As we enter the second half of March 2026 it has been well over six years (and counting) - since Daniel Craig hung up his tux following the last instalment of the money-spinning James Bond franchaise.
There’s no doubt that there WILL be a sequel to Craig’s swansong performance in No Time To Die - Dune filmmaker Denis Villeneuve is on board as director, while Peaky Blinders’ Steven Knight has been hired to write the script.
Next up it’s a matter of finding the third part of the jigsaw - the actor who will take on the iconic role.
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.
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 current leading contenders according to Coral.
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1. Callum Turner - 5/4
'Fantastic Beasts' franchaise star Callum Turner had dropped down the field in February but is now the 5/4 favourite to step into 007's handmade shoes. 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'. His new film, 'Rosebush Pruning', sees him starring opposite Dua Lipa and premiered at the Berlin Film Festival - where he did little to dispel the 007 rumours. | Getty Images for Elton John AIDS
2. Jacob Elordi - 2/1
Jacob Elordi became the favourite to be cast as Bond for the first time last month, with his odds slashed from 20/1. He's now the 2/1 secind favourite. 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 is currently in cinemas in director Emerald Fennell's followup 'Wuthering Heights'. He'd be the second Australian James Bond after George Lazenby. | AFP via Getty Images
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3. Aaron Taylor-Johnson - 5/1
'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 narrowed again slightly in the last couple of weeks, but he's still now third favourite at 5/1. Maybe it's the hair... | Getty Images for Sony Pictures
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4. Henry Cavill - 6/1
He's already played 'Superman' and featured in the 'Mission: Impossible' franchaise, and Henry Cavill has been tipped as a possible James Bond since before Daniel Craig bagged the gig. He's not quite out of the running yet - with narrowing odds of 6/1 - but he may end up being talked about as the best Bond we never had. (See also: Clive Owen). | Getty Images