Bond Odds Shake, Stirred Not Stirred: Aaron Taylor-Johnson's Lead Uncertain

The race to replace Daniel Craig as James Bond is heating up, with new odds suggesting a possible shift in the frontrunner position. While Aaron Taylor-Johnson was previously considered a shoo-in for the coveted role, his odds have recently drifted, raising questions about his chances.

Despite earlier reports suggesting a deal was already in place, there has been no official confirmation from Eon Productions, the company behind the Bond franchise. Taylor-Johnson himself has remained coy on the subject, telling Rolling Stone, "I can only really talk about the things I’m going to show and tell," adding, "I don’t feel like I need to have a future drawn out for me. I feel like: whatever’s drawn out for me, I can f*g do better."

While he has consistently been a favorite throughout 2024, betting odds have now shifted, moving from 4/5 to 2/1. This signifies a decline in confidence among bookmakers that Taylor-Johnson will be chosen as the next Bond.

Andy Newton, a spokesperson for fairbettingsites.co.uk, explained, "It wasn’t too long ago that Aaron Taylor-Johnson was odds-on in the ‘Next James Bond’ market - however, in recent days his price has been ‘shaken and certainly stirred’ being as big as 2/1 now."

This change in betting suggests a possible shake-up in the race, with other contenders, like Henry Cavill, Damson Idris, Rege-Jean Page, and James Norton, remaining steady in the betting.

Despite the shift, Taylor-Johnson still holds a substantial 33.3% chance of securing the role, putting him ahead of Cavill at 7/2 and Idris at 9/2. Norton and Page follow closely behind with odds of 5/1 and 6/1 respectively.

Other actors, previously considered strong contenders, like Tom Hiddleston and Idris Elba, have fallen out of favor, with their odds dropping to 33/1 and 16/1, respectively.

The current odds, however, are not set in stone. With an official announcement still pending, there's a strong possibility that new favorites could emerge in the coming weeks. The intrigue continues as fans eagerly await the revelation of the next actor to embody the iconic James Bond.