The Night Manager director Susanne Bier 'frontrunner' to helm next James Bond

She could very well be joining Tom Hiddleston for the next installment in the franchise

Susanne Bier and Tom Hiddleston (Getty)

Rumours surrounding who take over from Daniel Craig as James Bond have been heating up in recent weeks. First, Craig reportedly turned down a multi-million-pound deal to star in two sequels to Spectre.

Then, Tom Hiddleston - who was already widely thought to be in the running thanks to his standout performance in The Night Manager - was said to be in ‘advanced talks’ regarding playing the spy.

Adding further fuel to those rumours is a new report from Radio Times stating The Night Manager director Susanne Bier is in contention to direct the next instalment in the franchise, taking over from Sam Mendes who recently confirmed he won’t be returning to the series.

If Bier does get the job - for which she is one of the frontrunners - it will not only mark a reunion with Hiddleston but will mark the first time a woman has ever directed a Bond film.

She has previously said of Hiddleston: “There's a certain incredibly enigmatic quality to his eyes. You aren't sure you can trust him, but you are sure there is a pain there that he doesn’t show.

"He's so immaculate and fun and elegant and charming, and there is somewhere inside of him a painfulness, which I think for most women, is irresistible."

Other names to recently be tossed into the ‘Next James Bond’ ring include Jamie Bell, Emilia Clark and Gillian Anderson. Mendes, meanwhile, has said the next 007 will “not be who you expect”.