Regé-Jean Page Emerges as New Favorite to Be Next James Bond in Updated Odds

• As COVID-19 pushed back everything in film, agents continue the deliberations choosing the next James Bond
• Hollywood’s top stars and fans alike have been on the edge of their seats for years waiting to see who is cast as 007
• See below for updated odds including newcomer Regé-Jean Page as well as best bets

Although it’s now a bit of a broken record, let’s talk about the elephant in the room, shall we? You guessed it. The next James Bond still has not been chosen. It’s been roughly five years of this casting search now, and surprisingly enough Regé-Jean Page has emerged as the new favorite.

Early frontrunner Idris Elba continues to be in the running. But in the half-decade that’s passed since these discussions were first speculated upon, new stars have risen to fame. This not only makes the casting debate more curious but also adds interest.

Meanwhile, Daniel Craig’s final Bond film No Time To Die has now been pushed for the sixth time (Twice due to production issues and four times due to COVID-19). The film is now set for an October 2021 release, nearly two years later than originally scheduled. This gives the big wigs at MGM and Eon Productions a bit more time to figure out who will don the black bow tie next.

Odds for Who Will Be Cast as Next James Bond

Odds as of March. 2nd

A Dashing Newcomer

Following his charming hosting appearance on Saturday Night Live on February 20, British-Zimbabwean actor Regé-Jean Page seems to have gathered wide-sweeping attention.

Naturally, it wasn’t just SNL that put Page into the hearts and minds of fans and agents. As the Duke of Hastings–the lead star of Netflix’s soapy drama Bridgerton– he’s since been popping up everywhere for months. Thanks to the steamy scenes and those impressive cheekbones, Page quickly became the subject of many a swoony social media post since the show debuted on December 25, 2020.

From The Duke to 007?

While the 31-year-old Regé-Jean Page may be a surprising (or in some cases, unknown) name at the top of the odds list, it actually makes complete sense. He’s British, he’s charming, and he’s handsome. One look at him in a black tux on a red carpet, and it’s far too easy to imagine him as Bond.

Back in January, Vanity Fair published a story titled “Bridgerton’s Regé-Jean Page Has Entered the ‘Bond Rumor’ Phase of Stardom” stating “You can see this for him, can’t you? As the Duke of Hastings, Page has proven he can do the handsome, mysterious rake-about-town thing. He can wear fancy clothes and sip fancy drinks. He’s also resourceful, turning everyday objects into weapons of sudden, extreme interest.”

Alright. So Page’s case for becoming the next James Bond is really strong. But that doesn’t necessarily mean he has it in the bag. There are another two dozen stars with odds. So what about everyone else in the running?

Other Next James Bond Candidates

You can not talk about this casting without looking at Idris Elba. Elba was the leading name in this discussion since the beginning. Now, his odds have dipped down to +800, a fifth-place that is well behind Page’s +300.

And then there are the more ‘traditional’ casting choices. The other elephant in the room? Bond has always been cast by a white man. That alone contributed to the appeal in Idris Elba years ago and is part of why Page now looks so appealing as bond.

Could ‘Bridgerton’ star Regé-Jean Page play the next James Bond? https://t.co/l8Zzrphagn

— Variety (@Variety) January 7, 2021

And while equitable race conversations continue to be important across all industries, Hollywood may backpedal on this one. If so, James Norton or Tom Hardy (both at +400) would be decent bets, as would Henry Cavill at +800. But it’s looking more and more like this may be a chance for the studios to lean into inclusion and diversity at long last.

Of all the stars in the long-shot range, there really isn’t much value in betting. Many of these names have either aged out of playing Bond (Brad Pitt), are too young (Taran Egerton), too pretty (Chris Hemsworth), or too edgy (Cillian Murphy).

Looking at all the names is overwhelming. There are a lot of stars in line for this role. But how ironic that the leading star in the group is someone just coming to prominence in the past several months. Some stars have vyed for this role for decades. But the best man needs to get the job. And that said, Regé-Jean Page, is going to make one hell of a Bond.

Pick: Regé-Jean Page (+300)