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.
And no it seems that speculation is at an end - with Kick-Ass actor Aaron Taylor Johnson reportedly about to sign on the dotted line.
Now film fans are wondering who will take the reins from Cary Joji Fukunaga who directed Daniel Craig's last film as the iconic character in No Time To Die.
Since British director Terence Young took on the first two films in the series, Dr. No and From Russia With Love (he also returned for the fourth, Thunderball), there have been a total of 27 instalments in the moneyspinning franchaise.
John Glen has directed the most, with five entries spanning the Roger Moore and Timothy Dalton years, while Sam Mendes brought Oscar-winning gravitas to the more recent Skyfall and Spectre.
He's discounted directing another Bond, but a couple of other previous directors of the franchaise have yet to rule themselves out.
So, here are the 11 most likely candidates to take on the next 007 film.
9. Chloé Zhao
Chinese-born director Chloé Zhao may have made her name in independent films like Nomadland (for which she won the Oscars for Best Director and Best Picture) but she showed she could also handle a mega-budget with Marvel film The Eternals. She's priced at 10/1 to makie Bond her latest project. | Getty Images
10. Sam Mendes
British stage and screen director Sam Mendes is another Oscar winner - for his debut film American Beauty. He's already directed two Bond films - 2012's Skyfall and 2015's Spectre - so could be seen as a safe pair of hands to take the franchaise forward. His odds are 12/1. | Getty Images
11. Joseph Kosinski
Joseph Kosinski is best known for helming the hugely successful (and belated) 2022 sequel to Top Gun - Top Gun: Maverick - also teaming up with Tom Cruise for Oblivion. He's 12/1 to bring some of that Top Gun magic to James Bond. | Getty Images for WSJ Custom & Br