Next James Bond hopeful Tom Hardy takes top spot

Daniel Craig ended his highly praised tenure as James Bond last year with the release of his fifth and final 007 movie, No Time To Die. The film marked the end of his journey as the spy, but kickstarted the search for the next actor taking his place. Bond bosses are on the hunt for his replacement – and they will likely announce the newcomer in the next few years – but there are currently some big names kicking around in the Bond odds. Few of them are bigger than Tom Hardy.The Venom and Dunkirk actor is a Hollywood A-lister, and in recent years has become a hot contender to become the new and improved James Bond going forward.As a rough-and-tumble British actor just over 40-years-old, he would certainly be a great fit.Although his odds have dwindled a little in the past few months, he still holds a great chance of claiming the role in the coming months.Currently, Hardy is in the top five of potential Bond names from Ladbrokes, with a powerful set of odds at his disposal. Next James Bond hopeful Tom Hardy is on the list (Image: GETTY) James Bond actors (Image: GETTY • EXPRESS) Next James Bond: Will Tom Hardy be able to take on Henry Cavill? (Image: GETTY)Hardy is currently fourth in the Bond odds line-up from Ladbrokes, with a staggering 6/1.However, if fans want an update from Hardy about his spot in the Bond running, they will not get it.Back in 2020 he was quizzed over becoming the new James Bond, and he was quick to explain: “You know, there’s a saying amongst us in the fraternity of acting, and in the fellowship of my peer group, that if you talk about it you’re automatically out of the race. So I can’t possibly comment on that one! If I mention it, it’s gone.”Ladbrokes’ Alex Apati said: “The Bond betting frontrunners are beginning to pull away from the chasing pack, and at this point, we’d be amazed if the chosen name isn’t currently in the top five of the betting.”Despite Hardy’s aversions to speaking about the role, he still has a great position in the running. Although, he has some strong competition.READ MORE: Next James Bond hopeful Heughan lost 007 role due to ‘personality’ Henry Cavill is currently at the top of the list (Image: GETTY)Just ahead of Hardy is Rege-Jean Page with a staggering 3/1.The British-Zimbabwean actor is one of the most popular Netflix stars around, especially after starring in the iconic period drama Bridgerton.Since then, he has worked alongside Chris Evans and Ryan Gosling in The Grey Man, and has a leading role in the upcoming fantasy epic, Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves.He has previously pooh-poohed the idea of becoming Bond, however. He instead chalked it up to nothing more than “flattery”.DON’T MISS…Next James Bond hopeful Heughan lost 007 role due to ‘personality’ [INTERVIEW]Next Bond: Dwayne Johnson backs DC star but it’s not Henry Cavill [NEWS]Next James Bond hopeful Henry Cavill usurped by Netflix star [NEWS]There’s only one person ahead of Page, and it’s the actor leading the pack of Bond hopefuls: Henry Cavill.The Superman actor has a staggering 5/2 on becoming Bond at the moment – a lead he has long held on to for months.The British star has built up a strong fanbase as both Superman and Geralt of Rivia in The Witcher, but things could be about to change in the next week or so.Cavill’s return as Superman has officially been announced by DC Comics for the first time in five years. At the same time, he recently announced his exit from The Witcher franchise.Cavill’s exit from The Witcher is likely because of his return to the Superman cape, and he’ll surely need as much time as possible to play Clark Kent once again.If that is the case, however, will he also be unavailable to play James Bond in the near future?With such a commitment under his belt, becoming the world’s most famous spy is likely going to be tough for him to take on as well.James Bond No Time To Die is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video now.