James Bond: The current odds for the next 007 - could a Liverpool actor including Jodie Comer play the role?

Ever since Daniel Craig announced that ‘No Time To Die’ would be his last James Bond film, there has been feverish speculation about his successor.

The successful candidate will become the eighth actor to play Ian Fleming’s iconic character, following Sean Connery, David Niven, George Lazenby, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan and Daniel Craig.

There had been speculation that a woman could step into the role but the bookies’ favourites are men, with Superman and The Witcher actor Henry Cavill now favourite to land the role.

Cavill (7/2) is followed by Bridgerton star Regé-Jean Page and Idris Elba at (5/1), then Tom Hardy (7/1), with Rizwan Ahmed and Aiden Turner (14/1) completeing the top six contenders.

But we have plenty of talent to choose from right here in Merseyside too. Could the next super suave secret agent come from this lot?

Taron Egerton

The Birkenhead-born actor already has experience of an action spy film starring as Gary ‘Eggsy’ Unwin in the 2014 hit film Kingsman: The Secret Service, with Colin Firth, Michael Caine and Samuel L. Jackson.

Taron moved to Anglesey when he was 12 where he spent the rest of his teenage years. He is the highest ranked of the Merseyside contingent at 50/1.

Peter Serafinowicz

Serafinowicz was born in Gateacre and also has spy credentials starring as Aldo in the 2015 action comedy film Spy.

The 6ft 5in actor and comedian was also in Guardians of the Galaxy and Shaun of the Dead. He was the sinister voice of Darth Maul in Star Wars Episode 1: A Phantom Menace.

He might make an excellent Bond villain he misses out on the 007 role.

Dominic Purcell

Purcell played Lincoln Burrows in Fox’s Prison Break and was born in Wallasey but raised in Australia from the age of two.

He’s a Reds fan and has starred in Mission Impossible II, Primeval and Blade: Trinity. He has played a retired SAS operative in The Killer Elite.

His physique might make him suitable for Bond, or, a Bond villain.

Jodie Comer

Jodie Comer rose to fame after taking on the role of psychopath Villanelle in the BBC’s Killing Eve. She has been praised for her role as a carer in Channel 4 drama Help, set in a fictional Liverpool care home.

Comer grew up in Childwall and was given a Best Actress award at the BAFTAs in June 2019.

She has already hinted that she could play a Bond villian, but could she also be the first female 007? She is the second highest Scouser on the list at 80/1.

Stephen Graham

Sorry Stephen, but it would probably be more of a Bond villain role for you.

A brilliant actor, but a filmography that includes Gangs of New York, Public Enemies, The Irishman and Al Capone in the HBO series Boardwalk Empire has ‘future Bond baddie’ written all over it.

The man from Kirkby, who starred alongside fellow Scouser Comer in Help, did play Chief Inspector Heat in the TV mini series The Secret Agent though.