Who will play the next James Bond?

With Daniel Craig stepping down after the newly released ‘No Time to Die’, James Moore looks at who is most likely to replace him as 007 in a changing cultural landscape

Goodbye Mr Bond: Craig exits the franchise in ‘No Time to Die’ (Metro Goldwyn Mayer/AP)

Can James Bond evolve? Does he even need to as the cinemas predict blockbuster numbers for his latest outing? No Time to Die, which cinemas hope will be the answer to a fair few prayers, hits screens today. The critics have had a look and they’ve mostly called it a popcorn classic (although The Independent was lukewarm).

This being Daniel Craig’s swan song in the tuxedo, the question of who’s next in line has added some extra spice to the proceedings. The bookies report lively betting. Tom Hardy, who is (almost) going head to head with Bond with his Venom: Let there be Carnage, is a warm favourite. His price is as short as 13/8 with Paddy Power.

Hardy has pulled off out-and-out villains in the past, including both Kray twins and Batman’s nemesis Bane, in addition to his current anti-hero. Bond has always had a dark side and Hardy would be an interesting choice. But he’d also be a very conventional choice. There are plenty who would cheer that. Bond is, at its heart, a very conservative franchise.