Next James Bond Odds: Turner Now Favored to Be the Next Bond

From Sean Connery to Daniel Craig, the Broccoli family had been the sole decision-maker regarding who deserved the 007 moniker. That was before Amazon provided a billion reasons for the Brocolis to change their tune. After acquiring MGM studios for $8.5 billion, the tech giant has officially taken control of the most prestigious spy franchise in cinema history.

In their first move, Amazon MGM went against the grain to sign acclaimed Canadian director Denis Villeneuve, signalling a serious reimagining of the beloved franchise. Villeneuve was not a frontrunner for the position, and with him already involved in the Dune franchise, the move also let fans know that a new Bond wasn't going to be the director's main priority in the immediate future.

Now that Dune: Part Three is done filming, reports from multiple publications, including Parade, suggest that Callum Turner (Fantastic Beasts franchise) has officially taken over as Villeneuve's top choice. He now has odds of -160 to take the role, the best anyone has had since Aaron Taylor-Johnson (Nosferatu, Kick-Ass) had the same odds last September.

Both Turner and Anthony Boyle still make the most sense to play Bond, as Villeneuve is rumored to want an unknown British actor to take on the role of Bond. Other favorites, such as Taylor-Johnson and Jacob Elordi (Frankenstein), can hardly be considered unknowns.

One thing is certain: For the first time, it's unclear who will be calling the shots when it comes to picking the next Bond. Villeneuve has his own ideas, but who knows if Amazon MGM will try to take more control over their marquee billion-dollar franchise. Here are the latest odds from FanDuel Canada:

Next James Bond Odds

(Updated February 12 at 4:00 p.m. ET)

Next James Bond Contenders

As one-time Bond Pierce Brosnan said, more people have walked on the moon than have played James Bond (Indeed that is correct, with the score 12-7 to NASA).

Dickinson, Elordi, and Holland were the three names dominating conversations after rumors of a shortlist surfaced, and then perennial Bond favorite Aaron Taylor-Johnson joined the front of the pack. Taylor-Johnson was a heavy favorite (-160) in late September. Anthony Boyle took over as the frontrunner (+300) in late October, but now Callum Turner (-160) is projected to land one of Hollywood's most coveted roles. His odds have improved significantly since he initially became the favorite with odds of +210 in December.

Here's a detailed look at some of the most notable contenders for the iconic role:

Callum Turner (-160)

Until Boyle came along, Turner was the one favorite who made a lot of sense as Bond. While Turner is certainly known in pop culture, after all, he is engaged to Dua Lipa, he's yet to become a Hollywood leading man. 

Turner is best known for playing Theseus Scamander in the Fantastic Beasts series, but the general public wouldn't know him from anything else. He took on the leading role in George Clooney's The Boys in the Boat, which was released in 2023. However, the film was hardly a box office hit, grossing $55.5 million, and the reviews were mixed.

If Amazon MGM truly wants to go away from a big-name actor, then Turner is a great option, because while he's not the reason any of his films have been box office hits, he's still played key roles in films that have crossed $400 million at the box office.

Aaron Taylor-Johnson (+170)

The name most closely linked to Bond over the last two years, Taylor-Johnson has once again emerged as a favorite, after his odds plummeted to +750 in mid-October. His action-heavy resume featuring Bullet Train, Tenet, and Nosferatu is seasoned enough to handle the weight of the Bond franchise, and Taylor-Johnson himself fits the profile perfectly. He is one English candidate that will always be mentioned in Bond casting conversations, and on paper, there’s very little standing in his way.

However, plenty of great English actors have come and gone as favourites for this role, and despite the constant noise and speculation, no rumored agreement has ever surfaced. With any prior approaches and promises now moving beyond Barbara Broccoli’s control, the reality of Taylor-Johnson’s path to Bond has only grown murkier.

There's no doubt that his name is going to be circling the role until someone else is ultimately crowned. While I don't think Taylor-Johnson will be the next Bond, he's the most likely of any big-name actor in this conversation.

Jacob Elordi (+650)

At just 27, Elordi is not only one of the youngest on this list, but also the only Australian being seriously considered, though it's worth mentioning the franchise has gone Down Under before with the casting of George Lazenby. While a talented actor, his casting and body of work typically lean more towards romantic drama roles than anything resembling a spy thriller.

