Betting, James Bond Betting: Who Will Be the Next 007?

For more than a decade, Daniel Craig has been our Bond, our James Bond. First donning the suit in 2006’s Casino Royale, Craig has starred in four of the film franchise’s 24 films (Casino Royale, Quantum of Solace, Skyfall, and Spectre), becoming the face of MI6 for a whole new generation of Bond aficionados. Now, after a long silence on the matter, and despite having said that he would rather “slash his wrists” than take on the role one more time, it has been confirmed that Mr. Craig will indeed be returning to our screens as the British secret service agent at least one more time.

With one of Hollywood’s most coveted roles coming up for grabs in the relatively near future — the next Bond film is set for release in November 2019 — the biggest question remaining is, of course, “Who will the next James Bond be?”

We have had quite a lot of time to ruminate and speculate. With Craig using severe language to describe his feelings, it seemed quite certain that Daniel Craig would not sign on for another film. This left fans wondering, for nearly two years, who could possibly fill this pair of infamous shoes. Though the sheer number of actors both willing and qualified could overwhelm a casting director, two names have stood out above the rest for quite some time: Tom Hardy and Idris Elba — both highly-sought after actors, able to project aloofness while still oozing immense amounts of charm, the perfect embodiment of 007. In fact, according to some sources, Craig only signed back onto the franchise after hearing that Hardy was set to replace him in a three-movie deal with Christopher Nolan.

More recently, other names have found their way into the mix alongside Hardy and Elba. James Norton, Jack Huston, Tom Hiddleston, and Michael Fassbender, to name just a few, have all found favor in the eyes of fans and sportsbooks alike. Yes, that’s right, sportsbooks — well, one in particular — have been paying attention to the conversation surrounding the next big Bond move and are making it possible to have a little fun with it.

You’re not that surprised, are you? Considering how instituted the Bond story is in British pop culture, it makes sense that UK-based sportsbook PaddyPower would open lines on the franchise’s future. James Bond is a part of their history, and his fate is something of a national concern. But, even if you’re on this side of the Atlantic and enjoy the Bond films purely at face value, you might be interested in taking a look at the odds PaddyPower is offering below. The list of potential Bonds is extensive — so much so, in fact, that we had to split the screenshot in two in order for it to fit properly — and regardless of the place James Bond plays in your familial heritage, chances are you’ve got an opinion or two on who you’d like to see play him next.

Who Will Be the Next James Bond

When it comes to who will be replacing Daniel Craig as the next James Bond, there are quite a few variables that one needs to take into account. There is a massive list of potential players, who all have varying schedules and other commitments; that doesn’t even begin to take into account pay negotiations, who will be directing the film, whether the actor and director have a good working relationship, or the fact that we are just under two years away from the next instalment, which will still star Daniel Craig as Bond. But, has that stopped any of us from feeling sure we know what’s up? Not at all.

As previously mentioned, Tom Hardy and Idris Elba have both enjoyed relatively short odds for quite some time. Earlier in the year, Tom Hiddleston and Michael Fassbender both had shorter odds than PaddyPower is giving them now, but the recent surge in popularity for British actors James Norton and Jack Huston ended up lengthening Hiddleston, Hardy, Elba and Fassbender’s odds significantly. At this point in time, we would have given Michael Fassbender and Idris Elba even longer odds than PaddyPower has, considering Fassbender said that he would never play Bond, and Elba considers himself “too old.” Aidan Turner, however, is an interesting bet and we think these oddsmakers might be onto something with him there — though the BBC might not want to lose one of their Poldark stars, the chance to play Bond may be too alluring for the 34-year-old Irish actor.

All that being said, if you want to know where to lay your money on this one — though Norton just tried to distance himself a bit from the rumors that he was the next Bond — we agree with PaddyPower that he is the surest bet, at the moment. Just keep in mind that with several years still in between us and the film he could potentially star in, there is still plenty of time to watch these odds shrink and grow.

Who Will The Next James Bond Theme Song Be Sung By

Ah, a question nearly as big as the last one — and can be even more daunting for those responsible, at times. You might have enjoyed Sam Smith’s song for Spectre, the chart-topping, Oscar-winning Writing’s on the Wall, but guess what? He hated it — or, at least, he hated singing it. How about Adele’s Skyfall? Beautiful, right? Okay, that one is not really so polarizing, but see if you can name any other theme songs with a lasting impact. With a 25-film history behind it, the legacy of singing the theme song for a Bond film is a double-edged sword. The honor is immense, but the pressure is, as well.

PaddyPower has listed Ed Sheeran as their favored choice, and it’s not hard to see why. Sheeran is at the top of his game right now; when it comes to number ones, the man is a machine. And, though he claims he has not been asked yet, he has had a Bond theme song written for about three years. You know, just in case. So, we know he is a popular and prepared choice. Taking a look at the other odds, there are some things we would change. While Adele did an amazing job with Skyfall, and would certainly not disappoint given another chance, it’s too soon to reprise her role; we would give her longer odds — think more 11/1 than 4/1.

Conversely, we would give Kendrick Lamar much shorter odds; somewhere in the 9/1 seems much more fair than 50/1 for Man Man to turn a new page for 007. However, you’re wondering where to put your money on this wager, and PaddyPower can’t be argued on this one: Ed Sheeran is the safest bet. The song has already been written, after all.