After Daniel Craig thrust back into action for the last time as the superspy James Bond, the question, which has been on the lips of fans, is who the next martini-sipping agent will be. The appeal of the super agent has been consistent throughout his five-movie run, and last year, Craig joined the ranks of former Bonds, along with one-time Agents 007 like Sean Connery, Roger Moore, George Lazenby, Pierce Brosnan, and Timothy Dalton.
Daniel Craig will be a tough act to follow, which is to say that the casting decision will not be at the least easy. The search for the next James Bond is expected to continue to be a touchy subject for fans, especially considering the backlash against Craig’s appearance in a role, which in the past was only played by brunettes. Fans insist that the next James Bond should not only be good looking but instantly recognizable as well.
Back in 2021, Daniel Craig took his final bow as Agent 007, and who the next man in a black tux would be is the question fans, bookmakers, and punters are busy with. There has been a flurry of speculation about the actor who will play the British spy after Daniel Craig confirmed that he will bow out of the series, and bookmakers hastened to offer odds for the actor who will succeed him in the next instalment.
A History of the James Bond Movies
Although many argue that Sean Connery was the first actor to play the role of the British spy, diehard fans know that back in 1954, Barry Nelson starred as the first Bond in a TV adaptation of Casino Royale. No matter when the 007 series was born, its success continues up to today, thus making it the third highest-grossing franchise after Star Wars and Marvel.
Another curious fact is that Bond was also taken to the radio back in 1958 when Barry Nelson provided the voice of the notorious spy during a play of the novel Moonraker.
Up to this date, there are six actors who have played the leading role in the spy series, and Roger Moore and Sean Connery have portrayed James Bond the most as they have played 007 seven times. Yet, some consider that they do not tie because Sir Sean Connery has played the role of the spy in six Eon-produced movies and one unofficial Bond movie.
The actor who has appeared the least times as James Bond is George Lazenby, who played the role of the British spy just once in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, which was introduced in 1969. Additionally, he is the least deadly of all Agents 007, which can be justified with his limited appearances.
It is interesting to point out that the villains James Bond takes on throughout the years have evolved to fit the current situation. When Sean Connery took the role of Agent 007, his mission was to fight Cold War enemies. Moore’s job was to deal with an industrialist who planned to annihilate Silicon Valley. When Timothy Dalton appeared as James Bond, his duty was to stand up to drug traders. Pierce Brosnan had to go head to head against a media mogul, and it is interesting to point out that he is the deadliest of all Agents 007. Daniel Craig had to match himself against an environmentalist.
Daniel Craig first appeared with the proverbial Aston Martin DB5 was back in 2006, when he played in Casino Royale. He also starred in Quantum Solace, which was introduced in 2008, Skyfall in 2012, and Spectre 2015.
The level of success of the spy series invariably creates lots of pressure as every film, which is introduced during the past 60 years is compared to the rest of the movies in the Bond series. This goes to explain why the next James Bond is so heavily in the spotlight.
A Timeline of the James Bond Movies
Sean Connery
- Dr No (1962)
- From Russia With Love (1963)
- Goldfinger (1964)
- Thunderball (1965)
- You Only Live Twice (1967)
- Diamonds Are Forever (1971)
- Never Say Never Again (1983)
David Niven
- Casino Royale (‘unofficial’ spoof, 1967)
George Lazenby
- On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969)
Roger Moore
- Live and Let Die (1973)
- The Man with the Golden Gun (1974)
- The Spy Who Loved Me (1977)
- Moonraker (1979)
- For Your Eyes Only (1981)
- Octopussy (1983)
- A View to a Kill (1985)
Timothy Dalton
- The Living Daylights (1987)
- Licence to Kill (1989)
Pierce Brosnan
- GoldenEye (1995)
- Tomorrow Never Dies (1997)
- The World Is Not Enough (1999)
- Die Another Day (2002)
Daniel Craig
- Casino Royale (2006)
- Quantum of Solace (2008)
- Skyfall (2012)
- Spectre (2015)
- No Time To Die (2021)
Daniel Craig’s Tenure as James Bond
Daniel Craig became the actor who has served as James Bond for the longest, and after his appearance in No Time to Die, he has spent a total of 4,729 days in the role, thus beating Roger Moore’s tenure, which lasted for 4,348 days.
