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It’s been a minute since we heard any concrete news about who will be the next James Bond. If you thought you could hang your hat on the next James Bond odds, you’d be wrong.
Pricing for the next actor to play 007 has been around (and constantly changed) for years now. Daniel Craig officially played the role for the last time back in 2021 and it’s still taken forever for Hollywood to name a successor.
Oh, there have been rumors. There have been favorites. And there have been a whole lot of dead ends. But that doesn’t mean we should ignore the latest James Bond odds, nor that we shouldn’t bet on who it will be.
Looking to stir up more than a martini? Join me as I break down the latest odds to play James Bond, and identify my favorite picks before arriving at my final prediction.
Odds to Be the Next James Bond
Next James Bond Actor Odds | Next James Bond Actor Odds |
---|---|
Aaron Taylor-Johnson +200 | Taron Egerton +300 |
Henry Cavill +500 | Jonathan Bailey +600 |
Cillian Murphy +600 | Theo James +700 |
Tom Hardy +800 | Damson Idris +800 |
Rege-Jean Page +900 | Idris Elba +1000 |
James Norton +1200 | Jack Lowden +1200 |
Darly McCormack +1200 | Sam Claflin +1200 |
Jacob Elordi +1200 | Liam Hemsworth +1200 |
Andrew Garfield +1200 | Chiwetel Ejiofor +1200 |
Richard Madden +1400 | Will Sharpe +1400 |
Idris Elba, Tom Hardy, and Richard Madden are just a few big names that were at one point favored to play James Bond. Alas, their reign as James Bond favorite wouldn’t last.
Instead, it is now Aaron Taylor-Johnson who has the best odds to be the next actor to play 007. But will he land the role? That’s anyone’s guess, and there are also a litany of other actors seemingly in contention.
You can find James Bond betting odds at a number of online betting sites. Here’s the latest over at BetOnline.
The James Bond betting odds have been rather fluid, but my gut instinct is that we can finally start buying into them.
That likely makes Aaron Taylor-Johnson a legit favorite, just as his +200 odds may suggest. The question isn’t really if he makes sense (he does), it’s if there are any other realistic bets that are actually worth your time.
The good news is the odds to play James Bond next only get better from there. You’re getting plus money no matter what if you act now, but there are big names well beyond +1000 odds.
In addition, there are three actors with +500 odds or better, and there are nine with odds better than +1000 to play 007 next. Correctly predicting who will play James Bond next could be rather profitable.
Making money on this wager is a mission worth accepting, indeed. But first, let’s look at why Aaron Taylor-Johnson looks like a smash play already.
Why is Aaron Taylor-Johnson Favored to Play James Bond Next?
I’m old enough to remember when Aaron Taylor-Johnson wasn’t even being considered to play James Bond. Heck, there was a day when Tom Hardy, Idris Elba, and Richard Madden were all borderline locks to play 007 next.
Time heals all wounds, and it also shakes odds and casting decisions up quite a bit, as well.
Of course, it’s entirely possible those would-be James Bond favorites simply never were that close to landing one of the most coveted gigs in Hollywood. Whatever the case, Aaron Taylor-Johnson has compelling odds and quite the case to don the suit and tie.
First things first, the dude can act. He’s been in numerous big budget flicks, and he isn’t afraid to get his hands dirty. You saw that first hand if you caught him in the underrated Bullet Train.
If it wasn’t his action chops that impressed in that film, surely it was his humor and wit. You saw more of that in his younger days as a kid vigilante in Kick-Ass, while ATJ has put his range on full display in Nocturnal Animals, Tenet, and Savages.
Aaron Taylor-Johnson also recently landed the titular role in Kraven the Hunter, signaling his star being firmly on the rise. He’s an established star with a solid resume, the looks, and charm to master this role, but he’s not such a huge name that he wouldn’t be a fun slow-release once officially announced.
Top Actors That Could Be the Next 007
Aaron Taylor-Johnson would make a fine James Bond, but only a fool would take one look at the current betting favorite and ignore all other possibilities.
As I mentioned, the top candidate in terms of odds has changed numerous times, and there’s little actually stopping it from happening again.
With that in mind, I’d consider the following potential James Bond actors before finalizing your bets.
