Who Should Be the New James Bond? Here Are the Best Options!

From franchise veterans to rising British leads, plenty of actors already have the passports, profiles, and action résumés that studios look for in a 007 hand-off. Below are 15 names with concrete credentials—nationality, marquee roles, and franchise experience—so you can weigh the field on facts, not hype.

Aaron Taylor-Johnson

English actor (born 1990) with headlining action credits in ‘Kick-Ass’, ‘Avengers: Age of Ultron’, ‘Tenet’, and ‘Bullet Train’. He has led studio projects across budgets and filmed extensively in the UK and abroad. A BAFTA Rising Star winner, he’s balanced franchise work with smaller thrillers. He also carries experience with firearms and stunt choreography from multiple productions.

Henry Cavill

British actor (born 1983) known for espionage and action roles in ‘The Man from U.N.C.L.E.’, ‘Mission: Impossible – Fallout’, and fantasy franchise leadership in ‘The Witcher’. He fronted DC’s ‘Man of Steel’ era and works frequently with international production units. Cavill has a history of fight training and wire work. He holds dual TV and feature film franchise experience.

Regé-Jean Page

British-Zimbabwean actor (born 1988) who broke out globally with ‘Bridgerton’ and has action credentials from ‘The Gray Man’ and ‘Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves’. He has studio feature leads and ensemble experience. Page works across American and UK productions with broad international recognition. He’s trained for screen combat and firearms handling on recent projects.

James Norton

English actor (born 1985) with crime and spy pedigrees in ‘McMafia’, ‘Rogue Agent’, and ‘Grantchester’. He has played antagonists and leads, and he’s worked in large-scale features like ‘Little Women’. Norton trained at RADA and maintains stage and screen versatility. He regularly films across Europe and has experience with multilingual productions.

Tom Hardy

English actor (born 1977) with marquee action roles in ‘Inception’, ‘Mad Max: Fury Road’, and the ‘Venom’ series. He has military-themed training from projects like ‘Warrior’ and ‘Dunkirk’. Hardy is a BAFTA winner with long-running franchise responsibilities and global box-office pull. He’s accustomed to location-heavy shoots and physically demanding parts.

Richard Madden

Scottish actor (born 1986) who headlined BBC’s ‘Bodyguard’ and starred in ‘Game of Thrones’. He has spy-action experience from ‘Citadel’ and Marvel franchise work in ‘Eternals’. Madden has led both streaming and theatrical releases with international press coverage. He frequently works on UK-based productions with extensive stunt and firearm familiarity.

Idris Elba

English actor (born 1972) with crime-thriller credentials from ‘Luther’ and early acclaim on ‘The Wire’. He’s appeared in action franchises including ‘Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw’, ‘Pacific Rim’, and ‘The Suicide Squad’. Elba has led UK and US projects and records consistent worldwide awareness. He’s also produced and directed, bringing behind-the-camera experience.

Dan Stevens

English actor (born 1982) with action-thriller turns in ‘The Guest’, kaiju franchise work in ‘Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire’, and genre range in ‘Legion’. He has multilingual performance credits and extensive location shooting. Stevens alternates between studio features and independent films. He’s trained for screen fighting and choreographed action.

Jack Lowden

Scottish actor (born 1990) known for ‘Slow Horses’ and ensemble work in ‘Dunkirk’. He has portrayed real-life figures and leads in UK intelligence-themed storytelling. Lowden trained at the Royal Scottish Academy and maintains stage credentials. He’s worked across British and international co-productions with experience in firearms and tactical sequences.

Nicholas Hoult

English actor (born 1989) with franchise experience in the ‘X-Men’ series and action work in ‘Mad Max: Fury Road’. He has led studio comedies and thrillers and recently headlined ‘Renfield’. Hoult balances blockbuster ensembles with award-season titles like ‘The Favourite’. He has screen combat training and frequent collaboration with major studios.

Dev Patel

British actor-filmmaker (born 1990) with action direction and starring duties in ‘Monkey Man’, plus acclaimed leads in ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ and ‘The Green Knight’. Patel has international production experience and festival recognition, including Oscar and BAFTA nominations. He has trained extensively for martial-arts-based action. His credits span studio, indie, and global co-financed projects.

Damson Idris

British actor (born 1991) recognized for ‘Snowfall’ and action-sci-fi lead work in ‘Outside the Wire’. He co-stars in the high-profile racing feature ‘F1’ and has growing studio relationships. Idris has firearm and tactical training from multiple sets. He routinely films across the UK, Europe, and the US.

Paapa Essiedu

British actor (born 1990) with acclaim for ‘I May Destroy You’ and action-sci-fi experience in ‘The Lazarus Project’ plus crime drama in ‘Gangs of London’. RADA-trained, he has stage awards and BAFTA recognition. Essiedu has performed across Europe and worked within stunt-driven series units. He brings contemporary thriller credentials and anthology work.

Riz Ahmed

British actor (born 1982) and Academy Award winner for ‘Sound of Metal’, with franchise credits in ‘Rogue One’ and ‘Venom’. Ahmed has headlined political and techno-thrillers and produces through his own banner. He has experience with accents and multilingual projects. His filmography spans indie dramas and large-scale studio productions.

Cillian Murphy

Irish actor (born 1976) and Academy Award winner for ‘Oppenheimer’, widely known for the UK crime saga ‘Peaky Blinders’. He has previous espionage and action work in ‘Inception’ and ‘A Quiet Place Part II’. Murphy has led long-running series and major films with extensive location schedules. He maintains collaborations with top-tier directors and British crews.

Share your pick for 007 in the comments and tell us who you’d cast and why!