Almost Every Next James Bond Actor Prediction & Favorite Is Probably Wrong (& That’s Good)

Casting a new James Bond actor is increasingly difficult work. When it comes to figuring out the next 007, almost every fan-favorite prediction is probably wrong — but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, the titular British Secret Service agent has appeared in 25 films in the Eon Productions series, making said saga one of the longest continually running film series in history. Starting in 1962 with Dr. No, the James Bond film series proved to be a box office smash. In 2024, it stands as the fifth-highest-grossing film franchise.

Needless to say, there’s a lot weighing on Bond 26 — a film that’s no doubt in the pipeline even though Daniel Craig, the Eon series’ sixth 007 actor, retired from the role with 2021’s No Time to Die. While Craig may be the most recent Bond, Sean Connery originated the on-screen depiction of Fleming’s character. Aside from Craig and Connery, Pierce Brosnan, Timothy Dalton, Roger Moore​​​​​​​, and George Lazenby have all lent their talents to Eon’s films, while David Niven​​​​​​​ starred as an older Bond in the 1967 spy parody Casino Royale.

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Lots Of Next James Bond Actor Favorites Are Too Old (Or Too Busy)

Rumors of Daniel Craig’s exit from the James Bond series began to circulate after his penultimate 007 outing, which isn’t all that surprising given the six-year gap between 2015’s Spectre and No Time to Die. While each iteration of James Bond comes with his own quirks and characteristics, there’s some overlap between the six core Bond performances. A man of few words, Bond enjoys a martini — shaken, not stirred — and has a penchant for fast cars. Over the course of Eon’s series, even Bond’s age has varied considerably from actor to actor.

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Given the approach of Craig’s films, casting a younger Bond is a great way to relaunch the beloved character. Plus, the new Bond will likely need to carry the franchise for about a decade. If that’s the case, several fan-favorite selections wouldn’t quite make the cut. Front-runners range from The Witcher‘s Henry Cavill to Bullet Train‘s Aaron Taylor-Johnson — both of whom are aging out of that decade-long commitment. Other serious contenders, including Richard Madden (Citadel), Jack Lowden (Slow Horses), Barry Keoghan (Saltburn), and Damson Idris (Snowfall), might be too busy to commit to the role.

The Next James Bond Actor Probably Won’t Be A Household Name

With breakout stars like Keoghan and Idris likely to be snatched up by other franchises and projects with massive time commitments, the slow-moving James Bond casting process isn’t doing itself any favors. On the other hand, the actor to star in James Bond 26 probably won’t be a pre-established household name. Casting an incredibly well-known actor isn’t the approach Eon has taken. In fact, Bond has become most of his actors’ definitive roles, so there’s no way Henry Cavill can play Bond. Even lesser-known, breakout stars (like Keoghan) are atypical selections at this juncture.

Who Will Be The Next James Bond? The Best Contenders (That Are Still Plausible)

While no one is out of the running just yet, it seems more likely that the next James Bond actor will be a dark horse candidate. An actor who’s had some eye-catching success in dramatic roles — but who hasn’t become over-exposed in pop culture at large — is a solid bet. Bridgerton‘s Regé-Jean Page, who famously turned down a second-season return to Netflix’s hit series, could strike the right balance between known and up-and-coming. Page isn’t wholly defined by a single role, so his existing credits wouldn’t undercut his ability to play Bond.

An actor like Page, Keoghan or Idris certainly has the appeal to draw audiences, but it’s also possible the actors have blown up a little too much, causing scheduling conflicts. Not to mention, committing to the role means forgoing many other endeavors, so it’s hard to imagine someone like Keoghan being a true James Bond contender. That said, other dark horse candidates for James Bond’s seventh iteration include Leo Woodall, who appeared in HBO’s White Lotus season 2; Sope Dirisu, who starred in Slow Horses season 3; and Emmy-winning I May Destroy You actor Paapa Essiedu.