Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man star Barry Keoghan is a leading contender among bookies to play the villain in the next James Bond film.
The odds come courtesy of Gambling.com, who have also gathered takes on who could be the next female Bond villain.
Keoghan circling James Bond villain role?
Keoghan would certainly be up for a villainous role in the next Bond film, and tipped himself for that type of character when the Radio Times probed on whether the Irishman would even play Agent 007.
“I don’t think I fit the criteria for James Bond,” Keoghan said.
“I’d rather come in and do the villain. The man teasing Bond, that’s more me.”
Those words came amid the press tour for Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man, written by original series creator Steven Knight, who just so happens to be penning the next Bond film.
That would give Keoghan a bit of an in, so it’s no surprise he’s the 11/10 favourite on betting apps to be the next male Bond villain.
Fresh from his first Oscar win, Michael B Jordan is the second favourite at 5/4.
Amazon’s do-over of the Bond franchise will see modern movie maestro Denis Villeneuve direct from Knight’s script, a monster project to move on to following the shooting of Dune: Part Three.
That hotly anticipated flick stars Timothee Chalemet in the lead, and he’s the third favourite to land the Bond villain role at 13/8.
Teyana Taylor could make her Bond bow
Markets also exist for who could be the next female foe to square up against Bond, and popular names from the recently concluded awards season lead the way.
Teyana Taylor may have missed out on an Oscar for best supporting actress, but her stunning display in the opening act of One Battle After Another will be forever iconic.
Taylor’s stunning screen presence would be a perfect fit for a Bond film, and she is the 6/4 favourite to be the next female Bond villain.
Second in the race is Wuthering Heights, and overall megastar, Margot Robbie, at 13/8.
One star who wasn’t missing out on Oscars glory was Jessie Buckley, who swept awards season thanks to her heartwrenching performance in Hamnet.
Buckley is third-in-line to be the next female Bond villain, at 15/8.
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