Next James Bond Odds: Aaron Taylor Johnson favourite for 007

We're almost two years removed from Daniel Craig's final outing as 007, yet we appear to be no closer to naming the next James Bond.

No Time To Die was released in November 2021 and marked Daniel Craig's send-off to the iconic tuxedo-wearing, martini-drinking secret agent.

Since then, Amazon have acquired Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and now owns the rights to the Ian Fleming creation. But among the slowly filtering news, there's been very little concrete information to go by.

Below, we talk you through the latest rumblings and who could be in line to succeed Daniel Craig in this new era of James Bond.

Who is the Favourite?

Aaron Taylor Johnson currently heads up the betting to become the eighth actor to play James Bond. For almost a year at this point, the Marvel and Kick-Ass star has been considered the man to beat out in this hotly contested race for the coveted role.

Henry Cavill had previously been favourite once the market opened, but the actor's age and other high-profile commitments seem to have caused him to tumble down the pecking order, at least in the eyes of bookmakers.

The same can be said for fan favourite Idris Elba, who had long been touted as the perfect successor to Daniel Craig's 007. However, both the actor himself and the producers of the franchise have dismissed this notion.

Who Has Been Publicly Linked To the Role?

In addition to the aforementioned names, Welsh actor and singer Luke Evans shortened significantly in price last summer, emerging as a leading contender.

His odds shifted from 33/1 all the way down to 4/1, but this appears to have been an outsider bet that has influenced the market. The 44-year-old now finds himself at 20/1.

Like Elba, Tom Hardy is another popular choice among the British public. He, Cavill and James Norton are the trio at the top of the pile, considered to be dominating the studio's conversations.

Hardy had previously lost out on the role to Craig in 2005, with the studio long-time admirers of his work. That could offer a redemption arc of sorts to him, but competition from the emerging Norton, who has risen to fame through his explosive performance as Tommy Lee Royce in the acclaimed Happy Valley, may throw a spanner in those works.

What Do We Know About the Studio's Criteria For James Bond?

Although some of the previous requirements appear to have been abolished, the people involved with casting the next James Bond have made certain prerequisites clear.

In September 2022 Bond producer Michael G Wilson said at a BFI event celebrating 60 years since the character made his big screen debut that they're looking for someone around the age Daniel Craig was when he took on the role.

"We've tried looking at younger people in the past," Wilson said. "But trying to visualise it doesn’t work. Remember, Bond’s already a veteran. He’s had some experience. He’s a person who has been through the wars, so to speak. He’s probably been in the SAS or something."

And while that rules out a fresh-faced 007, it's also safe to assume that nobody over 40 is going to be handed the keys to this character either. That decision would not just seriously limit the creative direction this next series of films could go in, but would also put a time restraint on how long or how many movies this next chapter would have.

British-American producer Barbara Broccoli, the other controlling half of the property, pointed out Bond's recent mutable figure as a way to freshen up the character.

"It will have to be reimagined, in the way each actor has reimagined the role," she said back in 2020. "That’s what is so exciting and fun about this franchise; the character evolves. Eventually, when we have to think about it, we’ll find the right person."

More recently than that, Broccoli made it clear that there were no limitations on a non-white Bond.

"Bond should be British," Broccoli stated before adding, "British can be any [ethnicity or race]".

She did, however, close the door on the character being a woman, for now. "We should create roles for women, not just turn a man into a woman."

Who is Offering Odds On the Next James Bond?

Currently, there are several operators offering odds on who the next James Bond will be. These include Paddy Power and sister company Betfair, William Hill, 888Sport, Unibet, Betfred and BoyleSports.