Interestingly, the first four instalments in which Daniel Craig appeared turned into the top-grossing films about the widely known superspy. No Time to Die is the 27th in the spy series and the fifth one in which Craig is starring.
Back in 2021, Daniel Craig’s incumbency as James Bond was terminated, and since that time, speculation around his would-be successor continues to mount. In 2020, the producer Barbara Broccoli asserted that once Daniel Craig’s tenure comes to an end, his place can only be by a British.
The last scene in which Daniel Craig runs down an alley and disappears was highly emotional for fans and was largely seen as a metaphor for the leaving of both the actor and his character from his five-movie run.
If we return to the time when Casino Royale was introduced in 2006, some argued that it had a lot in common with the then-fledgling Bourne franchise. Perhaps, this was mainly to be ascribed to the turn-of-the-century transformation heroes, James Bond included, needed to undergo in order to stay relevant. In order to continue turning heads, the Agent was brought back to the characteristics he has in the very first instalments.
Unlike the James Bond movies that are introduced prior to Craig’s starring, Quantum of Solace, which came as an almost immediate follow-up of Casino Royale, did not take a clean slate and continued the story of the film in which Craig saw his first appearance. What also proved to be a great choice for the appeal of the spy series is the involvement of the producer Sam Mendes, who managed to bring the franchise to unseen heights.
Discover how #NoTimeToDie was known around the globe.
#WorldLanguageDay pic.twitter.com/p0OYb7KLKO— James Bond (@007) February 21, 2022
It is Craig’s third Bond run, which turned into the highest-grossing film in the franchise as it raked $1.1 billion at the box office, thus showing that his appearances undoubtedly stick the handling. That being said, No Time to Die broke the international box office for a film after the outbreak of the Covid pandemic, raking $119 million across 54 territories. Interestingly, it is the longest of all Bond films, and in just four days after its release date, No Time to Die grossed around £26 million in the UK and Ireland alone.
Prior to the introduction of No Time to Die, Specter and Skyfall were the most successful launches in the spy series. Interestingly, No Time to Die became the UK’s widest theatrical release as it was screened in more than 770 cinemas across the country.
Multiple names have already been put forward, and what comes next for the franchise is the question many are asking, which undoubtedly puts lots of pressure on producers.
James Bond Movies Ranking at the Box Office
There is no denying that some of the most memorable lines in cinematic history are “Bond, James Bond”. The spy series ranks among the most profitable filmdom, and figures show that after the franchise toasted its 60th anniversary, the worldwide box office revenues the Bond movies have accumulated have almost reached $8 billion.
The spy series has enjoyed tremendous success since it was born, but it makes sense that not all James Bond movies did equally well at the box office.
Domestic Revenue
| James Bond Movie | Domestic Box Office | Opening Weekend |
|---|---|---|
| Dr. No (May 8, 1963 US and 5 October 1962 UK) | $16,067,035 | N/A |
| From Russia with Love (27 May 1964 in the US and October 10, 1963 in the UK) | $24,800,000 | N/A |
| Goldfinger (Dec 22, 1964 in the US and September 17, 1964 in the UK) | $51,100,000 | N/A |
| Thunderball (Dec 29, 1965 in the UK) | $63,600,000 | N/A |
| Casino Royale (Apr 28, 1967 in the US and 13 April 1967 in the UK) | $22,744,718 | N/A |
| You Only Live Twice (Jun 13, 1967 in the US and 12 June 1967 in the UK) | $43,100,000 | N/A |
| On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (Dec 18, 1969) | $22,800,000 | N/A |
| Diamonds Are Forever (Dec 17, 1971 in the US and 30 December 1971 in the UK) | $43,800,000 | N/A |
| Live and Let Die (Jun 27, 1973 in the US and Jul 12, 1973 in the UK) | $35,400,000 | N/A |
