- Theo James is new favorite to play 007
- Amazon reportedly looking to cast a young Bond
- Could Paul Mescal get a look in?
Ever since Daniel Craig’s final scenes as James Bond aired in 2021’s No Time To Die, speculation has been nonstop. The rumor mill has been churning over who will next fill his British spy shoes.
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Hollywood A-listers like Henry Cavill, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Idris Elba and Tom Hardy have all been linked to the role of the next James Bond. However, according to recent reports, odds have been slashed on another contender after a surge of support saw him rise to the top of the list.
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As reported by The Sun, White Lotus star Theo James is now hotly tipped as the next 007.
Theo James odds to play James Bond at 2-1
Coral, a chain of betting shops in the U.K. have stated that the support for James has forced them to reduce his odds.
“We have seen a strong wave of support for Theo James over the weekend which has forced us to slash the odds on The Monkey star replacing Daniel Craig,” said Coral’s John Hill.
The British actor certainly brings the charm required for the secret service agent. His standout roles as the dangerous, yet charismatic Cameron Sullivan in The White Lotus and Eddie Horniman in The Gentlemen tick all the boxes.
bond, theo james bond pic.twitter.com/N8mwDoQGJV
— audrey 🙈 (@FicusAudrey2) March 19, 2025
Speaking to The Guardian newspaper last year, James revealed “it would be terrifying” playing Bond.
“Everyone’s interested in that because it’s a big part of British cultural identity, but that probably wouldn’t be me. I do think there are better people for that job. And, honestly, it would be terrifying: if you do that, there’s no going back. You’re opening Pandora’s box there. You have got to be willing to live a very different life and have a different life for your family. And that would be pretty tricky. Plus, my mates would take the piss out of me. Because they always say, ‘Bondopoulos – the Greek Bond.’”
Amazon want to cast a younger Bond
It’s highly likely that neither James nor his fellow A-list contenders will make the final cut, as Amazon is reportedly looking to cast the youngest ever Bond.
With Amazon now owning the rights to the franchise following its acquisition of MGM, there are whispers of a fresh direction. Ideas for prequels set in the ’50s and ’60s, exploring the early years of the iconic spy, are reportedly on the table.
James is 40-years old, and if the reports are to be believed, this would mean an actor in his twenties would be required for the part.
On the We’re Not Getting Any Younger podcast, British actor Daniel Mays said: “Bond is a big deal right, that going to Amazon … I heard a rumour they’re going to cast someone very young and go sort of back to the origins”. He continued, “They’re going to sort of ’60s, you’re going to have all the retro cars and that sort of stuff – and start again. I think that would be kind of cool”.
Could this be welcome news for fans of Paul Mescal? The Irish actor, who recently turned twenty-nine, has the looks and charm that make him a strong candidate.
