Next James Bond odds – BBC star now level with Henry Cavill in race for new 007

Over the last 60 years, there have been six official actors to play James Bond.

Now as Daniel Craig has been the latest to bow out of the franchise, EON Productions will be on the lookout for their next 007.

Producer Barbara Broccoli has made it clear that the character will also be a man as Ian Fleming intended, but she’s open to considering actors of any ethnicity.

Meanwhile, in the bookies’ odds (which should be taken with a pinch of salt) Aaron Taylor-Johnson remains their frontrunner on 6/4.

He shot to the top after unconfirmed rumours that he’d impressed at a secret audition.

Meanwhile, just behind Taylor-Johnson on 11/4 is Casino Royale’s runner-up to Craig, Henry Cavill.

And now he’s sharing second place in the running with BBC’s Happy Valley star James Norton, who currently has the same odds as the outgoing Superman.

William Hill spokesperson, Lee Phelps, said: “There seems to have been another dramatic twist in our search for the next Bond, with Happy Valley star James Norton the new name on everyone’s lips.”

Norton began at 7/2 on Monday before seeing his odds shortened to 11/4 by Friday.

Behind the top three are Paapa Essiedu on 7/2, Regé-Jean Page on 4/1, Tom Hardy on 6/1 and Richard Madden on 8/1.

An announcement of who the next James Bond is could be within weeks or as far away as over a year from now. In the meantime, fans will just have to be patient.