15 actors we'd like to see cast as the next James Bond

01 of 16

Who will be the next James Bond?

Although Daniel Craig's final Bond film won't premiere until April 2020 and therefore, the next Bond won't be announced anytime soon, that hasn't stopped the internet from speculating about which actor could (and should) follow in Craig's footsteps. Click through to find out which actors we'd love to see as the next 007.

02 of 16

Richard Madden

EE British Academy Film Awards - Red Carpet Arrivals — Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images

Not only does Madden come complete with a Scottish accent ready to recreate Sean Connery’s famous “shaken, not stirred” pronunciation, he’s also formerly King in the North, so we know he can handle himself in dangerous situations. Add to that the skills he acquired playing the Bodyguard and, honestly, they’d be Mad(den) not to cast him! —Ruth Kinane

03 of 16

James Norton

Premiere Of Columbia Pictures' "Flatliners" - Arrivals — Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic

James Norton may have broken out playing a psychopath worthy of a Bond villain in Happy Valley, but it was his role as a dashing, suited-and-booted son of a mafia kingpin in AMC’s limited series McMafia that bumped him up the list for the smooth-talking Bond. —Piya Sinha-Roy

04 of 16

Olivia Wilde

88th Annual Academy Awards - Arrivals — Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic

She’s got the look, style, and rhythm. A Vigilante and a number of other of Wilde’s projects prove she wears risk-taking and thrill-seeking well. —Katie Hasty

05 of 16

Idris Elba

It is a truth universally acknowledged that at least half of the internet wants Elba to be the next Bond. He’s everything the part calls for — suave, debonair, and he can wear the hell out of a suit — while also remaining entirely plausible as a lethal killer working on behalf of her majesty. —Maureen Lee Lenker

06 of 16

Henry Golding

Tom Ford - Arrivals - September 2018 - New York Fashion Week — Rob Kim/WireImage

Henry Golding has the posh British accent and the undeniable charm of. Plus, if James Bond can be an Australian (Lazenby), an Irishman (Brosnan), and a Scotsman (Connery), there’s literally no reason he can’t be half-Malaysian. —Dana Schwartz

07 of 16

Helen Mirren

Production Wraps On CBS Films' "Winchester" — C Flanigan/WireImage

The ageless dame revealed in a 2017 interview that she would have loved to play Bond in her youth but feels too old to take on the role now… as if every movie theater in 2019 wouldn’t be completely sold out on opening weekend with people wanting to see Helen Mirren stylishly save England with the help of cool inventions and Judi Dench. —Marc Snetiker

08 of 16

Tom Hiddleston

The 62nd London Evening Standard Theatre Awards - Winners Boards — Dave Benett/Getty Images

A few years back Hiddleston was a favorite in the Bond conversation, largely because he’d proven himself to be adept at playing a modern British superspy with eyebrow-raising seduction skills on AMC’s The Night Manager, itself an adaptation of a John Le Carre novel. Bond requires action star skills blended with roguish charm and a dashing, urbane presence. Hiddleston has this in spades. —Maureen Lee Lenker

09 of 16

Taron Egerton

dunhill Pre-BAFTA Dinner — Dave Benett/Getty Images

I mean, the Rocketman star is already pretty much playing the part in the Kingsmen movie series. His swagger would be classic Bond; his youthful energy would bring a new element to the franchise. —Patrick Gomez

10 of 16

Rachel Weisz

Academy Of Motion Picture Arts And Sciences' 10th Annual Governors Awards - Arrivals — Steve Granitz/WireImage

Anyone who saw Weisz scheme, seduce, and shoot a pistol like the coolest pantalooned cucumber in The Favourite knows that the Oscar-winning actress has what it takes to drag Bond’s calcified masculinity into a new era. Plus she already lives with the guy currently playing him, so they won’t even have to put a change of address on the paycheck. —Leah Greenblatt

11 of 16

Iwan Rheon

"Hurricane" - UK Premiere - Red Carpet Arrivals — Mike Marsland/WireImage

He may be best known for becoming one of the most hated characters on Game of Thrones, but in other projects the Welsh actor has shown the charm and likeability necessary for the role. Check out a young Rheon in the British superhero series Misfits. (Bonus: We already know he could torture the bad guys in unspeakable ways.) —Patrick Gomez

12 of 16

Sam Heughan

BAFTA Los Angeles Awards Season Tea - Red Carpet — Mike Windle/BAFTA LA/Getty Images

This isn’t an original idea since about 8 million of his fans have already advocated for his casting on social media. Besides, it wouldn’t be the first time a Scot was selected to play the British secret service agent; Sean Connery played him from 1962 to 1983. And Heughan has way better hair. —Lynette Rice

13 of 16

Riz Ahmed

2017 Vanity Fair Oscar Party Hosted By Graydon Carter - Arrivals — Alberto E. Rodriguez/WireImage

Riz Ahmed sure knows how to rock a suit, but it was his role as a Pakistani-American student accused of murder in HBO’s The Night Of that showcased his mastery of manipulation — is he innocent or guilty? It’s the kind of bluff that would benefit Bond greatly on his many covert missions. —Piya Sinha-Roy

14 of 16

Gillian Anderson

"The Crown" Season 2 World Premiere - Red Carpet Arrivals — Gillian Anderson. Mike Marsland/WireImage

If you watched Anderson's portrayal of Stella Gibson on The Fall, there should be no doubt in your mind that she has the powerful presence necessary to take the "Bond" name to the next level. —Samantha Highfill

15 of 16

Dev Patel

No longer the puppy-eyed underdog, Dev Patel has grown into a rakish leading man as demonstrated in last month’s The Wedding Guest, where he plays a hired hand contracted to kidnap a girl. He’s got the hair, the firearms and the intense brooding required for a secret agent of Her Majesty’s Secret Service. —Piya Sinha-Roy

16 of 16

An Unknown

Red rectangular banner with James Bond in silhouette — Getty Images

Surprise us, producers! Don’t hire a Big Name Star with their own image baggage brought to the role. Do the hard work: Meet little-known actor after actor after actor until you find somebody special to show us a Bond that’s truly new and exciting. —James Hibberd