Elordi has built his reputation through roles in Euphoria and Saltburn, and though he pivoted to an auteur-driven project, earning an Oscar nomination for his role in Guillermo Del Toro’s Frankenstein, his next big role is as Heathcliff in Emerald Fennell's Wuthering Heights.

Elordi's current price feels like a massive overreaction to hype surrounding him for other projects. +650 may seem enticing, but I wouldn't take a chance on Elordi unless the price was greater than +1000. And after the theatrical run of Wuthering Heights and the Oscar race for Frankenstein, that's exactly where I expect his odds to drop.

Anthony Boyle (+900)

If you've never heard of Boyle, you're not alone. He's probably best known for his supporting roles in Tolkien and Tetris, though fans of the Apple TV+ mini-series Masters of Air may recognize him for his starring role alongside Turner. 

Boyle wasn't getting much consideration for the role of Bond until early October. He briefly became the favorite, but he has now dropped behind Turner, Taylor-Johnson, and Elordi. There are a few things that make Boyle's chances seem realistic. One, he's a relative unknown, which is what Villeneuve says he wants. Two, this means that when publications are running articles claiming he's the favorite to be the next Bond, they know they're not going to get clicks due to name recognition.

Boyle's rise feels authentic. And with everything we know about what Villeneuve and Amazon MGM want for this role, Boyle feels like a perfect fit. If you're going to wager on Boyle, now is the perfect time. Everyone is taking the latest news around Turner as fact, which means Boyle's odds are the most valuable they've been in months.

Harris Dickinson (+1000)

Still only 29, Dickinson is a relative newcomer riding high off the buzz of his lead performance in Babygirl.

Despite earning critical acclaim across several recent projects, the tall Englishman lacks the resume the studio may be looking for in choosing their franchise anchor. His earlier price was inflated by his inclusion on the rumoured shortlist, but with the market now adjusting, he's drifted to a more reasonable number that better reflects his current profile.

Dickinson is a talented actor who is appreciated within the niche of film circles, but the Bond brand demands more than acting potential. With a role in Sam Mendes’ four Beatles films now on his plate, Dickinson could complicate his availability if Amazon wants to break ground on this long-term franchise right away.

Tom Holland (+2500)

Tom Holland is possibly the biggest British superstar to be considered. Aside from often being seen as too baby-faced to convincingly carry a license to kill, Holland is also one of Hollywood’s busiest actors, with Nolan’s Odyssey and new Spider-Man and Avengers entries still in the pipeline.

From a business perspective, Amazon MGM may hesitate from casting an actor so closely associated with Disney properties to be the face of their studio. Having established himself as a global icon, committing a near decade to film Bond seems counterintuitive to his career trajectory. While his inclusion on the rumored shortlist suggested industry curiosity, his +2500 odds reflect his unlikely prospects of juggling both the roles of James Bond and Peter Parker.

Aaron Pierre (+2700)

As is the trend with much of this market, Aaron Pierre is a British actor whose career is peaking at precisely the right moment. The 31-year-old has been a fancast favorite in Bond circles for years, often championed as the ideal choice if the franchise chooses to introduce its first Black James Bond story. Pierre has excelled in dramatic roles like Rebel Ridge and was handpicked to lead as Mufasa in last year’s revival, but he is still waiting for his big blockbuster moment.

Considering he wasn’t included in the rumored shortlist floating around, Pierre’s early +750 price tag was likely fueled by fan enthusiasm rather than insider momentum. However, his odds have declined in recent months.

Josh O’Connor (+3300)

Considered a rising favorite earlier in the year, O’Connor quietly slid into dark horse territory. Much of the steam that made him a favorite earlier this year came from a confident insider prediction, but the market rallied behind it. At the time, there was a real belief that O’Connor had the right mix of talent and charm to land the role, and O’Connor saw his chances peak as high as 55%. While that momentum has since faded and his price has adjusted, the 35-year-old has built a strong, versatile career in the independent film scene, and at this price, there’s no pressure in taking a longshot on a proven British talent. His work and critical acclaim have kept him in the spotlight, but perhaps not in the flashy way Amazon may require from its lead.