Next James Bond Odds: Callum Turner Maintains Favouritism as Cast Date Looms
The Next James Bond odds have shifted dramatically at the betting sites this week, with Amazon MGM confirming that casting is officially underway is driving the movement.
Variety reported in June that Game of Thrones casting director, Nina Gold, has been brought in by Amazon MGM to find the next 007, with auditions having begun "in the past few weeks."
It is the firmest news the market has had since Denis Villeneuve was confirmed as director last June and Steven Knight signed on to write the screenplay in July.
That follows months of speculation, the handover of full creative control from Eon to Amazon MGM, and producers Amy Pascal and David Heyman reportedly briefing they want a younger, British actor who is not yet a household name.
With Daniel Craig giving up his iconic and reprised role five years ago, the market has continuously speculated as to who can step into 007's shoes.
So if Bond 26 has its leading man on the way, who steps in? How's the betting looking and are there betting sign up offers available?
Here at FreeBets.com, we've run through the six most likely candidates, their odds, and what the markets are telling us.
Next James Bond Odds
With auditions live and Villeneuve due to wrap Dune: Part Three before serious screen tests begin, the next James Bond market is one of the busiest non-sport books on the board.
Below, we assess six realistic candidates who could be next in line to be handed a licence to kill.
| Candidate | Next James Bond Odds |
| Callum Turner | 5/4 |
| Louis Partridge | 10/3 |
| Tom Francis | 10/3 |
| Harry Dickinson | 4/1 |
| Aaron Taylor-Johnson | 5/1 |
| Jacob Elordi | 5/1 |
Odds correct as of Tuesday, 28th July, 12:00pm - courtesy of Sky Bet
Callum Turner
Callum Turner heads the market for a reason.
The Masters of the Air lead has shortened from 6/5 to 5/4 over the last few weeks on the back of Amazon MGM's casting confirmation, repeated Daily Mail briefings calling him "the worst-kept secret in town," and a profile that ticks every box producers Amy Pascal and David Heyman are said to want.
He is British, over six feet, late thirties at most, and according to Deadline's well-sourced September 2025 reporting, exactly the "fresh face" the producers prefer over an established A-lister.
The Dua Lipa aspect adds narrative weight, too, with his recently-turned wife a touted contender to sing the Bond 26 theme song.
Our verdict: Turner as the current market favourite is the right call. He fits the brief Pascal and Heyman have been quietly briefing for months, and the casting director is now in the building. At 5/4 the value has gone, but the case for him is strong.
Louis Partridge
Louis Partridge has emerged as one of the most talked-about names in the Bond conversation, and the market has taken notice.
The Enola Holmes and Pistol star has been linked to the role with increasing regularity throughout 2025, with his combination of screen presence, physical stature and relative youth making him precisely the kind of long-term franchise investment producers Amy Pascal and David Heyman are said to be seeking.
At 23, Partridge would be the youngest Bond since George Lazenby, but that youth is arguably the point. With a planned run of multiple films, locking in a younger lead gives the franchise the runway it needs — and Partridge's recent run of high-profile projects has demonstrated he can carry serious dramatic weight.
Our verdict: Partridge is the value play in this market. The 10/3 price reflects genuine producer interest rather than speculation, and if Turner doesn't get the call, Partridge looks the most likely beneficiary.
Tom Francis
Tom Francis may be the least familiar name at the top of this market, but the industry chatter around him is serious.
The English actor, best known for his roles on the West End and Boroadway stages, fits the quietly refined mould that the Bond franchise has historically gravitated towards. Less household name, more considered choice, which is precisely how the producers have historically operated when the pressure is highest.
Francis represents the kind of casting that would surprise the casual fan but make immediate sense to anyone following the production closely. Tall, commanding, British, and with the kind of theatre-grounded credibility that tends to carry weight with a creative team led by Stephen Knight.
Our verdict: At 10/3, Francis is priced identically to Partridge despite carrying considerably less public profile. If the producers go for the unexpected pick, as they often do, Francis could be the name that blindsides the market. Interesting each-way at current odds.
Harris Dickinson
Harris Dickinson has been quietly building one of the most compelling cases in the field, and the betting market has been steadily catching up.
The Iron Claw and Where the Crawdads Sing star possesses the kind of cool, understated intensity that the franchise arguably needs after the heightened emotion of the Craig era.
His European art-house credentials combined with strong Hollywood traction give him a profile that feels genuinely different from anyone who has played the role before, which, depending on your read of what Pascal and Heyman want, is either a strength or a hesitation.
Our verdict: Dickinson is arguably the most interesting candidate in the field from a purely cinematic standpoint. If the producers are looking for something genuinely new, he makes the strongest case. The market price reflects a real chance rather than wishful thinking.
Aaron Taylor-Johnson
Aaron Taylor-Johnson was the name everyone expected to hear announced, and the fact that it never came has defined this entire casting saga.
He led the market for the better part of two years, was repeatedly named in credible industry reporting, and by most accounts came closer to landing the role than any other candidate, only for the process to apparently stall or reset entirely. The reasons remain unclear, but his current 5/1 price suggests the market hasn't entirely given up on a late revival.
Taylor-Johnson is 34, physically imposing, and has the dramatic range, demonstrated in Kraven the Hunter and Bullet Train, to carry the franchise. The question is whether his window has passed or whether the earlier momentum quietly resumes.
Our verdict: The value here depends entirely on your read of why he drifted. If it was circumstantial, scheduling, negotiations, a reset in the creative team's thinking, then 5/1 on a candidate who was once near-certainty has some appeal. If the break was definitive, the price is still too short. Proceed with caution.
Jacob Elordi
Jacob Elordi is the wild card of this market, and not without justification.
The Saltburn and Priscilla star has the looks, the physicality, at 6'5" he would be the tallest Bond in history, and the dramatic credibility to make a compelling case on paper. His recent work has demonstrated considerable range, and at 29 he offers the same generational upside as Partridge and Dickinson.
The 5/1 price likely reflects the fact that his name has been attached to the role largely through fan and media speculation rather than the kind of well-sourced industry reporting that underpins the Turner and Partridge cases. He is a credible outsider rather than a genuine frontrunner.
Our verdict: Elordi is the most intriguing long shot in the field. If you're looking for a speculative each-way play at the bottom end of the market, the combination of his profile, his age, and the genuine uncertainty still surrounding the casting makes 5/1 an interesting price.
A clear-cut announcement is unlikely before late 2026, with shooting targeted at 2027 and a 2028 release window, so this market will keep moving on rumour for some months yet. Expect prices to swing every time Variety or Deadline drops a name.
