As we enter the second June 2026, it’s been over six-and-a-half years (and counting) since Daniel Craig hung up his tuxedo and drank his last vodka martini, following the last instalment of the money-spinning James Bond franchaise.
Film fans know there WILL be a sequel to Craig’s swansong performance in No Time To Die - with Dune filmmaker Denis Villeneuve on board to direct a film to be written by Peaky Blinders’ Steven Knight.
But we have still to discover the third main part of the cinematic jigsaw - the actor who will take on the iconic role.
It will be a life-changing role for whoever becomes 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.
There have been many different actors rumoured to be in the frame over the Bond-less years, led by Aaron Taylor-Johnson who had reportedly been offered the part (he clearly hadn’t).
All bets were off when Barbara Broccoli and her half brother Michael G. Wilson, who have handpicked the Bond actors since the 1990s, signed over ‘full creative control’ to Amazon MGM Studios.
At movie-making trade show CinemaCon earlier this year Courtenay Valenti, Amazon MGM’s head of film, addressed the casting decision, explaining: “I know you’re all wondering when we’re going to announce who’s playing James Bond. Don’t get too excited. Please know that we’re taking the time to do this with care and deep respect. It is the dream of a lifetime for all of us to bring audiences this next chapter, and it’s a responsibility we don’t take lightly.”
Auditions have reportedly been taking place over recent weeks so an announcement could now only be weeks - or even days - away.
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9. Leo Suter - 10/1
Leo Suter only entered the running to be Bond in the second half of 2025 but has recently seen his 007 odds drift out to 10/1. His highest-profile performance to date is as Harald Sigurdsson in the Netflix series 'Vikings: Valhalla'. | Eamonn M. McCormack/Getty Images
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10. Arty Froushan - 10/1
A lesser known name in the frame to play Bond is 10/1 shot Arty Froushan. He's a highly-rated stage actor who has appeared in Amazon Prime series 'Carnival Row' and Disney+ series 'Daredevil: Born Again', as well as films including 'Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale'. | AFP via Getty Images
11. Donal Finn - 10/1
Donal Finn recently won a new army of fans thanks to his role in BBC hit show 'The Other Bennet Sister', having previously starred in Amazon Prime series 'The Wheel of Time' and 'Young Sherlock'.(2026). He's another 10/1 shot to play one of the world's most famous fictional character. | Getty Images for Prime Videos Wo
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12. Jack Lowden - 12/1
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. He's reached his biggest audience to date starring opposite Gary Oldman in acclaimed spy drama Slow Horses. He's now priced at 12/1 to be the first Scottish James Bond since Sean Connery. | Getty Images