New frontrunner to play James Bond revealed
There’s been a surprise new frontrunner in the race to see who’ll fill Daniel Craig’s shoes as the next actor to play James Bond.
A fresh frontrunner has entered the James Bond chat — and he’s got some seriously starry connections. After years of swirling rumours and a rotating cast of internet favourites, a new British actor is now topping the list to take over as cinema’s next 007.
Sure, names like Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Theo James, Idris Elba, James Norton, and Line of Duty’s Martin Compston remain in the mix. But one contender appears to have pulled decisively ahead since Daniel Craig hung up the tux in No Time To Die.
According to UK bookmaker Coral, Callum Turner — Fantastic Beasts actor and fiancé to Dua Lipa — has become the “red hot” favourite to step into Bond’s impeccably polished shoes. Turner has been a steady presence in the rumour mill, but his latest turn opposite Elizabeth Olsen in the rom-com Eternity seems to have turned the dial in his favour.
After a flurry of betting activity in the past day, Turner’s odds have reportedly dropped from 5-2 to 7-4. “We’ve been knocked over with support for Callum Turner in our next James Bond betting over the last 24 hours,” Coral’s John Hill said (according to The Standard). “The British actor is now the red-hot favourite for the role.”
Taylor-Johnson and White Lotus breakout James follow behind at 3-1, with Henry Cavill clocking in at 6-1. Also hovering in the distance: Anthony Boyle at 10-1, Harris Dickinson at 12-1, and Jack Lowden and James Norton at 16-1.
Meanwhile, the next Bond film appears to be inching forward. Amazon MGM Studios confirmed that British screenwriter Steven Knight — best known for Peaky Blinders — is writing the script. The instalment will be directed by Oscar nominee Denis Villeneuve, the filmmaker behind Dune and Arrival. Heavy-hitting producers David Heyman (Harry Potter) and Amy Pascal (Spider-Man) are also on board.
Earlier this year, Amazon finalised a game-changing deal with longtime Bond guardians Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson to take full control of the character and its surrounding IP, signalling a new era for the franchise. Villeneuve’s appointment suggests the wheels may at last be turning.
Of course, Turner isn’t the only British star still fielding 007 speculation. Last month, George Mackay addressed the long-running chatter that he could be Craig’s successor. The 1917 actor has hovered near the top of bookmakers’ lists, with The Guardian once describing him as having “that look that mixes vague meanness with woolly competence” and “a spoonful of the eccentric enigmatic.” Bond commentator and author Mark O’Connell even called him an “interesting” choice who is “going places” in an interview with Page Six.
And yes — it doesn’t hurt that he starred opposite Bond girl Léa Seydoux in 2023’s The Beast.
When asked at the BFI London Film Festival premiere of his new film & Sons whether he’d be game for the Bond gig, Mackay couldn’t resist responding with a grin. “I mean, like, come on. Like, Bonds? Yeah, sure,” he laughed. And when pressed on whether any official conversations had taken place? “I couldn’t say… No, I’m not going to be drawn further than that.
“But hey, it’s nice to be in the mix, y’know? And what a role? Like Denis Villenueve, he’s top of the game. So yeah, of course.”
This story originally appeared on Decider and is republished here with permission.
Originally published as New frontrunner to play James Bond revealed
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