Taron Egerton +300
Egerton is the top contender that could stave off Taylor-Johnson. He’s arguably a bigger star after bringing down the house as Elton John in Rocketman, and he has experience being a secret agent.
You may have caught him in the gritty Black Bird, too, but his best work comes in the franchise that may set him up nicely as a possible Bond.
That’s right, Egerton’s flawless effort in the Kingsman movies shows how suave and badass he can be, as he clearly possesses the charm and action-scene chops needed to crush this role.
The one issue? Egerton has a young face. He has literally every other skill you could ask for, but he doesn’t offer the traditional Bond look. That could have Hollywood decision-makers torn over whether or not he’d be convincing enough in the role.
Egerton can sweet talk the ladies and crack skulls. But if he doesn’t look the part, his +300 betting odds may just be a waste of your time.
Henry Cavill +500
Egerton and Cavill are on opposite ends of the “looks” spectrum. Cavill has almost too much brawn and arguably is too masculine to pull off being James Bond.
That sounds silly, but who is more badass than this dude? Playing Superman and The Witcher alone would put this hulk of a man in the conversation, but he also sports incredible range.
Of course, it may be his efforts as a CIA agent in The Man from U.N.C.L.E. that best prepared him for a shot at playing James Bond.
Truth be told, Cavill needs no sales pitch, and he’s been vocal about being interested in the role. As far as star power, physical attributes, and experience, few can rival what Cavill brings to the table.
The real question will be whether or not the shot callers want this big of a name leading the charge.
Tom Hardy +800
One other compelling contender to play James Bond next is none other than Tom Hardy. I’ve said the word “range” a couple of times already, but no actor on this list can best Hardy in that regard.
If you want someone with the looks, charm, acting chops, and experience – this dude is the total package. Hardy has convincingly played a myriad of characters, seemingly completely losing himself in unreal transformations.
An iconic turn as Bane in The Dark Knight may be the best illustration of his innate ability to disappear in a role. However, if you want to see his charm and ability to demand attention, dig up his work in Locke, Legend, and Capone.
Previously seen as a favorite to play James Bond, Hardy is the total package. The one hiccup could be his age, as he’s 46 and the producers are said to be searching for an actor in their 30s.
Best Value Bet to Be the New James Bond
There are several interesting candidates to play James Bond next, but the best value is without a doubt Richard Madden.
Hollywood typically likes to hand pick someone a bit under the radar, for one, but the fact that they want someone in their physical prime also means some of the top contenders may not actually be in the mix at all.
That brings me to Richard Madden, who is really best known for a short-lived starring role in Game of Thrones. He was absolutely awesome in it, though, and he also excelled and even won best actor for his role in Bodyguard.
Madden’s been pretty quiet ever since, which has me wondering if the 38-year old could be preparing to launch his career with a big announcement.
The James Bond producers obviously want a reasonably big name, but one they can grow with. Hitching their wagon to someone pushing 50 isn’t really in their best interest, either, and Madden isn’t even 40 yet.
Madden has certainly put his acting ability on display, while winning a prestigious award for a role similar to James Bond instantly puts him in play.
Who Will Be the Next James Bond Actor?
You can and should turn over every stone when trying to predict who will play James Bond next. It’s also flat out fun to imagine massive stars like Henry Cavill or Tom Hardy carving time out of their busy schedules to deliver iconic lines and woo women en route to saving the world.
Heck, there are even intriguing options out there that offer more upside and could be a ton of fun at the theater. Richard Madden is undeniably the most logical value bet, but who would be mad if Tom Hiddleston (+1600), Tom Holland (+2500) or Austin Butler (+3300) somehow snagged the role?
I sure wouldn’t be, but I do like to be realistic with these types of wagers. Fortunately, logic and the latest James Bond odds work together here, as I think Aaron Taylor-Johnson is a lock for this.
Taylor-Johnson has earned this opportunity. He exudes everything James Bond is, he has displayed elite acting ability, and he has the star power to take it over the top.
He’s also still quite young at just 34, making him the youngest option I’ve detailed in this post. If you’re looking for someone who checks every box and makes total sense, he fits the bill.
The best part? You can still get him at plus money. I doubt that lasts much longer, though, and waiting could have you risking this prop being pulled out from under you at any moment, too.
Bet: Aaron Taylor-Johnson +200