James Bond stalwart Daniel Craig will be making his final appearance as 007 in the upcoming No Time To Die before handing over the position to a new actor. Details about who could be replacing him are being kept tightly under wraps by Bond bosses, but that hasn’t stopped fans from putting their money where their mouths are.
While the leaders of the pack are maintaining their positions, today has sees a new competitor installed by bookies.
According to Coral, Game of Thrones actor Nikolaj Coster-Waldau has been popular with punter of late, prompting them to price him at 10-1 to take over as Bond.
“With Daniel Craig stepping away from the role of Bond after No Time to Die, we’re seeing huge levels of interest in our betting market for who will be the next 007,” the bookies’ spokesperson Harry Aitkenhead said.
“There’s plenty of familiar names near the top of the pile but Game of Thrones star Nikolaj has been just as popular recently and according to our odds is now definitely a leading contender for the role.”
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Coster-Waldau’s price puts him on an even footing with former favourite Tom Hardy.
Hardy’s name has long been bandied around for Bond, but recent months have seen him slip down the list with bookies.
Danish actor Coster-Waldau is best known for his role in Game of Thrones, in which he played Jaime Lannister.
He was one of the main characters in the the HBO fantasy epic from 2011, when it first aired, until last year when it came to a conclusion with season eight.
Jack Lowden is maintaining his position as an unexpected frontrunner, priced at 6-1.
Lower down the list, names like Chris Hemsworth, Jamie Bell, Aidan Turner and Henry Cavill are also in mix.
Bookies don’t appear to think a female Bond is likely after much speculation from different factions of the fandom, with the most likely woman for the job being Emilia Clarke on 33-1.
Craig recently confirmed once and for all that No Time To Die will be his last film in the role, having previously implied Spectre would mark his final appearance.
The first trailer, which was released last month, teased what’s in store for Bond this time around, featuring glimpses of Rami Malek in action as the new villain, Safin.
Bond will begin the new movie retired from active service and living a quiet life in Jamaica, but it’s not long before old pal Felix Leiter (played by Jeffrey Wright) disrupts it all by asking for his help rescuing a kidnapped scientist.
The mission leads Bond on the trail of Safin, who is armed with a dangerous new technology.
James Bond: No Time To Die is released in UK cinemas April 3.