Updated Next James Bond Odds Reveal Highly Competitive New Contender For 26th 007 Film

James Bond 26 odds for who will next play 007 have been updated, putting a new contender front and center. After Daniel Craig bid farewell to Bond with No Time To Die in 2021, there have been no official updates regarding who will be next to play 007, the iconic British spy created by Ian Fleming. James Bond 26 is confirmed to be on the way and Aaron Taylor-Johnson has long been considered a front-runner for the role, but the casting process for the film continues to be a mystery.




Ladbrokes now reveals new odds for Craig’s 007 replacement in James Bond 26, revealing that Paul Mescal is at a 2/1 to take up the mantle of the British MI6 agent. Taylor-Johnson still leads as the most likely candidate at 1/1 odds, but Mescal is now in second place following the release of Gladiator 2. Check out the full list below, which includes names like Theo James and James Norton:

Next James Bond Odds

Actor

Odds

Aaron Taylor-Johnson

1/1 (50%)

Paul Mescal

2/1 (33.3%)

Theo James

7/2 (22.2%)

James Norton

7/1 (12.5%)

Callum Turner

8/1 (11.1%)

Lucien Laviscount

8/1 (11.1%)

Jack Lowden

9/1 (10%)



What Paul Mescal’s Odds Mean For His James Bond 26 Chances

Gladiator 2 Just Gave Mescal A Big Boost

Image via Paramount Pictures

Mescal had not previously been seen as a major contender for the role of Bond. He’s still relatively early into his movie career and only really appeared in indies prior to his starring role as Lucius in Gladiator 2. Ridley Scott’s sequel is a historical action epic, and Mescal participates in plenty of intense fight sequences throughout its runtime. This display of physicality, in combination with the fact that Gladiator 2 puts him in a leading role in a major blockbuster, is undoubtedly part of why his odds have just increased.

1:39

untitled-design-49-2

Related

Aaron Taylor-Johnson As James Bond Would Break A 55-Year-Old 007 Casting Trend

With the possibility of Aaron Taylor-Johnson set to play James Bond, his casting could end an interesting streak set by the previous actors.


Mescal has yet to comment on these Bond odds or whether he would be open to the role. Taylor-Johnson commented on his 007 chances last year and was especially vague and elusive, neither confirming nor denying that he was in contention or even interested in the role. It’s likely that Mescal’s response would be similar, as those seemingly involved in the casting process or seen as being in contention don’t want to say too much publicly as the process of shaping Bond 26 is underway.

Our Take On Paul Mescal As The Next James Bond

Would He Make A Good 007?

Paul Mescal as Lucius ready to fight baboons in Gladiator II


Gladiator 2 reviews have been generally positive, but Mescal’s Lucius isn’t often cited as a highlight. Though the script arguably lets him down and makes someone like Denzel Washington’s Macrinus a more interesting figure, Mescal doesn’t leap off the screen as a movie star. He’s a wildly talented actor, but being a movie star is something different, and I don’t think he’s been entirely convincing yet in this regard.

That being said, the same could probably be said about Craig before he debuted as 007 in Casino Royale in 2006, and his incarnation of the character was widely loved. It remains to be seen whether Mescal or Taylor-Johnson will actually be cast as the next 007 in James Bond 26, but the odds certainly suggest that the former is now someone to keep an eye on.

Source: Ladbrokes