A new contender forBond 26has now emerged, with a surprising star now making waves. Daniel Craig was the most recent actor to play the iconic British spy, and he bid farewell to the franchise after five movies withNo Time To Diein 2021.
Now, Amazon has gained creative control of theJames Bondfranchise, and the company is already making progress on a new movie.DunedirectorDenis Villeneuve is officially directingBond 26, with the next orders of business being finding a screenwriter and, crucially, casting the new 007.
PerOddschecker, actorScott Rose-Marsh, 37, has now become a popular betting choiceas the next Bond. In the UK, the actor is now in sixth place as the favorite to take over for Craig after previously not being included on the odds list at all.
Aaron Taylor-Johnson, 35, remains the frontrunneron the betting site, with Aaron Pierre, Theo James, Tom Holland, and Jack Lowden following. Interestingly, Rose-Marsh is a very new addition to Oddschecker, not even making the list prior to June 14. Looking specifically at Betfair, Scott-Marsh has odds of 6/4 while Taylor-Johnson is at 1/50.
What This Means for Bond 26
Scott Rose-Marsh’s Previous Projects Explained
It’s important to note that Rose-Marsh appearing as a contender on a betting site is not a sign that he has any real chance at being cast. Officially, Amazon has not revealed who may be in the running to be the new 007, and it remains unclear whether any of the betting frontrunners are actually in contention.
It is interesting, however, that Rose-Marsh beats two recently floated names. A report fromVarietyearlier this month suggested that Amazon and Villeneuve were looking to cast a younger actor as Bond, withHolland, Jacob Elordi, and Harris Dickinson listed as top choices. As of writing, Rose-Marsh is a betting favorite ahead of both Elordi and Dickinson.
If Rose-Marsh were to be cast, this would fit with 007 announcements for pastBondmovies.The British actor doesn’t really have any major movie credits under his belt, appearing in relatively underseen films likeWolves of War(2022) andCode of Silence(2021), in addition to Welsh-language miniseriesYr Amgueddfa.
Craig, similarly, wasn’t a major star beforeCasino Royale(2006), with his most notable leading role beingLayer Cake(2004). He also had supporting roles in films likeRoad to Perdition(2002) andLara Croft: Tomb Raider(2001). Rose-Marsh, though, is even lesser-known than Craig was, and his casting would likely be a major surprise considering the other contenders.
Our Take On Scott Rose-Marsh’s James Bond Odds
Why He Might Be A Strong Choice
Though Rose-Marsh’sBond 26casting seems like a bit of a long shot, this could be exactly what the franchise needs. Amazon’s first instinct could be cast a bigger name like Holland or Elordi in order to maximize audience interest, butthis new iteration of 007 could benefit from a relative unknown.
Holland is best known for playingSpider-Man in the MCUwhile Elordi has made a splash with projects likeEuphoriaandSaltburn(2023).
Unlike with Holland and Elordi,audiences, for the most part, don’t have a pre-existing relationship with Rose-Marsh, and this could allow him to more fully become the character. He would be starting from more of a blank slate compared to other actors, who may come with a little more baggage.
Though it remains unclear who will actually be cast as the new 007,interest is evidently high in this new incarnation of the characterfrom one of Hollywood’s most acclaimed and beloved filmmakers. Villeneuve may have his hands full with theupcomingDune: Part Threeat the moment, but more official news regardingBond 26may not be far off.
