced in Casino Royale in 2011.
Lashana Lynch
Lashana Lynch is a recent addition to the James Bond betting market. Is a female Bond possible? It looks a stretch, but her meteoric rise in the betting markets has been spurred by her role as ‘Nomi’ in the next Bond film, No Time To Die.
Lynch acts with Craig as an MI6 agent in the next film, which is shrouded in secret, and the bookies have Lynch pegged at 6/1 to be the next Bond.
According to the makers, we won’t know when the next Bond is announced, hopefully, later this year, so speculation will continue.