10 Actors Who May Be the Next James Bond

2. Tom Hiddleston

After earning solid reviews for his performance as a spy in AMC’s adaptation of John le Carré’s The Night Manager, Hiddleston has become a favorite to succeed Craig as Bond. In March 2016, the actor said that playing Bond would be an “extraordinary opportunity” and that he “would not take it lightly.” He reiterated his enthusiasm for the role again later that spring, but insisted that talk of him taking on the role was purely speculation.

The fire was further fueled when a report from the website, Birth.Movies.Death. claimed that Hiddleston is actually already “in advanced talks” for the 25th James Bond film. Adding to the rumors? The Hollywood Reporter revealed that Susanne Bier, who directed Hiddleston in The Night Manager, is reportedly on the shortlist to take over helming duties from Sam Mendes.

Despite all of that, Hiddleston seems to think his chance at the role has waivered since then. “I’m sorry to disappoint you, everybody,” he said in mid-2016. “I don’t think that announcement is coming. There’s not much that I can say that I haven’t already said, your guess is as good as mine, to be honest.”

And while none of these rumors have been officially confirmed yet, Hiddleston may already be out of the running, if the unnamed sources cited by Page Six in April 2017 are to be believed.  Per the sources, Bond franchise producer Barbara Broccoli was unimpressed by Hiddleston, calling him ” a bit too smug and not tough enough.”