Next James Bond Favourites: These are the 22 actors most likely to succeed Daniel Craig as 007 - from Henry Cavill to Sam Heughan
David Hepburn
·6-min read
Daniel Craig has stepped back from the role of James Bond after his swansong in 'No Time To Die'. (Photo: Jamie McCarthy)
Ever since Daniel Craig announced that ‘No Time To Die’ would be his last James Bond film, there has been feverish speculation about his successor.
The successful candidate will become the eighth actor to play Ian Fleming’s iconic character, following Sean Connery, David Niven, George Lazenby, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan and Daniel Craig
Returning to the top of the actors most likely to become Bond after a couple of months in second and third place, is Aaron Taylor-Johnson. Best known for playing title character in the Kick-Ass films, Taylor-Johnson also starred opposite Brad Pitt in Bullet Train. He's now a clear favourite at 11/4 to step into 007's shoes. (Photo: Chung Sung-Jun)
There had been speculation that a woman could step into the role but the bookies’ favourites are all men, with ‘It’s a Sin’ actress Lydia West and ‘Gentleman Jack’ star Suranne Jones outsiders at odds of 33/1.
Here are the 22 actors most hotly tipped to don the tuxedo and enjoy a vodka martini, shaken not stirred.
The second favourite to play Bond is James Norton, whose odds have drifted in recent weeks. The Happy Valley and Grantchester actor looked comfortable in a tux in the BBC's McMafia series - one of the reasons he's tipped to play Bond, with his odds now 3/1. (Photo: Andreas Rentz)
Superman and The Witcher star Henry Cavill has been favourite to be the next Bond for months, but has now been edged narrowly into third place with odds of 11/4. He's no stranger to playing iconic British characters - he'll be portraying Sherlock Holmes again in the next Enola Holmes film. (Photo: Pablo Cuadra)
Bridgerton star Regé-Jean Page was favourite for the iconic role for a few weeks late last year. He's now dropped down to 6/1 fourth favourite - giving him a probability of 14.29 per cent. (Photo: Daniel Knighton)
Venom star Tom Hardy has long been rumoured as a potential 007, and according to the experts has a 10% chance of making the role his own - odds of 9/1. (Photo: Tristan Fewings)
He first found fame in American television series The Wire and has since landed numerous roles on the big and small screens, However it's been reported that Idris Elba has dropped out of the running for Bond, and the bookies still have him as third favourite - with an 9% probability. (Photo: Tim P. Whitby)
Welsh actor Luke Evans has seen his odds on becoming Bond tumble in the last week. The Clash of the Ttitans and Immortals star now has 7.61 per cent chance of landing the dream role. (Photo: Frazer Harrison)
Callum Turner has a 5.75 per cent chance of following up his supporting part in the Fantastic Beasts franchise with a lead role in one of the world's most famous film series. (Photo: Stuart C. Wilson)
Paapa Essiedu also has a 5.75 per cent chance of playing the world's most famous spy. He's best known for his role in television miniseries 'I May Destroy You' for which he received Primetime Emmy and British Academy Television Award nominations. (Photo: Rich Fury)
The second Game of Thrones actor on this list, Bodyguard star Richard Madden has a probability of 5.6% of becoming the first Scottish Bond since Sean Connery. (Photo: Gareth Cattermole)
Having starred in everything from tiny arthouse films to Hollywood blockbusters, Michael Fassbender has been touted as a possible 007 for over a decade. He currently makes the top 10 most likely names, with probability of 5.47%. (Photo: Matt Winkelmeyer)
Irish actor Jamie Dornan recently shone in Kenneth Brannah's Oscar-nominated Belfast. Perhaps his best known role is in the divisive 50 Shades of Grey trilogy, but he has 5.41% to bag the role of Bond and change that. (Photo: Mike Coppola)
Cillian Murphy has played a major part in making Peaky Blinders one of the most talked about television series of recent years. He's also no stranger to blockbusters, having starred in everything from The Dark Knight Trilogy to A Quiet Place Part II. He has a 4.96% chance of adding James Bond to his impressive CV. (Photo: Jason Mendez)
