After picking up the Best Actor award at last night’s Oscars ceremony, Cillian Murphy has now emerged as one of the red hot favourites to play James Bond.
The Irish actor was an outsider in the market at 50/1 ahead of Oppenheimer’s release, but since wowing the Academy his odds have been slashed to 9/1. After Daniel Craig ended his 15-year stint as the world's most famous 'secret' agent, producers have been hunting high and low for that perfect replacement to leave us shaken and stirred.
An announcement is expected in the autumn with a late 2025 cinematic release rumoured. As previously reported, Rocketman star Taron Egerton - who has been linked to the 007 role - recently said he believes sibling bosses Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson have 'already got someone' for the title role.
But in time-honoured fashion, the camp is remaining as tight-lipped as Blofeld himself. William Hill spokesperson Lee Phelps, said: “Sunday night saw Cillian Murphy crowned Best Actor at the 96th Academy Awards and we have subsequently shortened his price to become the next James Bond to 9/1. Murphy is one of the leading actors in the world at the moment and there is no doubt that he will be a strong contender to assume the iconic 007 role.
“He still has a host of brilliant actors ahead of him, though, most notably Aaron Taylor-Johnson who still holds as firm favourite at 13/8, ahead of Henry Cavill (5/2) and Damson Idris (7/2). Elsewhere, star names such as Tom Hardy (5/1) and James Norton (5/1) remain in the running.”
Thirty-three-year-old Aaron is best known for playing the title character in Kick-Ass (2010), while of course everyone knows Henry as Superman. The duo have switched around at the top of the odds over the past year, with both being the outright favourite at some point.
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Fighting his way to the top of the chasing pack is British actor Damson Idris at 7/2. He is perhaps best known for starring in John Singleton's crime drama Snowfall. Damson also played the co-lead in Netflix's 2021 sci-fi action film Outside the Wire.
Just behind him is Tom Hardy, who is renowned for his versatile acting prowess. Hardy's memorable performances in blockbuster hits such as Inception, The Dark Knight Rises, and Mad Max: Fury Road set him up well for a career as 007.
Next up is Happy Valley star James Norton at 5/1. Norton has been a popular figure in British television, with bookies thinking it likely film bosses will see him as a great fit to play the iconic British secret agent.
There's also Regé-Jean Page priced at 11/2. The Bridgerton actor previously admitted to US talk show host Jimmy Fallon that he was pleased about the Bond rumours, calling it a 'merit badge' for British actors. Other stars who've been linked to the role include Idris Elba, Marvel's Captain America himself, Chris Evans, Game of Thrones' Richard Madden, Alien Covenant's Michael Fassbender, and Batman 's Robert Pattinson.
Since its debut in 1962 with Dr No, the 007 franchise has seen seven actors play James Bond, including Sean Connery, David Niven, George Lazenby, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan and Daniel Craig. With a combined gross of over £5.7 billion to date, the Bond franchise is the fifth-highest-grossing film series of all time.