A trailer for the latest installment in the James Bond franchise, No Time to Die, which is set to be released in theaters in April 2020, premiered this week. This film marks Daniel Craig’s fifth time playing Bond, but it may be his last. Craig reportedly revealed to USA Today that No Time to Die would be his last time playing Bond. Of course, there were rumors that Spectre would be his last film in the franchise as well, so until the next Bond actor is announced, nothing is for certain. With the release of the trailer, comes a fresh interest in the character and the franchise, so let’s take a look at the previous Bonds as well as the top contenders to replace Craig, according to The Sun.
Past
Sean Connery
The first to portray Bond in the franchise, this Scottish actor played the spy in seven films, returning for a final film after Lazenby. Although Ian Fleming, the author of the James Bond series, initially disliked Connery, but changed his mind after the success of the first film.
George Lazenby
Lazenby, who is the only non-European Bond so far, being from Australia, was not an actor when he was chosen to play Bond in 1968. He was a model, and after a single film as Bond, he rejected the offer to continue with the character.
Roger Moore
This English actor had the title of 007 for seven additions to the franchise. His version of the character was intentionally lighter and slightly humorous.
Timothy Dalton
Dalton’s portrayal of Bond in two films is said to be the most comparable to Craig’s Bond due to the focus on believability in their portrayals. The British actor wanted a Bond more closely aligned with Fleming’s original Bond character in the novels.
Pierce Brosnan
After four installments as Bond, Brosnan ended his stint as the British spy. He had originally been offered the role before Dalton, but was involved in a television show at the time.
Present
Daniel Craig
Initially, there was some backlash after it was announced that Craig would be replacing Brosnan. His shorter frame and blond hair departs from the trend of tall, dark-haired actors who portrayed Bond in the past, which also is closer to Fleming’s description.
Future
Sam Heughan
The actor with the current highest odds as of December 4, 2019, Heughan has appeared in Outlander. He also starred in The Spy Who Dumped Me, the title of which is a rift on Roger Moore’s The Spy Who Loved Me.
Richard Madden
You may know him as Prince Charming, Robb Stark, or most recently as John Reid in the Elton John biopic, Rocketman. His odds raised after his performance as the principal protection officer for the home secretary in Bodyguard.
Tom Hiddleston
The star best known for his performance as Loki in Thor and Avengers films is also highly rated in his chances to take over for Craig, especially after his performance in The Night Manager.
James Norton
This English actor has persisted in staying in the top contenders for the Bond role, despite being relatively unknown. Norton has appeared in Grantchester, War and Peace, and Happy Valley. His odds were raised after playing the son of a Russian mafia boss in McMafia.
Michael Fassbender
Fassbender is also in the race for the coveted spy role; you may have seen him as Magneto in the X-Men film series or as the lead actor in Steve Jobs.
I’ll be rooting for Richard Madden or James Norton to replace Craig after this film. Who do you think would be the best choice for the next Bond?