@Courtesy of Apple TV +, Masters of the Air
Callum Turner, the 26-year-old British actor, has emerged as the likely candidate to assume the role of James Bond, according to several online bookmakers. Turner edged out Aaron Taylor-johnson, who had been the favorite for several years.
Up to now, there has been no indication from any of the parties involved in the project—franchise owner Amazon, director Denis Villeneuve, or producers David Heyman and Amy Pascal—as to who would play the iconic role that was originated by Sean Connery in the 1960s.
Turner has been acclaimed for his roles in Fantastic Beasts, Masters of the Air, and The Boys in the Boat. The odds of his receiving the nod to play 007 now stand at 27.6%, nosing out previous favorite Aaron Taylor-Johnson, who clocks in at 26.3%. Other possibilities for the role include Henry Cavill, Theo James, Jack Lowden, and Harris Dickinson, but with much smaller odds: Cavill at 11.6%, James with 9.4%, and Lowden and Dickinson tied at 6.1%. Another possibility, Eddie Redmayne, has fallen off the list entirely.
Taylor-Johnson, who appeared in Kick Ass and Bullet Train, took on the position of brand ambassador for Omega watches earlier this year. Since James Bond had often flaunted the timepiece in his films, it had been speculated Taylor-Johnson would be taking on the role. He had been the front runner when the Bond franchise was still in the hands of Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson.
A spokesperson for VegasInsider, the source of these statistics, was quoted by Time&Tide as saying: “Callum Turner has been a steady presence in the Bond betting odds for years. Once considered an outside contender, he gradually worked his way into the top ten, and in recent months his momentum has only increased. Now, for the first time, he has overtaken Aaron Taylor-Johnson as the front runner to become the next 007 with odds of +262. Turner fits many of the qualities the producers are said to be seeking: he is British, his career is on the rise, and he isn’t a household name yet.”
Earlier this week, Radar Online reported that writer Steven Knight and his colleagues were “tearing their hair out…trying to find a believable way” to resurrect Bond after he’d been killed off in No Time to Die.