As we reach the end of the first month of 2026 it has been well over six years - and counting - since Daniel Craig starred in the last instalment of the lucrative James Bond franchaise.
But we now know with some certainty that there WILL be a sequel to Craig’s swansong performance in No Time To Die.
Dune filmmaker Denis Villeneuve has been announced as director, while Peaky Blinders’ Steven Knight will be writing the script of the film that seems likely to start filming this year with a possible late-2027 release date in cinemas.
Now it’s just the minor matter of finding the third main part of the jigsaw - the actor (or actress) who will take on the iconic role - and the casting should be confirmed sooner rather than later.
It will be a life-changing role for whoever takes it on and becomes only 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.
Since Daniel Craig hung up his tux there have been many different actors rumoured to be in the frame, 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.
Here are the 12 leading contenders according to the bookies.
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1. Callum Turner - 4/9
'Fantastic Beasts' franchaise star Callum Turner has been the red hot favourite to step into 007's handmade shoes for a few months now. His odds are now just 4/9 - his lowest to date. His most recent major television role was as Major John Egan in 'Masters of the Air' and he's recently been on the big screen in David Freyne's latest film 'Eternity'. Has he timed his run perfectly? | Getty Images
2. Jacob Elordi - 6/1
Jacob Elordi is now second favourite, with his odds slashed from 20/1 to just 6/1. He was recently Oscar nominated for his role as at the monster in 'Frankenstein' - the Guillermo del Toro film that was shot in Scotland. He would certainly be a buzzy choice for Bond after shooting to fame in 'Saltburn' - and will be soon beappearing in director Emerald Fennell's followup 'Wuthering Heights'. He'd be the second Australian James Bond after George Lazenby. | AFP via Getty Images
3. Aaron Taylor-Johnson - 7/1
'Kick-Ass' star Aaron Taylor-Johnson seemed to be a cert for the role of the world's most famous spy back in 2024 - some newspapers even suggested he had accepted the part. His odds have been lengthening in recent weeks and he's now not even second favourite, priced at 7/1. Maybe it's the beard... | Getty Images
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4. Leo Suter - 8/1
Leo Suter only entered the running to be Bond in the second half of 2025 and is now down to single figures - an 8/1 shot. His highest-profile performance to date is as Harald Sigurdsson in the Netflix series 'Vikings: Valhalla'. | Getty Images for Netflix