Latest Odds in Race for Next 007: Who Will Wear the Tux Next?

Latest Odds in Race for Next 007: Who Will Wear the Tux Next?

After Amazon MGM took full control of creative rights of the James Bond franchise, speculation is rife with which actor will be the next to wear 007’s famous tux. Bookies are adjusting their odds by the day as fans dissect every rumour.

Will Amazon MGM opt for one of their favored actors? Will they choose rugged action star in the Daniel Craig mold, or is it time for a suave throwback to the effortless charm of Sean Connery? The bookies’ odds have ranged from the original favorite Tom Hardy to Henry Cavill, who has long been touted as a natural fit.

It’s changing regularly with new actors being touted, so with news of the next James Bond seeming ever closer, let’s take a look at the latest odds in the race for the next 007.

Who Will Be Next? Latest Odds in the Race for 007

James Norton – 3/1 Joint Favorite

At 3/1, James Norton is the latest frontrunner with British bookies. Suave, brooding, and blessed with a presence that oscillates between effortless charm and simmering menace, the Little Women star certainly looks the part. But does he want it?

Norton himself has played coy, calling the speculation “crazy” and “quite flattering,” while firmly dismissing any suggestion that he’s in active contention. In interviews, he has spoken about his admiration for the franchise, praising No Time to Die’s deeper exploration of Bond’s emotional world.

It’s a telling remark—Norton’s career choices (Happy Valley, McMafia) suggest a preference for psychologically layered roles, a quality that could lend itself well to a post-Craig 007.

Yet, when it comes to the much-debated future of the franchise, Norton is refreshingly candid. He acknowledges the push for a more diverse Bond but argues that true progress lies in creating new, authentically representative stories rather than reconfiguring existing icons.

It’s a nuanced take, and one that not all Bond fans would be keen on. The question is, will Bond’s new producers favor intellect over sheer brute force?

Aaron Taylor-Johnson – 3/1 Joint Favorite

If the bookies’ odds are to be believed, Aaron Taylor-Johnson is another actor leading the charge for donning Bond’s tuxedo. The Kick-Ass star has been the subject of persistent rumors, fuelled by whispers of a screen test at Pinewood Studios with none other than Barbara Broccoli herself.

That, in Bond terms, would have been the equivalent of being handed the keys to the Aston Martin DB5, but with Amazon MGM shaking things up, it’s no longer a dead cert.

As with other contenders, Taylor-Johnson’s responses have been carefully measured. Asked about the possibility of being next to don Bond’s tuxedo, he remained as enigmatic as a Bond villain, calling the speculation “charming and wonderful” but offering nothing more.

What Taylor-Johnson does have, however, is the perfect blend of grit and glamour. He’s got the physicality—his turn in Bullet Train proved he can throw a punch and with style, but he also possesses an unpredictable, slightly dangerous edge, something that could take Bond in a fresh, more volatile direction.

Theo James – 4/1

If the next Bond were decided by pure charisma alone, Theo James would be sitting comfortably in a high-stakes poker game at Casino Royale by now. The White Lotus and Divergent star has the smouldering looks, the effortless charm, and that all-important ability to make a tuxedo look like a second skin.

Unlike some of his fellow contenders, James has been refreshingly candid about his reluctance to don the iconic tux. “That probably wouldn’t be me,” he said in an interview, citing both the life-changing pressure of the role and the inevitable ribbing he’d get from his mates. “Bondopoulos – the Greek Bond,” they joke, a nod to his Greek heritage.

But behind the self-deprecating humour lies a genuine hesitation—he sees the role as an all-consuming beast, one that would leave no room for personal anonymity.

That hasn’t stopped the speculation, of course. And Theo James remains a fixture in Bond conversations, cropping up in fan polls and bookmaker lists as high as 4/1. Could he be persuaded if Amazon MGM came knocking? Unlikely. But then again, Bond has a habit of luring in the most reluctant recruits.

Henry Cavill – 6/1

If there’s one actor who has spent nearly two decades orbiting the role of James Bond, it’s Henry Cavill. At 6/1, he remains a serious contender, and he is the fans’ favorite, although Cavill’s history with the franchise makes his case both compelling and bittersweet.

Back in 2005, a fresh-faced Cavill—just 22 at the time—auditioned for Casino Royale, impressing the producers but ultimately losing out to Daniel Craig. Martin Campbell, the film’s director, later admitted Cavill had the makings of a great Bond, but was simply too young.

Now, nearly twenty years later, the tables have turned. At 41, some argue he may have aged out of contention, with Campbell himself noting that by the time Cavill completed a standard three-film Bond run, he’d be pushing 50.