| The Man with the Golden Gun (Dec 19, 1974 in the UK) | $21,000,000 | N/A |
| The Spy Who Loved Me (Jul 13, 1977 in the US and 7 July 1977 in the UK) | $46,800,000 | $1,347,927 |
| Moonraker (Jun 29, 1979 in the US and Jun 26, 1979 in the UK) | $70,300,000 | $7,108,344 |
| For Your Eyes Only (Jun 26, 1981 in the US and Jun 24, 1981 in the UK) | $54,800,000 | $6,834,967 |
| Octopussy (Jun 10, 1983 in the US and Jun 6, 1983 in the UK) | $67,900,000 | $8,902,564 |
| Never Say Never Again (Oct 7, 1983 in the US and Dec 15, 1983 in the UK) | $55,500,000 | $10,958,157 |
| A View to a Kill (May 22, 1985 in the US and Jun 12, 1985 in the UK) | $50,327,960 | $13,294,435 |
| The Living Daylights (Jul 31, 1987 in the US and 29 June 1987 in the UK) | $51,185,000 | $11,051,284 |
| Licence to Kill (Jul 14, 1989 in the US and Jun 13, 1980 in the UK) | $34,667,015 | $8,774,776 |
| GoldenEye (Nov 17, 1995 in the US and Nov 24, 1995 in the UK) | $106,429,941 | $26,205,007 |
| Tomorrow Never Dies (Dec 19, 1997 in the US and Dec 12, 1997 in the UK) | $125,304,276 | $25,143,007 |
| The World Is Not Enough (Nov 19, 1999 in the US and Nov 26, 1999 in the UK) | $126,930,660 | $35,519,007 |
| Die Another Day (Nov 22, 2002 in the US and Nov 20,2002 in the UK) | $160,942,139 | $47,072,040 |
| Casino Royale (Nov 17, 2006 in the US and Nov 16, 2006 in the UK) | $167,365,000 | $40,833,156 |
| Quantum of Solace (Nov 14, 2008 in the UK and Oct 31, 2008 in the UK) | $169,368,427 | $67,528,882 |
| Skyfall (Nov 9, 2012 in the US and Oct 26, 2012 in the UK) | $304,360,277 | $88,364,714 |
| Spectre (Nov 6, 2015 in the US and Oct 26, 2015 in the UK) | $200,074,175 | $70,403,148 |
| No Time to Die (Oct 8, 2021 in the US and Sept 30, 2021 in the UK) | $160,891,007 | $55,225,007 |
Global Revenue
| James Bond Movie | Worldwide Box Office |
|---|---|
| Dr. No | $59,567,035 |
| From Russia with Love | $78,900,000 |
| Goldfinger | $124,900,000 |
| Thunderball | $141,200,000 |
| Casino Royale | $41,744,718 |
| You Only Live Twice | $111,600,000 |
| On Her Majesty’s Secret Service | $82,000,000 |
| Diamonds Are Forever | $115,999,985 |
| Live and Let Die | $161,800,000 |
| The Man with the Golden Gun | $97,600,000 |
| The Spy Who Loved Me | $185,400,000 |
| Moonraker | $210,300,000 |
| For Your Eyes Only | $195,300,000 |
| Octopussy | $187,500,000 |
| Never Say Never Again | $160,000,000 |
| A View to a Kill | $152,627,960 |
| The Living Daylights | $191,200,000 |
| Licence to Kill | $156,167,015 |
| GoldenEye | $356,429,941 |
| Tomorrow Never Dies | $339,504,276 |
| The World Is Not Enough | $361,730,660 |
| Die Another Day | $431,942,139 |
| Casino Royale | $594,420,283 |
| Quantum of Solace | $591,692,078 |
| Skyfall | $1,110,526,981 |
| Spectre | $879,500,760 |
| No Time to Die | $767,215,195 |
Production Costs of the James Bond Movies
While measuring the production costs of the James Bond movies that were introduced between 1977 and 2018, it becomes evident that there is a significant increase in the costs of the instalments produced after 1990.
So far, Skyfall is the most expensive of all James Bond movies as it cost $300 million to make. Casino Royale is the second most expansive Agent 007 movie as its production costs were $230 million. It is followed by Spectre, the production costs of which reached $200 million. Die Another Day, which was introduced back in 2002, cost $142 to produce, and it is followed by The World Is Not Enough, the production costs for which were $135 million.
The production costs for Tomorrow Never Dies reached $110 million, while Casino Royale, in which Daniel Craig made his debut, was worth $102 million. With production costs of $60 million, GoldenEye comes next in a row. License to Kill and The Living Daylights were worth $42 million and $40 million, respectively. The 1983 James Bond movie Never Say Never Again cost $36 million to produce, and it is followed by A View to a Kill, the costs for which were $30 million. Moonraker cost just $1 million more than A View to Kill.
