11-2 Cavill makes his move as William Hill’s ‘Next Bond’ market hots up.
Bookmaker William Hill today re-adjusted the odds in its Next James Bond market, with a whole host of stars aiming to slip into the famous tuxedo next. The cinema run of No Time To Die, the latest instalment of the super-spy franchise, may now be coming to an end, but the race to become the next James Bond is really hotting up.
Over the years we’ve seen a total of 12 actors, and 27 movies in 59 years, so far, with the most recent incumbent Daniel Craig having played the role for a bumper 15 years. One man arguably making the biggest waves in the betting right now is Man of Steel actor Henry Cavill, who was among a group of frontrunners who lost out to Craig back in 2005.
The Jersey-born 38-year-old, now around the age Craig was when he assumed the role, has gone on to enjoy a remarkable acting career, starring in Showtime’s The Tudors, Superman, and Netflix fantasy series The Witcher, as well as playing Sherlock Holmes in Enola Holmes (2020).
Being a Bond audition Alumni with odds of 11-2 sees him firmly ensconced in the top five candidates of a casting process that remains a closely guarded secret.
Venom: Let There Be Carnage star Tom Hardy is William Hill’s 7-2 favourite, after rallying back to the head of the 007 pack, with The Umbrella Academy and Game of Thrones star Tom Hopper, once a 100-1 outsider, now 4-1 second favourite.
Bridgerton alum and future face of The Saint Rege-Jean Page is 9-2, while Happy Valley and Grantchester star James Norton is 5-1, and in a process that producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson admit is ‘wide open’.
Next on the list of blockbuster contenders is Cavill, before Luther star Idris Elba, who has also been touted as a potential villain, and Game of Thrones actor Richard Madden, both 6-1, are the last of those in single figures.
“You get the feeling that preliminary discussions are already taking place, with a number of contenders making coy guest appearances, or giving cute promotional interviews. Wouldn’t it be fascinating to see whether the six of seven that our punters have backed in are, indeed, on Barbara Broccoli’s and Michael G. Wilson’s list.
“Henry Cavill is an interesting one, having been through the casting process before. Last time there might not have been enough on his CV, and this time round there might be too many pages. He does seem a very solid fit and is attracting persistent interest in the market.” – William Hill spokesperson Rupert Adams
