Henry Cavill has long been a firm fan favourite to take over as James Bond, alongside the like of Idris Elba, Aaron Taylor-Johnson and James Norton. But with the shock overnight news that the new 007 director has been confirmed, suddenly the race is hotting up.
EON producers Barbara Broccoli and her half-brother have long held all the cards as the “gatekeepers” of the franchise, taking over from the legendary Cubby Broccoli. When Amazon bought Bond parent company in 2022, the sibling forced a stalemate, unwilling to cede creative control. But now both have stepped away completely.
They had previously promised that the new actor would be British, any ethnicity but definitely still male. A rumoured age range was 29-40.
All eyes are on director Denis Villeneuve and Amazon now, with hopes fast rising for two British actors as the latest Bond odds reveal who have been tipped by UK bookies for the biggest gig in global cinema.
Some have fears about Denis Villeneuve relaunching the Bond franchise as a revered director whose aesthetic is more arthouse than blockbuster, from Contact to Blade Runner 2049 and the Dune films. But whoever he chooses will potentially play 007 for at least a decade.
There was a flurry of announcements from bookies today, with most including two names that many of us might not have heard of.
Southampton lad Scott Rose-March handily recently starred in Amazon and BBC co-production Chloe and Coral have him at 4/1. Remember, Daniel Craig was relatively unknown when he slipped into that Aston Martin but, at 37, Rose-Marsh might already be ageing out like Cavill and Elba of a film that is unlikely to start production before 2027.
Londoner Aaron Pierre, 31, has a slightly higher progile after playing Malcolm X in the miniseries Genius and voicing Mufasa in last year’s Lion King prequel. Betfred have him just behind at 5/1.
The main odds from Ladbrokes today put Aaron Taylor-Johnson in the lead at 11/8, followed by Theo James on 7/2, Henry Cavill on 4/1, Scott Rose-Marsh on 4/1 and Aaron Pierre slightly lower on 6/1.
Intriguingly, there are alos bets being placed on Villeneuve’s Dune leading man Timothee Chalamet at 16/1, although it seems a rather unlikely choice.
James Norton has slid down to 12/1 on Ladbrokes while Coral have Slow Horses star Jack Lowden on the same price.
With Villeneuve committed to makin his third and final Dune film, Messiah, through 2026, we might not hear who will be offidially donning that tuxedo for a while yet.