Something happened with the bookies overnight. In the last 48 hours — maybe based on insider intel, maybe not — they’ve catapulted a new actor to the top of their odds for who will play the next 007 in Denis Villeneuve’s upcoming Bond film.
Apparently, Callum Turner is the “red hot” favorite to step into the shoes previously worn by Daniel Craig. He’s now ahead of Jacob Elordi, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Anthony Boyle, Harris Dickinson, Jack Lowden, James Norton, and Martin Compston. No reason has been given for his ascension.
Because odds move when large bets come in — which is the case with Turner’s rise to the top — many interpret that as a sign that “insiders” or people close to the project are betting, which fuels more speculation. Even if that’s not true, the movement creates a sense of “maybe there’s real information behind that.”
Or maybe the odds-makers are picking up on something: this summer, Turner was spotted vacationing in Oracabessa Bay — better known as GoldenEye — Ian Fleming’s former estate where many of the Bond novels were written. Several Bond films, including “Dr. No,” were also shot nearby, adding an extra layer of intrigue to his sudden rise in the betting charts.
Turner, who recently starred in A24’s “Eternity,” is 35 and has been sporadically mentioned for Bond, but never to the point where now even The Telegraph is saying that the actor is “strongly rumored” to play the character. His other notable credits include “Green Room,” “The Boys in the Boat,” ‘Fantastic Beasts’ and “Masters of Air.”
The future of Bond has been a little up in the air after Amazon/MGM Studios took over the franchise from Barbara Broccoli. Villeneuve is directing; Steven Knight is writing.
Knight is rumored to be drawing heavily from Fleming’s earliest novels, which could signal an “origin” Bond — revisiting his Royal Navy background, his recruitment into MI6, and his eventual attainment of “00” status. The story could even be set in the ’50s or ’60s.
Still, casting won’t formally begin until Villeneuve wraps “Dune: Part Three.” Production on Bond 26 is expected to kick off in 2027, with a release planned for 2028 — likely in the traditional November slot long favored for Bond premieres.