It has been over three years since the release of Daniel Craig’s final outing as James Bond in ‘No Time To Die’ - with the actor confirming that he was hanging up his tux.
Since then there has been no letup in the speculation over who will succeed him in one of the world’s biggest film franchaises, following in the footsteps of Sean Connery, David Niven, George Lazenby, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, and Pierce Brosnan - as well as Craig himself.
In early 2024 it seemed to all be over, with Kickass star Aaron Taylor-Johnson hving reportedly accepted the role of a lifetime.
But since then all has gone quiet and it seems like the job is stiill up for grabs, with a new name leading the bookies odds for the first time in nearly a year.
Here are the 15 actors most hotly tipped to don the tuxedo and enjoy a vodka martini, shaken not stirred - including ‘Gladiator 2’ star Paul Mescal and ‘The Crown’ actor Josh O’Connor, who weren’t even in the running until recent weeks.
1. Josh O'Connor - 8/11
Josh O'Connor wasn't even in the running to play Bond until very recently. The actor, who played a young King Charles in 'The Crown', is now the 8/11 favourite. | Getty Images
2. Aaron Taylor-Johnson - 13/8
Aaron Taylor-Johnson had 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 some doubt on his involvement. Best known for playing the title character in the Kick-Ass films, Taylor-Johnson also starred opposite Brad Pitt in Bullet Train. He's now dropped to second favourite at 13/8 to step into 007's shoes. | Getty Images
3. Theo James - 11/2
A few months ago Divergent Series star Theo James wasn't being mentioned as a possible Bond, but now he's 11/2 third favourite. He's drifted out in recent weeks though, having been a lowly priced as 2/1 at one point. Critically acclaimed for his performance in the television series The White Lotus, he also recently played the lead role in Guy Ritchie's action comedy series The Gentlemen. | Getty Images for Netflix
4. Paul Mescal - 11/2
There have been few more talked about actors in the last few years than Ireland's Paul Mescal, from breakout television show Normal People and an Oscar-nominated performance in Aftersun, to starring in one of this year's biggest blockbusters, Gladiator 2. He shot up to second favourite a few weeks ago, but his odds have now cooled slightly to 11/2, possibly because it's questionable as to whether he would accept the role given his current success. | Getty Images for Academy Museum