Naturally, the first screened James Bond movie, The Spy Who Loved Me, is the least expensive from the series, and its production costs were just $14 million. For Your Eyes Only and Octopussy come closest to the first James Bond movie, with costs of $28 million and $27,5 million, respectively.
When No Time to Die is concerned, its budget was said to be $250 million. Yet, the postponement of the premiere by more than 16 months, as well as the promotion costs, make many people doubt that Daniel Craig’s last James Bond film has broken even.
Most Popular Contenders To Succeed Daniel Craig as Agent 007
With Daniel Craig’s departure, there are a number of actors who have been touted as his successors, and rumours have already gone into the override. Fans already started speculating about the actors who could replace Daniel Craig and who will dress the tuxedo and start fighting against villains. These are some of the would-be successors bookmakers offer odds for.
.@NetflixUK's new leading man is the latest edition to the Bond conversation. The #Bridgerton star has captured the hearts of the internet but is it enough for the role? Well, who could really say no to the Duke? https://t.co/ZEzPA2G0b6 pic.twitter.com/qVWrx9ijes
— British Vogue (@BritishVogue) March 2, 2021
Tom Hardy
Known for his solid onscreen presence, Tom Hardy is among the actors who might become the next Agent 007. His acting skills and solid physic make him a perfect fit for the role of one of the most popular superspies. The British actor has done a variety of roles, but he is best known for his appearances in Inception, The Dark Knight Rises, Locke, Venom, and Mad Max: Fury Road.
He has already played the role of a villain multiple times, but his charm promises that if he takes the role of the spy, he will perform his duties well. Prior to the premiere of the last instalment from the franchise, Tom Hardy was bookie’s favourite to succeed Daniel Craig.
Regé-Jean Page
According to bookies, Regé-Jean Page also lists among the actors that can become the next James Bond. His breakout performance as Bridgerton’s dashing Duke of Hastings brought him award nominations and captivated the audiences. Although the show shot Page to fame, he left the drama after the end of its first season.
Although he neither rejects nor confirms the rumours that he might become the next James Bond, bookmakers have already added his name to the list of the would-be successors of Daniel Craig. Some bookmakers even think that he might go toe-to-toe with other top contenders.
Lashana Lynch
The name of Lashana Lynch also appears frequently across the betting sites that offer odds for the next James Bond. Today, fans wonder whether the next Agent 007 can be a woman or male characters will continue playing this role, all the more so after Lynch took on the 007 code name while Daniel Craig was in exile. Lynch’s cast comes at a time when fans insist on a more diverse casting for the next James Bond movie.
She has earned acclaim for her appearance in No Time Die, which is the reason why many fans and punters think that she is poised to take the role of the superspy. That being said, producers declared that Agent 007 would remain a male character, but only time will tell if this will happen.
Idris Elba
Idris Elba is among the top contenders to become the next James Bond, and as it seems, he is the favourite of most fans of the spy series. He is one of the most talked-about successors of the bowed-out Daniel Craig, and undoubtedly has the chops for this demanding role. His charisma and physicality guarantee that if he puts on the tuxedo, he will be a great replacement for Craig in the next instalments of the franchise. Interestingly, Idris Elba was brought up as the actor who will take the place of Pierce Brosnan, and such rumours came out even after Daniel Craig was officially announced as James Bond.
In fact, information that Idris Elba might succeed Daniel Craig first appeared back in 2014, when the then co-chair of Sony Pictures Entertainment, Amy Pascal, name-checked him as her suggestion for the role of the super spy. Such rumours have floated around since that time, and punters are already placing bets on him.
Dwayne Johnson
Dwayne Johnson is yet another actor who has declared his willingness to become the next James Bond after Daniel Craig’s 15-year tenure as the superspy. Interestingly, Johnson’s grandfather has appeared as a Bond villain in the fifth movie You Only Live Twice, but Johnson explained that he does not want to play the same role as his grandfather. Still, at this point, no bookmaker has added his name to the list of the contenders for the James Bond role.
James Norton
As the search for the next Agent 007 is heating up, the name of James Norton appears among the front-runners for the role. He stars in the McMafia and War and Peace and has also appeared in Happy Valley, which brought him a nomination for a Bafta award.
While commenting whether he will take over the role of the next James Bond, Norton said this would mean that he needs to give up on other roles. Additionally, he said that the speculation over the next James Bond is inevitable, and the fact that he is among the contenders is flattering but is just a rumour.