But Cavill’s appeal remains undeniable. He’s got the chiselled jawline, the brooding intensity, and a physique that could have been sculpted in Q’s lab. His tenure as Superman and his turn in The Man from U.N.C.L.E. have already proved he can handle demands of major stardom. The question is whether Bond’s new producers see him as the perfect fit or a nearly man, again.

Callum Turner – 7/1

If Bond producers are looking for a fresh face with classic British charm, Callum Turner might be their man. At 6/1, the Masters of the Air star is the latest odds climber in the race for the next 007, boosted by a career trajectory that reads like a masterclass in leading-man potential.

At 34, Turner is perfectly aged for a 10 year contract and there’s no doubt he’s spent the past few years quietly but assuredly proving his credentials. His turn in The Boys in the Boat showcased his ability to command the screen.

And if 007 is as much about style as it is about action, then Turner already has a head start—his early career as a Louis Vuitton model and newly minted role as the brand’s ambassador make him one of the most impeccably dressed candidates in the running.

Could he pull off Bond’s signature blend of suaveness and ruthlessness? His chiselled features certainly lend themselves to the part, and his rise in the odds ranking is certainly starting plenty of debate over the next James Bond.

Regé-Jean Page – 16/1

For a brief moment, Regé-Jean Page was the name in the Bond conversation—the hottest favorite to slip into the tux after his star-making turn in Bridgerton. The bookies certainly thought so, slashing his odds to near-frontrunner status, before sliding back down to 16/1.

Page himself ever entertained by the idea has done an admirable job of downplaying it. “The B-word,” he once called it, amused by the inevitability of any successful British actor being linked to 007.

And while he has acknowledged the flattery, he seems bemused by the idea of making any grand career plans in, as he put it, “this moment in history.”

There’s no denying that Page ticks a lot of boxes. He’s impossibly suave, carries an effortless magnetism, and has the kind of global appeal that could propel Bond into a fresh era. The question is whether the franchise wants him as much as the bookmakers once did—or if Page has already bolted from the race.

Tom Hardy – 33/1

If James Bond’s next incarnation is to be less martini and more mayhem, then Tom Hardy is surely the man for the job. The early favorite, but at 33/1 his odds have drifted. That hasn’t stopped fans—and even Bond insiders—from keeping his name firmly in the conversation, however.

Hardy has never officially thrown his hat into the ring, but in true Hardy fashion, he’s let his silence do the talking. When asked about the role in 2017, he invoked the age-old superstition among actors: mention it, and you’re out of the race.

It’s a strategy that has done little to dampen speculation, particularly with former Bond co-star Naomie Harris voicing her support. “He would make a great Bond,” she said, before acknowledging the franchise’s habit of picking unexpected, up-and-coming names—something Hardy, at 46, is not.

Still, what he lacks in fresh-faced anonymity, he more than makes up for in raw intensity. Few actors can command the screen like Hardy, whose career is built on a foundation of complex, simmering performances: Mad Max: Fury Road, The Dark Knight Rises, and Legend to name a few.

At 47, one feels Tom Hardy is slightly over the hill, especially for a 10 year contract—he’d likely be the oldest Bond by the end of his tenure.That said, he would likely be the most popular among Bond fans.

Ryan Gosling – 200/1

At 200/1, Ryan Gosling’s chances of becoming the next James Bond seem about as likely as Ken getting a licence to kill and Barbie being the next Bond girl. Even he finds the idea amusing.

“”I’m not sure that they want a Canadian in that role,” he once joked. “I don’t even think Canadians are asking for that.” But while the odds are long, they’re not entirely out of the question—especially now that Gosling has signed a major deal with Amazon MGM, the very studio behind the Bond franchise.

For all his self-deprecating humour, Gosling has the makings of a great 007. He’s effortlessly cool, unflappably charismatic, and has already proved he can handle action (Drive, The Gray Man) just as well as a tuxedo.

He may not fit the traditional mould, but Bond is a franchise that reinvents itself with every new era, and there have even been rumors of Barbie director Great Gerwig directing Bond 26. The plot thickens!

Who Will Wear the Tux Next?

The search for the next James Bond is on but as ever it remains as unpredictable as a high-stakes casino showdown. Previous producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson always favored actors who brought a surprising edge to the part, and someone who wasn’t a household name at the time.

But we’re under new leadership now with Amazon MGM taking the reigns. Amazon founder Jeff Bezos was even actively asking fans on social media who they want as the next 007.

Whoever is ultimately chosen will step into one of cinema’s most coveted and scrutinised roles, and no doubt be measured against their predecessors, dissected by critics and fans alike, and tasked with balancing reinvention with tradition in a franchise that thrives on evolution.

We cannot wait!