Bafta-winning and Oscar-nominated Chiwetel Ejiofor has seen his odds of becoming the British superspy slide in recent weeks, with a probability of 4.76%.. (Photo: Jeff Spicer)
Jamie Bell has come a long way since his star-making role in Billy Elliot. Recent roles have included in critically acclaimed films such as Rocketman and Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool. He has a 4.61% chance of stepping into the shoes of Britain's greatest ever spy. (Photo: Matt Winkelmeyer)
Yet another Game of Thrones alumni, The Umbrella Academy actor Tom Hopper has quietly seen his odds shorten week after week. He now has a 4.44% chance of being Bond. (Photo: Jesse Grant)
Equally at home on the stage or on the screen, Scot Jack Lowden first found fame in 2016 BBC miniseries of War & Peace and has since starred in the likes of Dunkirk and Mary Queen of Scots. The bookies say he has a 4.24% chance of being Bond. (Photo: Rich Polk)
Scot Sam Heughan has become one of the most recognisable faces on the planet thanks to the Outlander television series. He could get even more famous if he becomes the next Bond - there's a 4.17% chance of it happening. (Photo: David Livingston)
Is there anybody from Game of Thrones not in the running to become the next James Bond? Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, who played Jamie Lannister in the fantasty smash, has a 3.85% chance - giving him odds of 25-1. (Photo: Emma McIntyre)
Poldark star Aiden Turner is currently wowing viewers in ITV's The Suspect'. There's a 3.5% chance of his next role being Bond. (Photo: Jeff Spicer)
Best known as Jon Snow in fantasty epic Game of Thrones, Kit Harington's Bond odds have been sliding in recent months - he's now dropped out of the top ten with chances pegged at 3.45%. (Photo: Jeff Spicer)
Until recently Jonathan Bailey had rarely been mentioned as a possible Bond, but the Bridgerton star is now seen to have a chance of succeeding Daniel Craig, with a likelihood of 3.33%. (Photo: Pascal Le Segretain)
A US warship has come under attack in the Red Sea, the Pentagon announced on Saturday, in the most high-profile of a series of maritime attacks linked to the Israel-Hamas war.
Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden made a series of sweet remarks about Kate Middleton during her three-day-long state visit in the UK. See what she had to say here...
According to the Katha Upanishad, a Vedic text believed to date from between 800BC and 300BC, yoga is a “complete stillness in which one enters the unitive state, never to become separate again”.
The Cabinet reshuffle that brought back David Cameron was supposed to reunite the Tory “sensibles”, reassure centre-ground voters and put Rishi Sunak on course for a general election victory next year. If one could liken it to a film scene it would be the end of The Railway Children when the young Jenny Agutter runs along the platform shouting “daddy, my daddy” before throwing herself into the arms of her father, freshly returned from a spell in political disgrace.
In Endgame, his second hagiography of Harry and Meghan, author Omid Scobie variously describes the Princess of Wales as “cold”, “keen” and “inscrutable”.
Prince Archie's fourth godfather revealed as Hugh Grosvenor and he has a surprising connection to cousin Prince George. Hugh Grosvenor has decided to not invite Harry and Meghan to his wedding in June 2024. Read more here...
Strictly Come Dancing star Dianne Buswell shared an emotional post to Instagram on Sunday, after she and her celebrity dance partner Bobby Brazier struggled with the lift in their Dirty Dancing-themed Salsa.
After enduring a debilitating infection for months, she went to see a private urologist – and discovered how inaccessible paid healthcare really is, writes Nell Frizzell
As Israel now focuses its assault on southern Gaza, the net is closing on Hamas’s leaders. Foreign Editor David Pratt examines their likely fate and the controversial issue of Israel’s targeted assassinations
The Russian troops who shot two surrendering Ukrainian soldiers were quickly eliminated, Avdiivka military administration head Vitalii Barabash said in an interview with Freedom TV on Dec. 3.
Distraught England goalkeeper Mary Earps said her mistake against the Netherlands would haunt her for a long time, despite the Lionesses producing a thrilling comeback that kept their hopes of qualifying for the Olympics on behalf of Team GB alive.
Yahoo News 