Henry Cavill
Another actor who is in contention for the role of the superspy is Henry Cavill. He has already proved that he owns the acting prowess, which is needed to take the role of James Bond as Cavill has starred in Superman, Mission: Impossible – Fallout, The Man From U.N.C.L.E, and The Witcher.
It is interesting to point out that Henry Cavill was already among the actors who were expected to master their secret-agent skills in Casino Royale, but he ultimately lost to Daniel Craig. Bookmakers think that he might have a second chance, and he seems determined to jump at this opportunity if such appears.
Jamie Dornan
Jamie Dorman found himself among the most recent favourites to replace Daniel Craig. Many consider that the former Calvin Klein model is poised to appear as a superspy because he is already well used to wearing well-cut suits and has shown his affinity for women in Fifty Shades of Grey.
Odds have been slashed on him succeeding Daniel Craig after his praise-worthy appearance in The Tourist. Belfast is another movie in which he shows his acting skills, and because of his appearance there, he was tipped for an Oscar nomination. These all go to show that he should not be counted out of the race, especially considering the odds bookies provide.
Richard Madden
The Scottish actor Richard Madden is also tipped to be the next James Bond. The star from Game of Thrones is also expected to be in the running, and his appearance in Bodyguard proves that he already knows his way around guns and tuxedos perfectly fit him, skills he will need if he is ultimately chosen to play the superspy.
Today, he is among the would-be Daniel Craig’s successors that get the biggest betting action. Yet, back in 2018, Madden played down the rumours that he could become the next superspy, but this was far away in the past.
Jamie Bell
Jamie Bell is one more contender who is earmarked for James Bond. He is a newcomer to the roster of actors who might become the next Agent 007. In fact, rumours that he should become the next James Bond first appeared in 2017 after Bell’s appearance in Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool. If he takes over Daniel Craig, Jamie Bell will become one of the youngest actors who have played the role of Agent 007.
Fans have been rooting for Jamie Bell, and if he becomes the next James Bond, this will undoubtedly be quite the career shift for him. The race for the next international superspy will undoubtedly be intense, and at this point, Bell is among the favourites to be inducted into Agent 007’s legacy.
Betting Odds on the Next James
| William Hill | Paddy Power | Ladbrokes | Sky Bet | Betfred | Betfair | Betway | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rege-Jean Page | 2.75 | 2.25 | 3.75 | 4.33 | 4.00 | 2.25 | 3.25 |
| Tom Hardy | 5.00 | 6.00 | 5.00 | 6.50 | 4.50 | 6.00 | 4.50 |
| Idris Elba | 5.50 | 6.00 | 7.00 | 7.00 | 7.00 | 6.00 | 6.00 |
| James Norton | 5.50 | 7.00 | 9.00 | 5.00 | 7.00 | 7.00 | 7.00 |
| Lashana Lynch | 8.00 | 13.00 | 13.00 | 26.00 | 13.00 | 13.00 | 21.00 |
| Henry Cavill | 9.00 | 4.00 | 4.00 | 10.00 | 7.50 | 4.00 | 7.00 |
| Richard Madden | 9.00 | 9.00 | 11.00 | 12.00 | 8.00 | 9.00 | 8.00 |
| Jamie Dornan | 11.00 | 13.00 | 9.00 | 17.00 | 13.00 | 13.00 | 17.00 |
| Tom Hopper | 11.00 | 11.00 | 17.00 | 21.00 | N/A | 11.00 | 12.00 |
| Douglas Booth | 11.00 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Jamie Bell | 15.00 | 19.00 | 21.00 | 23.00 | 17.00 | 19.00 | 13.00 |
| Tom Holland | 15.00 | 81.00 | 34.00 | 67.00 | N/A | 81.00 | 41.00 |
| Sam Heughan | 17.00 | 13.00 | 15.00 | 21.00 | 17.00 | 13.00 | 15.00 |
| Chiwetel Ejiofor | 21.00 | N/A | N/A | 81.00 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Tom Hiddleston | 21.00 | 26.00 | 26.00 | 41.00 | 21.00 | 26.00 | 21.00 |
*Odds may vary from the date of writing
**This information is provided for informative purposes only and does not promote gambling activities
- Author
Harry Evans
