As we reach the end of October 2026, it’s now more than seven years (and counting) since Daniel Craig hung up his tuxedo and handed back his gun following the hugely-successful last instalment of the James Bond franchaise.
We’ve know for certain that there WILL be sequel to No Time To Die which will be directed by Dune filmmaker Denis Villeneuve from a screenplay writter by Peaky Blinders’ Steven Knight.
But we still don’t know who will take on the iconic role, becoming the eighth actor to play 007 following Sean Connery (the best, obviously), David Niven, George Lazenby, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan, and Daniel Craig.
Way back in 2024 it was reported that Kickass actor Aaron Taylor-Johnson had accepted the part but it turned out not to be the case - and he appears to now be all-but out of the running.
Part of the reason for that is that Barbara Broccoli and her half brother Michael G. Wilson, who have handpicked the Bond actors since the 1990s and presumably were fans of Tayor-Johnson, signed over ‘full creative control’ to Amazon MGM Studios last year and no longer have any say in the casting decisions.
Auditions are reportedly still ongoing, but may now be reaching an end - with the final choice perhaps having already been made.
That certainly seem to be what Richard Osman thinks, after he said Jack Lowden would be the next Bond in his The Rest is Entertainment podcast, and the bookies would seem to agree.
Here are the 10 actors leading the charge to play Bond, with one now the clear favourite.
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5. Richard Madden - 10/1
'Game of Thrones' star Richard Madden is another Scottish actor who had (wrongly) been reported as accepting the Bond role. It shows just how long this has been going on that the rumours surfaced way back in 2018. Television series 'The Bodyguard' seemed as good an audition reel as any, and he's now a 10/1 shot. | Getty Images
6. Theo James - 10/1
Another former favourite who has seen his odds drift out then firm up, 'Divergent' series star Theo James is now a 10/1 shot for Bond...James Bond. Critically acclaimed for his performance in the television series 'The White Lotus', he also plays the lead role in Guy Ritchie's action comedy series 'The Gentlemen'. | Getty Images
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7. Aaron Taylor-Johnson - 12/1
Aaron Taylor-Johnson had previously been favourite to become the next Bond for months, following news reports that he had agreed to play the iconic role. There's been silence since though, and the lack of an official announcement has cast doubt on his involvement - particularly since Amazon took over creative control of the franchaise. Best known for playing the title character in the 'Kick-Ass' films, Taylor-Johnson also starred opposite Brad Pitt in 'Bullet Train' and in horror sequel '28 Years Later'. He's not quite out of the running yet, but is now priced at a relatively long 12/1. | Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images
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8. Harris Dickinson - 12/1
Harris Dickinson has had a string of acclaimed film roles in his short career to date, including 'Baby Girl', 'The King's Man', 'Triangle of Sadness', 'Where the Crawdads Sing', and 'The Iron Claw'. His directorial debut 'Urchin' premiered at the 2025 London Film Festival. He was challenging to be the favourite at one point last year, but he's now drifted out to 12/1. | Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images