As we reach the end of summer 2026, it’ll soon be seven long years since Daniel Craig hung up his tuxedo following the hugely -successful last instalment of the money-spinning James Bond franchaise. No spoliers, but it was quite the big finish.
There’s definitely going to be a sequel to No Time To Die - with Dune filmmaker Denis Villeneuve on board to direct a script written by Peaky Blinders’ Steven Knight.
But we still don’t know the most important part - the actor who will take on the iconic role.
Whoever becomes the eighth 007 following Sean Connery, David Niven, George Lazenby, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan, and Daniel Craig.
Back in 2024 it was reported that Kickass actor Aaron Taylor-Johnson had accepted the part - but it turned out it was premature.
His chances seemed to be over when Barbara Broccoli and her half brother Michael G. Wilson, who have handpicked the Bond actors since the 1990s and presuambly were on board with him taking the rile, signed over ‘full creative control’ to Amazon MGM Studios last year.
Earlier this year Courtenay Valenti, Amazon MGM’s head of film, updated fans, explaining: “I know you’re all wondering when we’re going to announce who’s playing James Bond. Don’t get too excited. Please know that we’re taking the time to do this with care and deep respect. It is the dream of a lifetime for all of us to bring audiences this next chapter, and it’s a responsibility we don’t take lightly.”
Apparently auditions are still ongoing, but it’s thought that the casting announcement will be made before the end of the year - at the very latest.
Here are the 10 current leading 007 contenders, as of August 17, according to the bookies.
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5. Aaron Taylor-Johnson - 7/1
'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. He's now struggling to remain in the top fve most likely candidates, with his odds now a relatively distant 7/1. | Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images
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6. Jacob Elordi - 7/1
The favourite to be a non-British Bond is Jacob Elordi, who was Oscar nominated earlier this year 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 made another splash in director Emerald Fennell's followup 'Wuthering Heights'. His odds have come in slightly over the last week, now sitting at 7/1 - making him joint fifth favourite. | Getty Images for Vanity Fair
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7. Tom Francis - 7/1
Also priced at 7/1 is Tom Francis, best known as a stage actor having won the Olivier Award for Best Actor (and a Tony nomination) for starring in 'Sunset Boulevard'. He also played Romeo in jukebox musical '& Juliet', appeared in the final series of 'You' on the small screen and alongside George Clooney in Noah Baumbach's latest film 'Jay Kelly' on the big screen. | Getty Images For SOLT
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8. Josh O'Connor - 10/1
Josh O'Connor became the favourite to play Bond for a couple of weeks in January this year. The actor, who played a young King Charles in 'The Crown', and was in cinema's recently in Steven Spielberg sci-fi 'Disclosure' is now a 10/1 shot. | AFP via Getty Images