Even before No Time To Die was announced as Daniel Craig’s fifth and final James Bond movie, Tom Hardy has been and continues to be a bookies’ favourite. The Venom and Mad Max star celebrates his 45th birthday today and while some fans may think he’s too old or even too famous to play 007 now, he still has decent odds.
Hardy’s best odds of playing James Bond next are currently at 5-1, although he has been odds-on in the past. Ahead of him on around 4-1 is Idris Elba, who turned 50 this year. Although the star has said in recent weeks that it’s “not a goal for my career”.
Further in front on 3-1 is break-out Bridgerton lead Regé-Jean Page. The 34-year-old is a rising Hollywood star having recently featured in The Gray Man with Chris Evans and Ryan Gosling.
He’s also set to act in Dungeons and Dragons with Chris Pine and will star in a reboot of The Saint, a role Roger Moore portrayed before being cast as Bond.
Cavill played a CIA agent in The Man From U.N.C.L.E., a spy villain in Mission: Impossible – Fallout and now another spook in the upcoming Argylle.
Considering this and the fact that he’s 40 next year might put off the Bond producers who presumably want someone younger so they can get a few films out of them.
The 60th anniversary of the 007 movie franchise is on October 5, so perhaps some sort of announcement will arrive with all the celebrations.