Since Daniel Craig’s final appearance as James Bond in 2021, speculation on who will replace him has reached fever pitch. Earlier this year, Amazon announced a surprise deal to acquire the film franchise, and the film director has also been officially confirmed. But the race to fill the famous tuxedo is now heating up, and a Netflix heartthrob is rumoured to be a leading contender.
Research has revealed that The Gentlemen star Theo James is the UK public’s top choice to take on the iconic role of James Bond. The British actor is best known for his roles in the hit HBO series The White Lotus and the Divergent film franchise. He also experienced huge success in the Netflix series The Gentlemen, which is returning for a second season.
William Hill Vegas analysed social sentiment data from X over the past month for the bookmaker’s top 10 betting selections and found that Theo James received the highest share of positive posts regarding his potential as the next Bond, at 35%.
William Hill Vegas spokesperson, Lee Phelps, remarked: “With speculation mounting over who will step into Daniel Craig’s shoes, we’ve turned to public opinion on X to identify who fans believe should be the next James Bond.
“Theo James leads the way with 35% of posts being positive about his potential, closely followed by Henry Cavill and Jack Lowden. It’s clear from the data that there’s no shortage of enthusiasm for a variety of actors, though Harris Dickinson and Aaron Pierre appear less favoured by the public.”
One of the frontrunners rumoured to replace Daniel Craig as the next James Bond is also Aaron Taylor-Johnson. The Hollywood star teased fans with a new film project earlier this summer when he was quizzed on the red carpet of the new zombie flick, 28 Years Later.
When he was interviewed by Deadline on Wednesday evening at the movie premiere, he said, “I can’t talk about it.” The actor, from Somerset, was already being led away down the red carpet when the question was asked.
New reports reveal Amazon’s plans for the movie franchise, including a date when the next movie might be released. Unfortunately, fans won’t be thrilled, as we will have to wait a little longer than expected.
Amazon MGM is making all future decisions on James Bond – including casting and direction of the series. It is reported that they are pushing for a film to be released in 2027.
The company is also taking a clean break from Daniel’s last appearance in 2021’s No Time To Die. The Sun reported that bosses are keen for a “007 prequel set in the 50s or 60s” which is set during the era when Ian Fleming wrote the books.
