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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9. Michael B. Jordan - 12/1
Michael B. Jordan is on the top of the world at the moment, having won the Best Leading Actor Oscar for his (two) part(s) in 'Sinners'. He's the hottest property in cinema at the moment, but could there be an American James Bond? The bookies certainly think so, having slashed his odds to 12/1. | Getty Images
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10. Harris Dickinson - 12/1
Harris Dickinson has had a string of acclaimed film roles in his short career to date, including 'Baby Girl', 'The King's Man', 'Triangle of Sadness', 'Where the Crawdads Sing', and 'The Iron Claw'. His directorial debut 'Urchin' premiered at the 2025 London Film Festival. He's priced at 12/1 to make Bond his next career move. | Getty Images for BAFTA
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11. Jack Lowden - 16/1
'Slow Horses' has made Jack Lowden a global star, and he's priced at 16/1 to become the first James Bond from Scotland since the original (and the best) - Sean Connery. His odds have narrowed slightly since the start of the year. | Getty Images
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12. James Norton - 16/1
James Norton has long been in the frame to play Bond, having made his name in the likes of 'Happy Valley', 'Grantchester' and 'McMafia series'. He's still in the running, just about, although his odds have drifted out to 16/1. | Getty Images For SOLT