Who will be the next James Bond? 10 men – and 1 woman – in the running after Daniel Craig, from Robert Pattinson, Harry Styles and Henry Cavill, to Tom Hardy, Idris Elba and even Lashana Lynch

Jul 20 , 2022

Could Idris Elba, Henry Cavill, Tom Hardy or Harry Styles replace Daniel Craig as James Bond? The film’s producers remain tight lipped. Photos: @idriselbaworld, @henrycavilll, @danielcraigofflcial_, @tom.hardy.legacy,
@harrystyles/Instagram — Could Idris Elba, Henry Cavill, Tom Hardy or Harry Styles replace Daniel Craig as James Bond? The film’s producers remain tight lipped. Photos: @idriselbaworld, @henrycavilll, @danielcraigofflcial_, @tom.hardy.legacy, @harrystyles/Instagram

After Daniel Craig bowed out in No Time to Die, The Batman’s Robert Pattinson, Crazy Rich Asians’ Henry Golding and Bodyguard’s Richard Madden have all been discussed

One Direction’s Harry Styles, Superman himself Henry Cavill and Top Gun: Maverick’s Miles Teller have all expressed interest in auditioning for the role, if it were offered

When Daniel Craig was cast to fill James Bond’s stylish shoes in 2005, the criticism came thick and fast. Dubbed “blonde Bond” and “James Bland” by the British tabloids, everything from his teeth to his propensity for heat rash and alleged fear of action scenes came under fire. In short, a then 38-year-old Craig was put under huge pressure to live up to his predecessors, who ranged from Sean Connery to Pierce Brosnan – all of them famous for setting higher standards of 007 suavity than the one who had gone before.

Pierce Brosnan as James Bond in Goldeneye in 1995. Photo: 007/Twitter

Back then, no one could have foreseen the fact that Craig would go on to be Bond for 15 years and, despite a couple of less well-received instalments, he is widely regarded as one of the best.

Daniel Craig was initially panned as Barbara Broccoli’s choice to replace Pierce Brosnan, but proved his critics wrong. Photo: MGM/Universal

But all good things must come to an end, and after a bittersweet finale in 2021’s No Time to Die, Craig, now 54, has finally bid farewell to his role. Unsurprisingly, Craig’s swansong performed well for the franchise, grossing almost US$750 million at the box office despite delays caused by Covid-19.

Acting greats including Roger Moore have played James Bond over the years, and many fans have their own favourite. Photo: @tiernysimon/Twitter

So, tears aside, who’s next? According to producer Barbara Broccoli, the decision-making process is still in its early stages. Speaking to Deadline at the end of June, she said it would be “at least two years” before filming began because “it’s a reinvention of Bond”, adding that they didn’t even have a script for the next film yet.

Back in April on opening night of Broadway’s Macbeth – which she’s involved in with Craig – she had also hinted that the casting process would be a slow one: “It’s a big decision. It’s not just casting a role. It’s about a whole rethink about where we’re going.”

James Bond (Daniel Craig) and Paloma (Ana de Armas) in a scene from No Time to Die, which grossed almost US$750 million at the box office. Photo: LLC and MGM

Nevertheless, fans have been quick to speculate about who could be in the running for the famous character. We take a look at the stars believed to be eyeing the role of Mr (or Ms) Bond – and the ones the public most want to see. But will Broccoli and her team listen?