The 25th James Bond movie, which is currently in the middle of a chaotic production, is expected to be Daniel Craig’s last outing as Britain’s trademark secret agent. With the actor’s retirement looming, fans of the series have been placing bets on just who could fill Craig’s iconic Crockett & Jones shoes, floating out every possible name from Henry Cavill to Charlize Theron. Yet now it looks like a fan-favorite Game of Thrones actor is next in line to take his place.
According to Coral, the UK’s prime online bookmakers, the odds that Robb Stark-actor Richard Madden will land the lead role in Bond 26 are currently favored at 2-1. Madden, whose new film Rocketman hits the big screen this weekend, has been mentioned here or there as a possible contender for years now but has often been overlooked for bigger names like Tom Hiddleston or Idris Elba. However, according to a spokesman for the Coral, it seems like the Scotsman’s time has finally come:
“Richard Madden has been very popular to play the next 007 and following a flurry of bets behind the Bodyguard star over the last couple of days, he is now the clear favorite for the role.”
Just last week, Madden was asked at a Rocketman press conference if his involvement in the next 007 film was a “done deal,” but quickly underplayed the idea even though he found it flattering. The actor certainly comes across as equal parts dashing and resilient, and even if his time on Game of Thrones was cut short, he certainly made an impact on fans.
Meanwhile, previously mentioned contenders Tom Hiddleston and Idris Elba are considered the 5-1 odds of replacing Craig in the future, both popular fan picks who may be too busy with their own franchises to jump at the part. Only time will tell, though.
The next James Bond movie is currently untitled but expected to hit theaters on April 8th, 2020. Could you see Richard Madden leading Bond 26, though? Let us know in the comments section below.
