From Idris Elba to Tom Hardy, these 6 actors are all top contenders to be the next James Bond

With No Time To Die, Daniel Craig’s tenure as James Bond is coming to an end after 16 years and five films.

The actor that’s going to replace him is going to have some big shoes to fill.

Partly because Craig was by far the most successful Bond, according to the box office, and also because producers say they want the next actor to commit for at least 10 years.

From Idris Elba to Tom Hardy, let’s have a look at six potential candidates to be the next James Bond.

6. Tom Hardy (45 years old)

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Tom Hardy is British.

Why is that a big deal? Because whatever else they may disagree on, fans seem to unanimously agree the next Bond has to be British.

This seems to be the line in the sand.

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Hardy has been rising through the ranks in recent years as a versatile and multi-faceted actor.

He can play the tough good guy (Lawless) and the villain (The Dark Knight Rises, Legend).

Technically he’s already played the role of a spy in This Means War, a lightweight comedy / action film starring Chris Pine and Reese Witherspoon.

It would also be the perfect fit to embody the new, more modern Bond character that Craig has created.

Stylish and tough, but more human and flawed.

5. Regé-Jean Page (34)

Regé-Jean Page came to prominence playing Simon Basset in Bridgerton.

Fans love him, producers love him.

And he’s English.

However, casting Page would imply a slight change of pace for Craig because he would likely offer a more polished, more elegant version of Bond.

A fresh take on an older version of the character, as it were.

4. Lashana Lynch (34)

There have been rumors about Lashana Lynch taking over as the next James Bond since we first learned she would literally play ‘007’ in No Time To Die.

However, in the film (spoiler alert), her character actually tells Bond (Craig) he can keep the ‘007’ title.

As it stands, Lynch is unlikely to be the next full time Bond but you can definitely expect to see more of her in the next Bond movies.

3. Henry Cavill (39)

Henry Cavill has been around for a very long time and he’s got plenty of Hollywood experience.

He’s solid and handsome but there are a couple of hurdles.

When you look at Craig, he was fit but relatively lean, good-looking but also scuffed.

Cavill is big, almost like a body-builder, and he has the face of a model.

This might clash with the producers’ idea of carrying on with the ‘rough’ James Bond theme.

2. Miles Teller (35)

Miles Teller has been linked to a Bond role since his… grandmother started a campaign for him.

Teller himself said he would be a perfect fit for the role and fans seem to be divided on the subject.

When all is said and done, there are many pros and only one major con.

The pros: he’s got what it takes in terms of talent, looks and box office credentials.

The con: he’s American, and a non-British James Bond would be difficult to digest for fans and producers alike.

1. Idris Elba (50)

Producers desperately want to see Idris Elba as James Bond and fans agree.

He ticks all the boxes: he’s a great actor and box office gold.

He’s also British and tall, and he combines good looks with a certain rugged toughness.

The only problem is he doesn’t seem to want the role.

The actor was quoted saying “playing Bond [would not] satisfy some of my personal goals” as he fears playing Bond would keep him away from other projects for a decade.

In addition to that, there’s the ‘once Bond, always Bond’ dilemma.

Some actors aren’t too keen on the idea of being permanently associated with one character they played.